Manchester Ship Canal

 At least a fortnight since I last posted and I cannot honestly say I’ve much to show for it – must try harder.

I’ve been out enjoying myself in the last couple of weeks.  First, there was a visit to see Pam Ayres in Southport.   She was really entertaining, I didn’t quite know what to expect but it was well worth going.     Last Friday, four of us went on a cruise along the Manchester Ship Canal.   We’d been saying we’d go for ages and finally booked.  What a beautiful day – we couldn’t have chosen better weather.   We started off at the Pier Head on the Mersey Ferry ‘Snowdrop’ and headed for Eastham Lock where we entered the ship canal.   From then on it was a very relaxing journey to Salford Quays.   It took six hours in all and Liz and I spent most of it leaning on the stern rail taking photographs while our husbands sat or stood as the fancy took them.   It was great to see the Mersey from a different perspective than usual – it’s amazing how the landmarks juxtaposed as we made progress up the estuary.    There was lots of bird life to see – herons by the dozen, grebes, cormorants, oyster catchers, swallows,  the odd buzzard, and lots of swans.    Needless to say Liz and I took hundreds of photos but I haven’t even looked at mine yet!  We got to Media City in Salford at about 4 ish and then spent a happy hour or two at the Lowry – as well as L.S. Lowry’s paintings and sketches there was an interesting exhibition of  portraits by Jonathan Yeo – I particularly liked his Michael Parkinson and the Duke of Edinburgh paintings.

The journey back to Liverpool was by coach and, by the time we got on, we were absolutely exhausted, I think I nodded off!   We had planned to stay in Liverpool for the Mersey River Festival activities but, after a meal, we decided, partly because it had begun to rain, to go home.   We all slept very well that night!.

Rain also put paid to another photography venture – we intended to visit the Appleby Horse Fair but, on the day, the weather was absolutely awful so we stayed home.   We were a bit luckier this week though, when members of the Maghull Photography Club went out for a portrait workshop.   Dave Worthington, a local photographer, was the instructor and one of the members had organised a friend to pose for us for the evening.   The hope was to take photos using only natural light and the evening was just right – fine and warm with not much cloud.   Dave is an inspirational teacher and the model (and her boyfriend) was amazing.   Again, I’m ashamed to say, I haven’t looked at my photos yet – it won’t matter if they all go in the bin, the evening was so enjoyable.  

I have, at last, printed my birds of prey photos and I’m really pleased with them – the weather was awful and so conditions were difficult.  Now, at last I’m starting on the Bruges photos – so I’m only about a month behind!

I’m still carding my sock of alpaca fleece when the weather and time allows so I have spent a pleasant afternoon in the garden with it today and hope to spin some this evening.   I’ve just finished one of the cot quilts I started a few weeks ago so I am making some progress on the craft side of things.   I need to crack on a bit so that I’ve lots of new things for the Summer Arts Market at St. George’s Hall on 19^th and 20^th July.   Can’t wait!

Landed

What with one, thing and another, I seem to have been buzzing about a lot but now, at last, I’ve landed.   

It’s a long way off but one of my little tasks has been to investigate costume and wig provision for Crosby G & S Operatic Society’s production of ‘The Mikado’ in March, 2015!    The producer and I visited Charades in St. Helens www.charadessthelens.co.uk and decided that their set of costumes will definitely fit the bill – they are lovely and we know that the owner, Betty, will do us proud, as she has on past occasions.

In the middle of the month, we had a few days visiting our daughter and her family, in Holland.   It’s a long journey because, as well as the short flight, there is a long train journey from Amsterdam across to the eastern border to the town where they live.    As usual, it was lovely to see them – the grandchildren, of course, grow so quickly between visits and, as the weather was lovely, we spent quite  lot of time outdoors – mostly playing football with the children.   

The Photography Club had its last formal meeting of the season on 19^th May – it was a competition night with an independent judge.   I was pleased that a portrait of mine won one of the categories – I don’t take too much credit, as the model (a members’ daughter) is so easy to photograph.   Although the Club’s season has ended, we will, as a group, go out together on some Monday evenings to take photos locally – let’s hope the weather’s kind to us.

The other photography group to which we belong went out into Ainsdale, a week or so ago and the weather was not very kind.   We were photographing motorbikes and had to dodge several quite heavy rain showers.   Luckily, motorbikes are meant to withstand the damp – cameras however, are not quite so resilient!

 









The usual Calidad Events Craft Fair www.facebook.com/CalidadEventsArtandCraftFairs  was held on 24^th May and despite the showery weather, was quite well attended.   We didn’t enjoy our packing up though – it poured on us.

On the making front, I have completed 2 quilts; they took quite a long time to quilt but I really enjoyed doing it and I’m pleased with the results.   I also made a felt glasses case for one of the other stallholders who we regularly see at Lark Lane and he seemed very pleased with it.   I think I forgot to photograph it – Oops!

pink and green quilt

detail

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Liz and I and our husbands have just had a few days in Bruges, a really quaint and pretty walled, mediaeval town.  We were very lucky with weather there, it never actually poured on us – drizzled a bit on a few occasions, so we were able to do lots of exploring on foot.   We also visited Ypres and saw the the remains of some of the WW1 trenches.   It certainly brings home, better than any history book or written account, how ill equipped the soldiers were for surviving the  indescribably dreadful conditions they endured.    

At long last, I’ve added a couple of items to my website – it takes me a long time as I am still not very confident doing it.    There are now some prints and cards of photos I took early in the year at the Pier Head for sale – they all figure reflections of, and in, some of the iconic buildings there.   I really must try to add items on a regular basis.

Whoopee – today we’ve been informed that we have been accepted to have a stall at the Summer Arts Market at the beautiful St. George’s Hall, on 19^th and 20^th July.   It’s always an exciting event with lots and lots of different crafts represented.   I need to get going and make lots of new bits and pieces.