Flickr Meet - Roseberry Topping

This month's flickr meet started out at The Buck Inn @ Great Ayton. It was good to meet up with everyone again and after a brief foray into the town for Ice Cream (true to form - I opted for a cuppa instead), we drove to the base camp and started the long trek upwards. I'll post some pictures later of the more traditional type, but once we got to the top, I unveiled my tyre - clearly I couldnt leave home without one and carrying a full size tyre up the topping would have been out of the question so I borrowed one from Alvin's remote control truck - it had to be done - really - it did have to be done - I am making a mental note never to leave home without one. For the discerning reader who doesnt know what I am going on about - take a look here.






The other bit of silliness on the top involved parachutes and moo cards. For those unfamiliar with Moo cards - they look like this....


When attached to a parachute, they look like this during launch....




Some people find them a little strange, perhaps hard to figure out...


...but when in full flight they can be both graceful and beautiful...


...and even have their own strange mating rituals....

Newcastle and beyond

Sometimes, you just have to get out, even when you dont feel like going anywhere. Saturday was one of those days, so I wandered northwards to Wards Graphics just below the Metro Centre for some mount boards and suitable tools - having made the decision to mount a couple of images each month and then to organise an exhibition. Having made the trip, I ventured down to the Quayside in Newcastle. It is one of the places I seldom travel to, perhaps because of my almost complete lack of knowledge about the geography of the place - its one of the few places I seem to always get lost in the one way systems.

My main hope was to get some pictures of the Silver Slug and Millenium Bridge, which I did, but I think the bridge has much more potential at dusk - definitely worth a repeat visit!





Whilst wandering around, it turned out there was an Americana concert at the Silver Slug (aka Sage).




After a brief (but torrential) downpour, I headed east, to Whitley Bay, one of those places I had heard of but never visited. I hadnt realised it has a beautiful lighthouse and I was really blessed by good light and interesting skies :-)



Whitley Bay seems to have that common feel of most seaside towns, most of which have seen better days, but it is quite a beautiful spot. The past heydays of the 50's and early 60's, before international travel became so accessible seemed to be embodied by the old derelict Spanish City building.



It is nice to see that this has made Grade II Listed Building status and that it is due to be cleaned up and renovated. I will have to make a return trip to see the finished result.

Nightime wanderings

Photography is good for the soul. The night before last I went for a midnight wander with the dog and my camera down to one of my regular haunts on the beach. Surprisingly there was no rain and the stars werent entirely obscured by the clouds, though the low light levels (no moonlight) meant 30 second exposures at F4.5, focussing was guesswork.





As I wandered across the beach I came across some very unusual sandcastles, with a nefarious tyre standing guard.



Needless to say, I circled carefully!

Middlesbrough Mela 2007

Middlesbrough's annual multi-cultural festival event organised by the Tees Valley Community Media. A great family day out, with a wide variety of music, food and a wonderful atmosphere despite the rain.











For more shots of this, pop across to my flickr set, or have a look at Pie-Girl or CWR's shots of the same event.

Tripping down south

Almost the end of the week and I am still recovering from my trip "Down South". It was a bit strange, seeing my elder sibling for the first time in many years, but I am soooo glad he is cleaning up his act. It felt good, but odd, to finally talk to him, though I guess my feelings are contradictory at times about it all.

The weight loss and aging that so many years of severe drug abuse have taken their toll and even with several years of rehab he will never fully recover physically. His internal organs are permanently damaged and that is something he will just have to live with. Its still early days for him, temptation lies on every street corner and boredom and depression may yet lead him away. Still, his disability appeal went well and he knows this is going to be one of those few chances to drag himself upwards or fall back into the street, I hope he is strong enough to do the right thing.

I felt a little guilty going out to explore with my camera, but he wasnt fit enough to come with me and after the first day I needed some air and a break from it all. My meditative source is solitude and my camera. Even with all the folk milling about, wandering too and fro, I am alone, with my thoughts, my senses and I relish it.

Check the tube map, grab a ticket and down into the depths I go. Northern Line to Bank slips by quickly. Up and around, I slip onto the driverless Docklands Railway. It reminds me of the Arnie film "Total Recall".....smiles...."Welcome to the Johnny Cab!"

The streets slip by, the thing I notice most is the litter, the waste, on small deserted patches of greenery. Canary Wharf slips into view.....last time I was here I was a suit....but then again, it had its advantages, such as the pay!

Off at Greenwich/Cutty Sark, a few brief moments when my internal compass fails me and I wander aimlessly, lost! Follow your nose......round the corner to the left, the Thames and the Greenwich foot tunnel. Time to pull out the camera, keep a steady eye out for dubious looking characters and a very long slow wander........this is my sliver of contentment, I will enjoy it while it lasts.

The Cutty Sark was closed for refurbishment until 2008, though the grounds of the Royal Naval College were beautiful and Greenwich observatory.....if you are into science and history....and I am, it is a great place to visit.


When I got my calves where showing the strain, but still managed to get out just as dusk fell for a few of those golden hour shots.