THE FLOWERS OF THE FOREST (31/08/10)

The flowers of the forest is stretching things a little. the flowers of the disused railway is more the reality. It’s as well I owned up as we got sidetracked. not an uncommon experience on a railway line. I was first distracted by this pretty little bridge.

     Next by The Angel of the North…………………………

    After that I got back on track unfortunately the dogs had other ideas, they decided to chat to a pony…………

A friendly soul, lonely on it’s own so even a couple of dogs are worth passing the time of day with.

On to the mission no more diversions.

The first is Willowherb and the second is Knapweed, I must admit I thought they were red.

      This a don’t know………..DK1

    Oxeye Daisy…….probably safer to stick to daisy.

Bladder campion and……………………………………….A dead leaf I took a shine to.

  

Grounsel seed head and…………………………………… Bindweed.

 

Tansy and…………………………………………………….Hawkes Beard.

Willowherb again and……………………………………..DK2

Now it’s wait and see time. I wonder how many I got right? One or two would be a result.

 

THE LAMBTON WORM (30/08/10)

This afternoon saw us toddling along in the opposite direction to that we are accustomed to taking as I noticed this strange shape on Google Maps and decided to investigate.

    It has got to be the burial site of The Lambton Worm. When we arrived it was difficult to appreciate from the ground.

   Not at all as impressive as it looks from space.

We passed under the old railway with this rather attractive pillar, a vast improvement on the modern road bridge behind it.

The local graffiti artists have done their best to smarten it up. Somehow it’s not the same as dressed stone.

  I don’t know what this is but it appears to be an exploding rose hip. It was attached to a dog rose.

That’s all for now.

A TRIP TO THE SEASIDE (30/08/10)

Yesterday after we had finished cooking lunch we had a drive up to South Shields to give the dogs a run on the beach. Half a gale blowing and me without a jacket meant a quick run on the beach.

The ferry to Holland leaving the Tyne and in for a rough crossing.

  The entrance to the Tyne and Newcastle.

Tynemouth with it’s Abbey and Castle. Looks as if it could be worth a look.

A whirl of dogs, the beach is their favourite place.

Sea Stacks at Marsden we arrived a few years too late as apparently there used to be a natural arch here.

   There is also a grotto which houses a pub, the only pub in a cave that I know of in the UK. i only found out about it upon my return. It’s a great pity I didn’t know of it whilst I was there another missed opportunity for a pint.

That’s all for today, we are here another week and then we will see where whim and fancy takes us.

IT REALLY IS JUST A STORY (27/08/10)

The Lambton Worm

One Sunday morn young Lambton went
A-fishing' in the Wear;
An' catched a fish upon he's heuk,
He thowt leuk't varry queer.
But whatt'n a kind of fish it was
Young Lambton cuddent tell.
He waddn't fash te carry'd hyem,
So he hoyed it doon a well.

cho: Whisht! Lads, haad yor gobs,
     An Aa'll tell ye's aall an aaful story
     Whisht! Lads, haad yor gobs,
     An' Aa'll tell ye  'boot the worm.

Noo Lambton felt inclined te gan
An' fight i' foreign wars.
he joined a troop o' Knights that cared
For nowther woonds nor scars,
An' off he went te Palestine
Where queer things him befel,
An' varry seun forgat aboot
The queer worm i' the well.

But the worm got fat an' growed and' growed
An' growed an aaful size;
He'd greet big teeth, a greet big gob,
An' greet big goggle eyes.
An' when at neets he craaled aboot
Te pick up bits o' news,
If he felt dry upon the road,
He milked  a dozen coos.

This feorful worm wad often feed
On caalves an' lambs an' sheep,
An' swally little barins alive
When they laid doon te sleep.
An' when he'd eaten aall he cud
An' he had had he's fill,
He craaled away an' lapped he's tail
Seven times roond Pensher Hill.

The news of this myest aaful worm
An' his queer gannins on
Seun crossed the seas, gat te the ears
Ov brave and' bowld Sor John.
So hyem he cam an' catched the beast
An' cut 'im in twe haalves,
An' that seun stopped he's eatin' bairns,
An' sheep an' lambs and caalves.

So noo ye knaa hoo aall the foaks
On byeth sides ov the Wear
Lost lots o' sheep an' lots o' sleep
An' leeved i' mortal feor.
So let's hev one te brave Sor John
That kept the bairns frae harm,
Saved coos an' caalves by myekin' haalves
O' the famis Lambton Worm.

             Final Chorus

Noo lads, Aa'll haad me gob,
That's aall Aa knaa aboot the story
Ov Sor John's clivvor job
Wi' the aaful Lambton Worm.

Don’t worry it’s just a fable, a fable written in a foreign tongue.

    Does look fierce though. We are here for a while helping out so post material could become a little hard to find. Next week I hope to get a day at the Beamish museum. That’s supposed to be well worth a look……Hope so, it’s an expensive look.

    The hotel, originally built as a garage and filling station in the Art Deco style.

    My humble station and a sweat box. All quiet now but not for long.

    It’s almost time to start so with apologies for the quality of these pictures I will go and fire up the stove.

Will post as and when anything interesting occurs. Have a good Bank Holiday.

 

A FLASHER IN GATESHEAD (25/08/10)

This is not a unique venue for either the dogs, me or the camper, it’s a pub car park. What is unusual is I’m situated in an area that central government would prefer didn’t exist. For one you have to learn a new language. Not something most MP’s have the equipment to do that’s why they have civil servants. For two it is deprived of opportunity when compared to areas south of Watford Gap. It is despite or because of this wonderful. People make a place and you couldn’t wish for better humankind than found round here.

Woke this morning and had a wander down a disused railway line. we came across a bench constructed from old railway sleepers. Had I been given this commission I would have used two they used the thick end of twenty.

I parked up and admired the view…………………

Two bushes and a co-op chilled food distribution depot. It’s massive, it’s impressive and probably warrants a seat of equal proportion to appreciate it. Ya kidding man!

  A row of suburban houses…..Look again on the skyline you will see the Angel Of The North otherwise known as the Gateshead Flasher. No mac but arms akimbo ready for one as and when finance is available.

I have seen this before but post cash and carry run and anti evening meals we had a drive up to see her in person. The dogs were not impressed, Alfie considered it a large lamp post and Molly, cultural ignoramus that she is was more interested in chatting to a German Shepherd. It’s been photographed to bits, well I had my twopenneth. Come, have a go it’s well worth a look, close up or far away …it’s free………………I love it………….Just wish it had a mac.

Ye canna fit it in man it’s humongous. She is seventy feet tall and……………………

ninety feet wide……………She also has…………………..

   A gorgeous turn on her calves and a very pretty bum. difficult to achieve if you weigh two hundred tons.

Never ever shoot into the sun, this one works for me. Many thanks to Anthony Gormley for his sculpture and the lottery fund for financing it. She is perfect and magnificent.

See you all as and when time allows. Be good. be careful and laugh.

      

 

THE PURIST (23/08/10) PART FOUR

Bolton Castle, it is nowhere near the town of Bolton but then Leeds castle is at the opposite end of the country to the city of Leeds. As I said in part one no exposure blending today, no HDR I’m being good, it is a Sunday when all is said and done.

These pictures are in the order they were shot as good an order as any.

One of the towers, I neglected to take pen and paper…………..fine documentary writer I would be.

     My sort of place, the brewery…………not been used in a while though.

Another tower.

And another all good castles need plenty of towers, one has to have somewhere to pour boiling oil from.

    The courtyard.

    The granary.

Whoops! The brewery again………..wonder how that crept in?

Refectory with the kitchens behind………not good swilling ale on an empty stomach. Less good pouring boiling oil on some unfortunate who has only called to save ones soul and give you a free copy of Watchtower, you need a full belly for that.

Back into the open air,  now it was a choice here of framing either this wriggley tin barn or what looked like a haulage yard. I chose the former and chopped the top off my frame……….No worries…….Life goes on.

Two towers. Taken from a third tower. What do you expect it’s a castle!

    Finally a tranquil scene from the battlements.

A really grand castle, the best I have been to and though at first it seems on the pricey side at £6.50p it’s well worth it and put into context not a lot of money these days.

I hope you can tolerate the blown highlights it’s not easy sitting in the dark with sunlight streaming in. It’s certainly not easy for me as I’ve just proved to you all.

If it stops raining I’ll have a wander down to the river later. I’ll go anyway as the dogs will need another walk.