Sunday, February 15, 2009

Phew ! - 44F - It must be global warming

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Picture 1 is a hang over from WoW at Eakring to show the frozen slush that abounded. As the snap was taken directly into the sun I had to 'stop' down a couple of stops to prevent too much being burnt out. The effect is almost dreamlike or moonlight.

Today has been a pleasant quiet Sunday, little to cook because we had the beef stew again. So made some carrot & coriander soup which we aim to eat during the current episode of History of Christianty at 7pm. I shall be able to tell you more when we've seen it.

I had a nice chat with David this morning. Due to 'falling rolls' the 3 schools he is associated with have had to cut back on staff and all three maths teachers had to reapply for one of only two available posts. All were interviewed and I was delighted to hear that David had received a lovely letter full of warm remarks and telling him that his application had been succeeful.


He also told me how well the girls are doing and the difficult words Brooke has to learn to spell by rote. A recent one was 'thorough' a word I can still get wrong occasionally. On Monday afternoon they are going to Center Parcs until Friday. A smashing half term break which they have earned and I look forward to hearing all about it when they return.

Picture 2 was taken a couple of nights ago. If I look out of my bedroom window and see the Moon I find it hard to resist taking a photograph. I use my 70-300mm set at 210mm because I find the result sharper than at full stretch. Also I spot meter or the camera becomes very confused trying as cameras do to make the whole scene 18% grey.

The "Christianity: a History" programme was very good. One of the best in the series and presented by actor/playwright Kwame Kwei-Amah who traced the spread through Asia, Africa and Latin America. While we were watching I thought his face vaguely familiar and I learnt from the link I have just posted that he used to be in Casualty as a paramedic.

WoW people will remember me rabbiting on about my wish to borrow a pitchfork for use as a 'prop' in a photograph I have in mind involving a Chapel at the bottom of Eastwood. The one just before the footbridge which crosses the by-pass.

The famous painting I want to draw inspiration from is American Gothic painted by Grant Wood in 1930.

I have reproduced the painting on the right and have always supposed the word 'gothic' in the title to be a reference to the architectural style of the window in the centre of the upper storey of the house.

Undoubtedly the picture has impact and became a cultural icon.

My responses to your previous comments

Bob..... Nice story about your 'ratting cap' and its fate. I had a Peterson pipe where the bowl fell off similarly. I considered retrieving it and giving it a good scrub. But fastidiousness prevailed.

Glad you enjoyed the 'A Song is Born' trailer.

Jill ..... A 'ratting cap' is a commonly used name for the sort of flat cap previously described. Whether or not people who went 'ratting' actually wore them is a moot point.

The layout of your demesne sounds complicated. It is a good job that only one of your neighbours is a problem otherwise you would feel like a circled wagon-train surrounded by Indians.

Torvill & Dean were good weren't they. We liked how unchanged they were by fame and fortune.

We also have just enjoyed (now 10.15pm) Jermey Paxman about the Victorians.

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The hour for researching quotations hath passed and my pit calleth



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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bungus browsed recent article opining that, even should Global Warming prove a myth, the suggested combative conservation actions would necessarily result in a better world.
Had I needed persuading…

Your photo reminds me of the Psycho lake wherein the car was submerged.
Segue
American Gothic/Gothic Horror.
Apart from the window, were I to be confronted by a man with eyes like that carrying a pitchfork…

Pheasant casserole for lunch (tea/ dinner?) today. Lovely.
I bought free range pork steak off Tesco’s reduced counter which I shall casserole with beans and lentils.

“Being drunk is what separates us from the beasts,” Jeremy Clarkson.

Jill:
Don’t know your dispute but I understand that responsibility for a boundary does not necessitate marking it. But nothing stops you erecting a fence/wall/hedge on your land.

Ice-dance contestant Ray, never skated before series started, scored top marks of 6 from all 5 judges tonight. Charismatic performance, Robin Cousins said faultless, not a single wrong ‘edge’, and Chris Dean said he is glad Ray was not around in the 80s.
Google it to see why I consider it beyond me !

P’raps I’ll DO a painting of British Sugar’s factory.

Anonymous said...

When I was 8 (my last year living in Wales which is why I can remember it) I was in the final two of an inter-school spelling bee. My opponent got DES-O-LATE (pronounced like that) and I got THOROUGH.

I realised then that life isn't fair and this knowledge has stood me in good stead ever since!

Unknown said...

I cant's spell at all!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Yvonne - I presume you came second?! I've always regarded English as a living and evolving language (unlike, say, French) so maybe thorough will be easier to spell after text spelling has taken over. By the way how else could you pronounce desolate? Desolet maybe?

I like the pic of the moon especially as I've never done one successfully. I've never thought of spot metering it either so that may be why I've never done it successfully! You could drop that very nicely into another picture! (Lights blue touch paper and stands well back).

Did anyone see Seasick Steve on BBC Four last night? He was immense!! If it's on iplayer have a look; well worth watching.

Sports Desk: goodbye Derby; Panthers challenge all but over; Stags avoid defeat; shame on Chelski (again).

Rob

Anonymous said...

Pitch Fork Try your local Stables they will have one saw one being used othe tele by a stable person.
Just been to a local council meeting,am more confused then ever over the future of Durban House and the possible new Police Station in Eastwood. Many public there about the police station, but they did not know how to behave in a meeting an did not make a very good case. We await further developments.(ID 11 at 60degrees f for three weeks.)