Bit of this

Trickle. Not a word I come across much. It has a musical ring in the saying of it.

Being spaced out worked to my advantage. The inability to set cooker timer correctly gave me an unexpected hour of gardening.

Whippet put himself to bed with a guilty look, as I walked in. He had been in the bin. Mind you the fact black cat was munching a dead bird added to his unease. Wise decision to scar-per.

Bit of that

Not quite as good as a book but the next best thing.

Sometimes I have a go at my own bit of expressionism via the camera.

Bit of this

Meditation for the day: Dorothy's red shoes watching the world go by past the shop window, while waiting for their adventure to begin.

I gaze for ages framing and reframing. Sodding shoulder had become so overwhelming, focusing down to the minutia takes my body away, until I turn to find a teenager gazing at the batty old woman with a camera. I wink he continues to stare.

Corse the snap is binned, tis the process not the end product. Whoops could be a life statement.

Bit of that

Appro of bugger all

This is Eric he resides 2 doors down, invites himself inside, and has a howl suitable as a sound effects for person suffering from sodding shoulder syndrome.

Bit of this

Sheep come running from all corners of the field to stand peering over the fence bleating. It is difficult to know why they are excited. Is it the man in the white van asking directions or have they fallen in love with whippet?

Practicing my baby bantering skills on V's granddaughter. Silly voices still seem to gain sweet smiles then.

Tracing a Buzzard through the binoculars as it circles higher and higher in a bright blue sky. To join another. There is something hypnotic in their seemingly effortless soaring.

Bit of that

Whippet is a realist he feels it was not his good looks but the prospect of grub that set the sheep a running.

Bit of this

Lord of the manor has a cunning plan to stop the hoy poloy from using the back road as a short cut. Densely packed spiky shrubs have been planted close to the edge of the road, to inflict nasty scratches on to passing cars.

In fact them that do the work hadn't done it properly and woz spotted muttering and digging 200 hundred of the buggers up and re siting them a foot nearer the road.

Whippet too is muttering because I have gone off in one, gazing at the tiger stripes cast by the shrubs shadows receding into the distance. A dark blob disrupts my vibes, and when I look up to see what bit of caught litter is responsible, there is my lost glove that someone has thoughtfully stuck on a twig. What luck, the last time I trod this path was 2 weeks past.

Bit of that

Bit of this

Glittering and bright, crunchy under foot a fairy tale morning.

Everything suggested gets a negative response. The day can't possibly be crawled through. Gadget man wants a small something for the love of his life, the bike. I am in control of the wheels so after he has shopped, we explore "just up the road".

Retail therapy has worked, he graciously dons walking boots and navigates for me. A deer leaps over the fence in-front of us and arcs across the snow. Luck brings us out by Wroxton church.

Bit of that

Bit of this

A boy of about ten walks toward me clutching the Argos catalogue. "Big Issue" he sings in a perfect imitation of the lady in town. And cheekily meeting my eye "only 24.99".

With a bit of help I find that the photographs I have been hunting for are kept at the Oxford Library.

A notecard arrives from someone that disappeared from my over life thirty years ago.

Bit of that

Bit of this

Tight yellow buds of winter aconites and graceful heads of snow drops bursting into life under Ronnie's tree.

A gang of long tailed tits dart along following the saunter of the the river. Am heartened to think that they all survived the deep freeze of recent weeks.

The postie touches base with Mrs T even though she has no post today.

Bit of that

I love Martha Madigan's creativity.

Bit of this

She lands lightly, flops down and with small movements melds us into one. Purring at last her chin comes to rest on my leg. I feel all the tension flow first from her body and then from my own. What a lovely way to start the day.

A large brown envelop waits on the matt. There is a sick and dividend society rule book that cost threepence with no date on. A report on the funds raised in 1901 to restore the church. 2 photographs, one from 1901 and another 1903 showing the difference the revamp has made. 2 ancient cookery books, various scraps of paper, an old letter dated 1955. From someone in Scotland lamenting the fact that Emily wasn't at home when they called. The last item, a photograph, takes my breath away. She is beautiful. Is it Emily?

She rings me up to make sure I have not forgotten the Library van. When I get there I find out from veteran mobile man of 33 years standing, that they stopped visiting the estate, last year because someone told them not to bother now that all the workers were Polish. I think they could have added a few Polish books. He just shrugged.

Bit of that

Emily?

Bit of this

Why is whippet playing musical teeth? Tooth ache maybe.

If the tree can be seen through the mist I will come back. So after donning florescent weather gear, changing the batteries in the camera, I go out to play.

The field gate is padlocked. So hopping over a fence is required. After a mild hesitation I conclude once out in the filed the farmer won't be able to see me even with me yellow on. The fingers freeze, but she looks quite beautiful hanging in the mist. An hour passes in a flash. And I avoid getting run over on the main road when walking back to the car.

Bit of that

Bit of this

I come across a lad of about 20 walking up the hill towards me. He looks like the boy with his penetrating eyes starring out from underneath his hoodie. When I smile and speak he says "I don't speak English" and shrugs.

Keeper of lord of the manors racehorses tells me latter there are several Polish people working the estate. This comes as a welcome surprise.

Theo and whippet cross paths and we all continue our walk together. As a result I am out for hours, and have lots of interesting thoughts dancing around due to our chit chat. As I step into the house I sense sulking from upstairs. Backed up by cupboard doors open, half the pantry all over the table and worse abandoned culinary delights. "What couldn't you find" I ask. Humor is needed to get him from his corpse like pose on the bed and back into action. It was worth when I sat down to lunch though. Oh how we all suffer for his art this was the second sulk of the week.

Bit of this

Theo

House by night and Oxford by day

Bit of this

Man about the house has restless legs but unlike some is fast asleep, I have restless energy so abandon ship. The radio glows 0.00am, and fills the air with Dvorak's new world, tension melts from my shoulders. I love being up when the house is silent and as the night ticks on the road out side is still too. By the time I go to bed at 2.00, I have done various chores and nearly finished my book.

Oxford calls and I don't resist, I discover how to get the blurry people with my handbag camera.

Delicious lunch at MOMA, after enjoying the Maplethorpe exhibition.

Bit of that

Maplethorpe

Sobs, small and the sun

Bit of this

He gulps and gives an award winning sob as he nods his head and whispers yes, to the suggestion that "maybe a chocolate would help".

Bunnies that would fit into the palm of your hand hop into the hedge to avoid whippet.

The calm aura of the dark room greets me with each step up the ladder. It's only been open up so I could sort some fix out for a friend, and then couldn't resist setting up a couple of sun picture.

Bit of That

This is what I was really looking for

I can't lay claim to this

Sun Pictures

Sun pictures are made by arranging objects directly onto a piece of photographic paper and exposing them to the sun.

Some of the earliest photographic experiments were produced using a similar method by William Henry Fox Talbot and Anna Atkins as far back as the 1830s. Lunar graphs, i.e. pictures made from the light of the moon, could also be made, although much longer exposure times would be necessary for these.

Although they share similarities, the difference between sun pictures and photograms is that to produce sun pictures you don’t need an enlarger. Also the results produced have a violet or sometimes bluish tint rather than being black and white.

Hi's and hassles

Bit of this

Being a boy he just has to hassle.

Peddling her chopper bike with one hand she sings out "Hi" , imitating her mother exact tone.

Black cat serenades me begging for food.

Bit of that

I like this idea

Somewhere dfferent

Bit of this

We leave the rain behind and unexpectedly arrive in sunshine. The forecast is dire for the weekend, so we whip out the barbecue and relax while the goings good. And despite the weather man the sun continues to shine on us.

Lupins and pink roses pretty up the toy town station. Man about camper van heads off over a piece of waste ground. I'm well-aware that this is wrong but am a sod for looking behind things. I want to see what's under the arches. So I keep quiet, turning to see that half the train has followed. I'm always amazed at the fact people follow the apparently confident (or plain bad temper on this occasion)  when unsure. A mugs game I have discovered and now so have they!

Our unfailing ability to get lost means we always wander where the commercial blends and disappears into the bare bones of the a place. Often walking miles off the beaten track. The gem of the day is stumbled across as we walk through iron gates. For me time stops. I follow paths through tall grasses and wild flowers. I am now hunting for tokens of love and loss with the camera. There is a tribute to a free mason complete with carved secret symbols, often words have worn away over time, some times they leap out with unexpected expressions. The simple rub shoulder with elaborate. Most impressive of these is a tall angel dedicated to someone's affianced. And then I see her hidden between trees. I try to capture expression,curve, folds and texture the craftsman has hewn to create her. I am so long that man about camper-van is forced to find a bench and later I find him reading. I have been in heaven and I like to think so have they. 

Bit of that

Rail-strike

A near imperceptible alteration to the networks now much reduced services.                

Emotions swirl around

Bit of this

I get out of the wrong side of the bed. (a rare occurrence). It has an amazing effect on them indoors, rightly assuming I will become volcanic at the slightest.

Cooker gets cleaned, dinner cooked, and the boy while not friendly isn't too vile.

We have failed in many ways. But he is ringing the groom to ask if he knows how to tie a tie! I force man about the house to intervene. Hardly recognizing him without his hoodie on, a tear slips out. The blond has the skimpiest bit of purple cloth accentuating curves and hiding knickers, just. Confessing to sending an s.o.s home, she has accidently put on 2 right shoes. (please don't!). This is an education I assumed only celebrities brought shoes in matching set's.

The village bells ring out, winds blows everyone to church and tries to wreck the photo's, hat's it seems are out of fashion. Shame I like a good hat. Andrews memorial bench gets used as a prop, and I lurk behind grave stones, looking like a member of the paparazzi, but more a case of all the gear no idea, having tremendous fun. Memories blow by of, the grooms father appearing over the garden wall to play with my dollies when we were 5. Dad in training, he played with them more than I ever did. And has reaped the benefit. There is a moral there I fear. Hey Ho life is easy with what we now know.

Bit of that

Wedding customs

The powers that be and tv

Bit of this

The smile of surprise when I appear at the window a day early.

Man about house and his side kick are annoyed. Rubbish is not permitted to be taken to the tip in a van without a permit.People sometimes, apparently drive van to tip, also load a trailer pulled by an acceptable car, and make several journeys from just outside dump transferring rubbish from one to t'other. No help to us at all. Part of me thinks this hugely funny, bureaucracy gone bonkers. But it is an inconvenience. Stuff is carted over 100 mies back to nice accommodating Oxfordshire tip. However this does work to our advantage because some precious things that have been put in the wrong pile are discovered.

Get back just in tme to watch a much looked forward to tv program that surpasses all expectations.

Bit of this

The discovery of a knockout photographer via t.v.

Day out and something found

Bit of this

Retracing my steps from yesterday, I see a speck of bright pink. Yep the scarf I lost.

People getting changed in doorways, then joining in the parade. Energetic dancers wiggle and gyrate to the astonishment of some Oxford shoppers. 

I sit for ages watching a group of goths. Many hugs and much touching passes between them. I only see 1 smoking the whole time I am there. They notice me and big boy, I get request to take photo's. 

Bit of that

Get up and go.

Helpful police instruction to homeless.

(The Oldie Dictionary For Our Time)

Chat and cat

Bit of this

A friend shows a book of stunning photo's recalling her families travels. The scenes leap off the page, colors, countries, wild life, all have been woven together making a professional looking coffee table book. The project was aided by Aldi, and we agree it was a snip at the price.

The cue is long, we banter to pass the time. He is 91 he tells me, and only old people uses buses. We find we have things in common. I spy a pink chocolate love heart lolly, and buy it, giving it as a belated valentine. "is it edible" he laughs, "I like sweet things".

The tip of  cats tail makes the perfect curve of a C hardly discernible against the rest of her black fur. It begs to be traced with a finger.

Bit of that

Chastity belt

The area of land surrounding a nunnery.

(The Oldie- Dictionary For Our Time)   

loosing things

Bit of this

I am enchanted by the ruin. The play of light on brick, receding into darkness. The fountain is a total meditation as I focus and refocus, framing hewn muscle. Best of all is a beautiful elegant woman, the detail when viewed through big boy, is delicate but powerful.

I get lost, ever the opportunist I am on the look out for a shop. Bingo, screaching to a halt, I get my lolly.

Giggling teenagers disappear into darkness. Apparently one has lost her brace down by the rope swings. Torches dart about searching.

Bit of that

Know you limits

recognize your limits and ignore them.

(the little book of stress)

wickedly funny!

Takes all sorts

Bit of this

On the mobile library van, I support it naturally to make sure it is still calling when I am in my dotage, which aint yet!, a lass who I have never met lends me 10p so I can rent a story tape. She lives in, dead friend, Ronnies old house and makes jewelry. Young and enthusiastic, she is a breath of fresh air. There were 4 of us on the van. We need to increase the numbers or else.

Emerging from mist and smoke, the factory chimney is a small statement of beauty catching the eye. I stop with the big boy lens. In the car park is a man showing a well dressed lady a coat on a hanger from the back of his car. They look at me and I look back. We are all barking.

I receive 2 postcard to brighten the grey day. One from Poland and the other from the Netherlands. Least it beats junk mail and bills.

Bit of that

Living in the present

Yesterday is a cancelled cheque. 

Tomorrow is a promissory note.

Today is cash in hand; spend it

wisely.