Saturday 11th October 2014, 3.40pm (day 1,143)
Not natural clouds coming down the valley, as posted a few days ago — this fire was unnatural. But hey, it’s autumn. There’s lots to burn.
Being 42
Life, one day at a time
Tag Archives: 45
Rebuilding Victoria
Friday 10th October 2014, 8.45am (day 1,142)
More a documentary photo today than any claims to artistic quality. This is where they’re currently at with the rebuilding of Manchester Victoria station. The tracks are the Metrolink (tram) line, still working (you can see a tram in the background) but the stop is closed. So the commuters can trundle through and watch lots and lots of men hanging about while dressed from head to toe in fluorescent orange.
‘Sand in Your Eye’
Thursday 9th October 2014, 9.15am (day 1,141)
That is the name of this sculpture, currently residing in the courtyard of the town hall. There is a page about it here. It’s made of sand, and if you compare the photos on that web page with this one you can see that she has been revised (she is aging), and apparently will continue to be at points over the next few weeks. It’s a clever idea. Even if you can’t see it from most of the town.
The reading room, Manchester Central library
Wednesday 8th October 2014, 12.40pm (day 1,140)
I was also here on Monday but blew my opportunity for a decent photo of it, so today gave me a second chance. Recently re-opened after what seems like years of renovation this is a classic, great, domed library reading room: too big, really, to get a photo of in its entirety, so today I tried a more intimate portrait. It’s great that I have had the chance to work in this excellent space this week, but then again, so has everyone else — for now, it’s open free to the public, you can just walk in. It’s called a public good, Mr. Cameron.
Escalator, University precinct
Tuesday 7th October 2014, 9.50am (day 1,139)
Yesterday’s pic prefigured a day of truly foul weather, the worst in months. After trudging down — and later, back up — Oxford Road in the rain it was a relief to get inside, even if it was to the university’s mostly empty and sterile shopping precinct. Anything was preferable.
Clouds come down the valley
Monday 6th October 2014, 6.30pm (day 1,138)
We’ve been blessed by good weather for some weeks but things appear to be on the turn. Awful weather this morning, though the afternoon was OK until sunset, pictured here from the back of the house and with some serious cropping to get rid of all that distracting town below — though the top of the Nutclough Mill tower sneaks unobtrusively in.
The last apple
Sunday 5th October 2014, 2.35pm (day 1,137)
It’s still noticeably not autumn, at least, in terms of what weather we would normally expect. However, most of the produce is now gone from the garden. The leeks are still growing, and visible, out of focus, in the foreground of this shot; but the only other remaining thing is this one apple, not yet windblown and hiding in its own little corner, hoping we will not notice and pick it.
Watching the 2:40 at Ascot
Saturday 4th October 2014, 2.45pm (day 1,136)
Some pubs are football pubs but some devote their Saturday afternoons to the horse racing. We found ourselves in Keighley this afternoon and, after finishing our duties, as we do, gravitated to the nearest pub — with the bonus that this was about the first chance in my life that I had to sample the products of the Timothy Taylor brewery in the town of its origin. The Boltmakers’ Arms became the pub of choice — and very fine it was too.
Rochdale Canal, near the Stubbing Wharf pub
Friday 3rd October 2014, 5.05pm (day 1,135)
The weather was forecast to deteriorate today but it seemed alright to me. A very busy week comes to a close with a very pleasant evening.
The dentist’s hands
Thursday 2nd October 2014, 4.20pm (day 1,134)
The biannual trip to the tooth doctor is usually good for a pic — if only because it’s a well-lit activity. This is at least the second time Joe has been pictured mid-examination and I think I got one of myself in once, too. The next visit is in March, if you notice this kind of thing.
Being 42 