Transpennine

Nothing more inspiring than a journey, and the one we took by train (from Manchester across the Pennines to Sheffield)  last Wednesday was spectacular. It’s our first Christmas away from home for fifteen years, and we’re staying in a (mostly vacated) student house in the centre of Sheffield. The house (where my youngest son lives) is one of the few surviving listed back-to-backs in the city centre – and though it’s quite austere, the layout is quirky and it has the original window and door latches and ceiling roses. Haven’t done any writing yet – been too busy shopping, cooking or eating – but I’ve taken a lot of photographs. Will do something with them in the New Year.

Dark Arches

This is the  header image on my new site, it’s from one of a series of photographs I took in Leeds a few years ago before work started on transformation of the notorious Dark Arches, brick caverns that allow the river Aire to flow under the city. It is, or rather, was an eerie place.

According to The Architects Journal, the scheme:

… developed with Arup Acoustics, Berlin-based artist Hans Peter Kuhn and local graphic designer Andy Edwards, includes widening the footpaths, adding sound-absorbing wall-panels and installing a vandal-proof lighting scheme featuring thousands of LEDs

which sounds interesting, and safer, but will most likely, make it not as intriguing a place to photograph or visit … hmm.

A hint …

Think even the pond weed’s trying to tell me something …

Full moon

Up at 02:30, took this through the bathroom window (4 seconds exposure AND hand-held). Course results came through this morning – feeling distinctly pleased with myself. What else can I say … off to write and enjoy the day.

Waiting

Waiting for … all sorts of things: course result, submission response/s: big stuff. Have to admit I rather like this period of anticipation. With my fiction head on I can indulge in all manner of literary fantasies, but fantasies aside, I’m filling in my time writing, or as I tweeted earlier, weeding and writing, not a sic (sic) pun (like that) but gardening and writing. Oh and frog-watching … <sigh>

Photo by me [taken the night I watched the programme on Eggleston - see post below].

Almost full moon …

Image © Mark Clements 2009.

Glimpsed the moon out of the kitchen window the other night. Both of us grabbed our cameras but M managed to capture this reflection in the pond by lying flat out on the paving. The camera didn’t pick up the colour of the moon – it had a golden aura – even so, left as it was, it’s a beautiful photograph …

Time to …

… take off for a few days – even if it’s in my head – and do some writing.

Weird weather

The weather is weird but I like it. Like getting wet walking in the rain, especially to the Post Office to mail my final project. Feels good, especially when the sun comes out on the way home. Makes it all worthwhile. Next writing project? Contributing to an anthology …