To everything

After a walk in the woods on Boxing Day 2013 and inspired by David Hockney's 'A bigger picture' exhibition at the Royal Academy a couple of years before that, I ambitiously decided to do a Hockney style photo montage of each passing season in the same(ish) spots in Greno Woods.  I'd envisaged capturing snowdrops, bluebells, snow, blue skies, grey mists and all that lovely drama we experience up there every year . . . .

This was how it started . . .

Now that amazing spot above can only be viewed from the bottom of the steep sided bomb-hole, so this won't be repeated every month!  It was just to draw you in . . .

So here goes

JaNuArY 2014

 FeBrUaRy 2014

MaRcH 2014

ApRiL 2014
ooo errr - I never got up to the woods in April - probably the best of all David Hockney months too with all the trees budding - trust me .......

MaY 2014
and by now I had totally forgotten about the project as summer holidays and life in general took over!  Despite making loads more hikes up into the woods!  I can see why David H made it and I didn't!! Ha Ha.

So today - Sunday 10 January 2016 - I decided to take some pics to make up.  But although this has turned out to be a winter woodland montage only - I am happy with that cos I love trees in winter.  Bare and gloriously see-through with amazing branches weaving up to the sky and making witch like patterns on the woodland floor.

JaNuAuY 2016

and the joyous moment that still takes my breath away is when we suddenly emerge from the dense woods onto St Helena - with glorious views sweeping miles over to Strines, Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, even the Humber Bridge on a clear day.

 where the wild wind literally takes your breath away!

and the spot we stood at just a few days ago on New Year's Eve watching the whole of Sheffield exploding at midnight.  The sky was velvet deep and clear and the stars so bright with a beautiful half moon to our left.  Spectacular and very special.

 Sheffield city centre down there in the haze

 and over towards Oughtibridge,loving the field patterns and the wiggly stone walls.

 

and my title was in homage to the amazing Pete Seeger who died in February 2014 - so have a listen to his immortal "Turn! Turn! Turn!"

and just spotted this 2009 interview with Pete Seeger talking about how he loves the Byrds version of his beautiful song:

And my full walks from 2014 can be found here, if you've got any stamina left!!
January 2014 - this has some Sword Dancers prancing
February 2014 - this was a misty fungusy sort of day
March 2014 - this has some magnificent trees



 

night hike

HaPpY nEw YeAr everyone and welcome to 2016!

As you can see, our New Year's Day hike was mega spooky, seeing as we didn't set off til dusk and ventured onto Wharncliffe Chase in the near dark.  Mind you we're well used to exploring in the dusk after experiencing the Polar Night just a few weeks ago.

Kicked off Christmas with a visit to Showboat at the Crucible which was an amazing production, probably their best Christmas show ever, and they are always good.  Great reviews and still on til 23 January.

But back to our hike - there was plenty of ice about

 and wild barren winter moors

 treacherous ponds

 and for the final leg through Greno Woods, it was torches all the way

but soon home to a welcome hot cuppa and reminiscences of a wonderful Christmas.

Mum managed to get over the Pennines to share it with us and enjoyed a Christmas morning toast.

 but it was a waiting game to get to those pressies . . .

until finally we were all happily opening

 with fun surprises

thank you hugs

 impromptu recitals

 and a windy visit to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park on Boxing Day

 to see the amazing Bill Viola works

 then some emergency mince pie and jam tart replenishing

until it was home for Grandma and London for the rest of us.

Final dinner in Shoreditch after a great 24hrs London buzz, meeting up with friends and braving the sales

 Great overnight stay at Park Farm on the Shuckburgh Estate in deepest Warwickshire

 skull and crossbones on the little church

 and this is the 'big house' - all very 'private'

 first snowdrops

 Then an interesting visit to Napton on the Hill and the church of St Lawrence

 with its precarious graves

 and arrow sharpening grooves from days of yore

And after a tasty homemade lunch and warm welcome in the village post office, we visited a lovely old friend in Dudley then home and ready to welcome the New Year with our usual hike up the top of Grenoside to see all the fireworks. And glorious it was - a clear night, bright stars, half moon and the whole city shimmering at our feet.

HaPpY nEw YeAr