Things have been happening in the outside world of course, but on a purely personal level it’s been an uneventful period: 12 of the last 16 pictures taken in Hebden Bridge. Went on a walk today mainly to give myself something to photograph; the buttercups helped it work out. I’m off on my travels again tomorrow however.
Arundel Castle in Sussex dates from the 12th century, and is a great study in just how much power and privilege remains on this smallish island off the coast of Europe. The castle walls are monstrously immense. This place is like Gormenghast, a vast fortress rising above a small town above, but otherwise relatively isolated, ruling over a huge swathe of countryside. Most countries got rid of their aristocracies a hundred or so years ago, of course, but we in England haven’t got round to it yet, so this place is still lived in — the home of the 18th Duke of Norfolk.
That’s the nice thing about this commitment to record the everyday. Sometimes your basic wall will just turn up and surprise you.
To call the weather over the last 7 days ‘unsettled’ is a gross understatement — it’s hardly been the same for half an hour at a time, all week. This was taken as I exploited a relatively sunny period this afternoon to grab more blackberries. (I seek to make wine again.) Most of the rest of the day after this, it was wet. Then dry again. Repeat…
Stayed at home almost all day writing, and it wasn’t even a sunny day, so no real light. Here’s a study of form and composition from my locality that I’ve not yet covered, however. The School in question is Stubbings, the steps go up to its lower entrance. (Not a contradiction in terms – that’s Hebden Bridge for you.) I make this the first post box to appear on the blog, though I might be wrong.
Life round here definitely feels chilled at the moment. It’s amazing what a nice, sunny four or five days does to this country, particularly when it’s been about a year since we had any such sustained period of pleasant.
Stayed below freezing all day today, the coldest day since Moscow back in March. Beautiful weather however, a glorious winter’s day. These brambles have made a break for freedom above a stone wall up the road from our house.
Sorry to go on about the bloody weather but today was the first day in two weeks which really deserved the adjectives ‘warm’ and ‘sunny’ – and even then it still rained quite severely in the evening, with two heavy thunderstorms. It may flood again tomorrow. Meanwhile, here are some flowers, proving that given enough water (ha ha) life can flourish everywhere, including in the centre of this thirty-feet-high retaining wall at the side of the Keighley Road.
Being 42 