WoW at Winster - Weather wonderful - Wet later - 40F

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A Helen C picture to begin with, of intrepid Wow-ers at Winster. I know we are all guilty of talking endlessly about the English weather but it isn't surprising.

Yesterday had been wet and awful but this morning was all blue sky and pleasantness. I could feel the heat of the sun on my face as we drove into Derbyshire. Winster was decided on, and a circular walk starting at The Miners Standard, was to be the venue. An old favourite.

The chaps decided there was plenty to occupy me round and about Winster while they did their customary 2½ mile walk and I was happy to comply. The light was good and I had several objectives.

My first picture was a chance encounter with this pied wagtail on the roof of the pub. The chaps donning their boots and tackle didn't scare him at all and I only had to stand at the side of my car. I use this picture because I was lucky enough to get a completely genuine catch-light in his eye. He was perhaps 15 feet away and I had time to put my 70-300mm lens on the camera and it produced this satisfactorily sharp (for me) snap.

I then had a drive around and down into Winster itself and found plenty of subject matter. This inevitable collage is the result. As record-shots collages perform well. Much information can be crammed into a reasonably sized file and then transmitted, or blogged !

Back in the pub car-park my Vodafone dongle worked perfectly and produced 3Mb broadband which was plenty to e-mail Y with a couple of pictures, and clear my Inbox. Apparently 'rain by lunchtime' had been forecast. But it outstripped that and snowed. A weird sort of snow with flakes like hail-stones but not hard. Almost like granules of meringue. Lots of good chat in the pub and when we left the snow abated and by the time of our return to Brinsley it was sunny again.

My responses to your previous comments

Yvonne .... John Neville certainly worked wonders with Nottingham Playhouse. Part of the success of his productions was due to his being able to 'pull' big names out of his 'chums' hat. Judie Dench, Ian McKellen, and Leo McKern were just a sample I saw there during his time. And their equivalent of a repertory company was so talented

Rob .... Welcome back and I'm glad you have both enjoyed your holiday.

Really pleased to hear that your first impressions of your new job are favourable.

I can't offer detail of the Ilkeston 'battle' because I didn't go, but I'm sure someone will chip in with 'further and better particulars' as lawyers say. Helen did note that one of Elaine's Cuba portraits did well, the 'sleeping shoe-shine boy' or similar title.

There are 'pinhole' questions I would like to ask you.

I am getting this sort of crud all over each 'pinhole' shot. I don't think it is on the sensor because I have done several control shots of the same bit of sky with a 50mm lens on and the sensor seems almost perfectly clear.

The pinhole-solutions chap who drilled the pinhole hasn't responded to my e-mail. Perhaps he, like you, has been on holiday.

Bob ..... I think you are right about God's miscalculation of the relationship between work and rest. I think 'Work one day and then take 6 weeks off' would be closer to reasonableness.

Could the wooden man not be considered 'a work in progress' ? And then, if you fancied chipping a little more off you could !

I would definitely prefer a Baroque sweater to a Gothic one. Perhaps a Vernacular sweater would sound about right. But I am more than satisfied with my mittens. I wore them again today and they were again admired. How they keep your fingers warm when your fingers are exposed must remain one of life's mysteries.

In Art terms, Baroque usually covers the early 17th Century and includes Rubens, Rembrandt, Vermeer and Velázquez. Plenty of sweater material there then. To be followed in the 18th Century by Rococo which was altogether lighter and more airy ! So, I think Rococo would suit me better. It was a period which includes one of my favourite of all time painters Hogarth and Angelica Kauffmann who did so much for the position of women in Art by being elected to the Royal Academy. Sorry - I'm waffling on...

Anyway, I don't think I can aspire to 'Afghan' classification. More Elephant I suppose, or Beached Whale - even more accurate.

Just about to go and watch the David Attenborough programme about Percy Edwards. OOoo-err - as I was doing a link I noticed it is on Radio 4. In that case I'll catch it later. Thanks anyway.

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Quotation time ......

"All Nature seems at work. Slugs leave their lair,
The bees are stirring, birds are on the wing,
And Winter slumbering in the open air,
Wears on his smiling face a dream of Spring."

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Going along with Coleridge (although I wish I could write as well) I always think that at this time of year the twigs and branches seem to stand just a little more erect. I noticed it today in the trees over the road and even more remote specimens in deepest Derbyshire. It could be my over-vivid imagination I suppose. But the sap is probably rising and could have that effect.

Tomorrow is a Burton Joyce day for Y and so an idle, messing about day for me, although I intend to do my best to go to EPS for a 'skills evening'. Nobody seems to know what we are supposed to be doing - but nevertheless, they always seem to be a success and a good time is had by all.

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