In chronological order - roughly. As you will see from Picture 1 (see bottom left) my 'December Sunrise' made it to the Gallery in Brian's Shop. A high honour indeed when you see the quality of the others. He asked if it would be OK ? and, of course, I was delighted. Some passing customer might offer him a couple of quid for it !Yesterday evening was Mansfield National Trust and the lecture on Nottingham Castle was very interesting and it has given us a lot of things to look out for next time we go to Nottingham. One fascinating fact is that The Bell Hotel in the town centre is older than The Trip to Jerusalem which always claims to be the oldest Inn in the country. And this isn't someone's unfounded allegation, it comes from dating the timbers. He had some amazing slides of old pictures. Apparently the Trent has changed course several times and Trent Bridge has been in different locations. But there are some v. old parts remaining where it is now. All-in-all a throughly enjoyable evening even though the lecture hall was abit chilly. I gallantly offered Y my coat to wrap round her legs (quite Raleigh-ish I thought) but she declined. It was nice to see everyone and Gordon had done the Newsletter with details of all the Outings and The Weekend away so we promptly filled in the application forms. I posted it to Jean first thing this a.m. We don't want to be missing out on any trips, now do we?
I set off for Mansfield quite early and left Y to enjoy a busy day at home, sorting out her photos and journal etc., and generally pleasing herself.My trip to Mansfield included an assortment of little jobs. 'Lappy' to Rainworth, 2 hours in the Libray (always a pleasure) - and I sussed out how to access my Blog from one of The Library's computer-terminals. So I left two 'comments' on yesterday's 'comments' mainly to check it out. A trawl through shelves which interest me yielded 2 uptodate books - one never issued and one issued just once.
Then to The Widow Frost for lunch. Picture 2 shows a wobbly Bungus approaching with drinks. Not wanting to use the flash in public; I stood the camera unobtrusively on the table and used the self-timer. The camera produced quite a lengthy exposure hence the sharp surroundings and the figure blurred by movement. And Bob's legs are not as short as they seem - he is down a step !
After a good meal and excellent coffee we went in search of slippers and a ferule for my monopod. Both ventures were successful and, knowing how to shop upmarket, I got the slippers in Jonathon James. They were 'top bracket' at £4.99p. The ferule came from the key-cutting shop because I knew they sold them. Bob brought us some exquisite ripe Stilton which I later had for tea.
Then it was a matter of collecting my laptop and travelling home - couldn't resist stopping on the way to try it out. And Nikon Capture NX seemed a lot faster and everything else was fine and speedy. I'm getting through my 30day free trial of the programme rather too quickly. I've only got 14 days left.
I've probably forgotten something. Not to worry. There's always tomorrow..........
1 comment:
PS to my comment of yesterday:
My earlier mention of Mussolini bought me a ticket on a train of thought.
I distinctly remember Il Duce’s death, which WAS a lynching, and the photographs in the following day’s newspapers of the bodies of him and his mistress hanging upside down in a public square (checking on this last year, I had no problem finding the pictures via Google). I do not recall any perturbation at the publication of these images, more explicit than the ones of Saddam, although there was concern expressed, years later, that Clara Petacci had been humiliatingly and inhumanly treated. And I am pretty confident there are other, not altogether dissimilar, historical instances of such media exposure (Google Billie Holliday > ‘Strange Fruit’, for instance).
With regard to the effect on children, I do not have the impression that anyone seems too bothered at them being exposed to paintings (and 3D images) of various saints (Catherine and Sebastian spring to mind immediately) undergoing torture and death. And what of the many representations of Christ’s crucifixion? All are depictions of suffering and death far more grisly than what befell Saddam.
On reflection, I suspect that very small children may be mostly unaffected by photographs of atrocities etc – it is adult knowledge and imagination that makes such images so appalling.
And most teenagers, I suspect, have little trouble coping with it, if it breaks into their consciousness at all. That could be because they will have seen more terrifying images on film and in graphic novels.
And, in the caboose of my train, I recall visiting Mansfield Fair in the 1940s with a friend and paying to view ‘The Body of Jesse James’. I think it had 6 bullet holes. We were in no way upset by it and, discussing it afterwards, concluded that it could well be a model (it looked like clay). But many years later, perhaps 50, I read that in the late 1930s (I think) a mummified body had been found in a Ghost Train or similar sideshow or ride at Coney Island and exhibited around the USA and abroad as the remains of the infamous outlaw. It may have been that which we saw, or a fake dsplayed by someone cashing in on the legend. No Trading Standards Officers in those days, I think. Whatever it was, we were not, at any time, in the least distressed.
Whoo-Whoo! Choo-Choo me home.
And, although reaon tells me that it cannot possibly be true, I think the artificiakl stone at Elvaston is called 'tofu' (or something very similar).
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I am sure your 'December Sunrise' will not let down the other photos on display. But you will have to keep a careful eye on the Income Tax situation if you are aiming to become a commercial photographer!
God bless dendrochronologists! But how do they know that some of the stones in The Trip are not older than the timbers in The Bell (I presume you refer to The Old Bell on the edge of Slab Square? where they used to do excellent roast chicken, in the 50s; twice cooked so the skin was brown and crispy – lovely!).
In fact, my legs ARE as short as they appear in the photo; and a good job too or otherwise the trousers I bought at Bhs today would not be long enough. The Head of English at the Dukeries Comp (with whom I established a friendship in the late 80s when I returned to the Sixth Form to study A Level Lit) called me Wobbly Bob after a real ale that had cachet at the time.
When I saw the self timer light on the camera I thought it must be a beacon to guide me to the table.
The coffee in Wetherspoons really is good – and even better value than usual today, at 49p a cup! And the espresso is the size of a double anywhere else. Brilliant!
While RadioG was purchasing his ferrule I looked at some of the walking sticks for sale. I shall certainly not start making them for profit! At £20 or less for at least a day’s work it would be a labour of love.
I can certainly recommend the cheese (Tebbutt and Holland’s [?] Mature Stilton from M&S) of which I had been given a one pound half circle as a Xmas present. It was in superb condition.
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