Dark Satanic Mills and Sun Dappled Stately Homes

Wonderful weekend with our (equally wonderful) new friend from Sydney.

FRIDAY

Lovely lunch in the Fusion Cafe http://www.fusioncafe.co.uk/ then our old favourite the  Graves Art Gallery - well curated exhibition of Sheffield's own collection.  Sad this gallery now only open 4 days a week for a few hours each day.  The cuts.  Also discovered Kelham Island isn't open on Fridays or Saturdays - so that's scuppered us showing off our industrial past if friends visit on those prime days.

Off over Ringinglow and over the moors to Hathersage and Little John's Grave - rainbow's and big skies and these fellas on the church walls


Cinematic sky moment while driving under Stannage Edge, bringing to mind R.S.Thomas's The Bright Field - photo not doing the moment justice sadly:

Evening stroll up to the Top Red for a taste of Bradfield Brewery's Farmer's Blonde http://www.bradfieldbrewery.co.uk/home/bradfield-beers
although I still love Deception and Moonshine best if I am in a beer mood - http://www.abbeydalebrewery.co.uk/regular_beers.html

SATURDAY

A grand day out in Bronte territory - with Heathcliffe/Cathy weather to boot!
First stop the Saltaire Festival - great lunch at Vicar's cafe and wet walk through the amazing food stalls.
Another tick on my Unesco World Heritage list visits!
http://www.saltairevillage.info/

Sudden downpour causing a dash into the 1853 Gallery at Salt Mills and stumbling across the new David Hockney exhibition.

Just loved his new portraits and drawings done in his ipad and iphone using software called Brush or Brushes (?).  Exhibition so new there weren't any books or postcards and can't find much online just yet.

Exhibition was entitled "25 Trees and Other Pictures" and only opened 3 days ago on 14th September.    The blurb went "We're very proud to be opening a new show by David Hockney here at Salts Mill, featuring three 27-foot-long pictures of Bessingby Road, Bridlington.  Other Yorkshire landscapes and recent portraits of family and friends are also on show.  You can see Hockney's recent works on the iPhone and iPad, which cannot be seen anywhere else in the UK" and it was the iPhone and iPad works that Hockney had emailed to friends after sketching on his iPad and iPhone that were so amazing.  Really fine lines and would never have guessed at the drawing medium.

typical Yorkshire summer attire

Next over the hill tops to Howarth, vintage shops and a visit to the Bronte Parsonage and Churchyard

 

and what are these table type slab graves all about - answers on a postcard?

Giant Yorkshire puds and sticky toffee pudding and custard - just the thing to warm us up on a late summer day - at the White Lion 

and finally a drive over the misty moors to Halifax and the Viaduct Theatre in the bowels of the Dean Clough Mills to see Blake Morrisions' world premiere of "We Are Three Sisters" to complete the Bronte day.  Great play, lovely space and good reviews:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2011/sep/17/three-sisters-blake-morrison-review

http://www.northern-broadsides.co.uk/


SUNDAY

Dawned bright and sunny and off south into the rollling Derbyshire hills and down into the Chatsworth estate.  Sadly covered in scaffolding on the approach side but tour of the interior fastinating and much restoration has been carried out including real gold leaf on the windows!
http://www.chatsworth.org/

The Chatsworth Tulip trees on the main entrance approach

Ahh - and home in time for a good Sunday lunch

A Magical Mystery afternoon

August 2011

After seeing the Rene Magritte exhibition at the Tate, we took in the new(ish) 4th Grace and it's wonderful surroundings.

Mersey mud at low tide

Roll up

At a walking pace

Yes, an intrepid day on the wild waters of the Ouse, 'just messing about on the river' with old paternoster pals, turned out to be the best recipe for relaxation and catching up.

Ah ha - hint of the blog title

some interesting craft along the banks .....







and, most amazing of all - spot the kingfisher below - we were so close and he/she was dipping and diving alongside us for ages, irridescent flashes of bright blue - incredible.

we cruise on into York

then all good boats must go to bed - end of a perfect day in perfect company

Tramlines 2011, Sheffield

This year, Tramlines's 3rd, had to be the best ever.  Streets teeming with people, brilliant atmosphere, good humoured, 70 pubs and clubs offering free gigs and several outdoor venues, city squares, parks and concourses right across the city buzzing with music, dance, food stalls and pop up restaurants and bars.  Every kind of music you could imagine.  More on the official webpage: http://www.tramlines.org.uk/

We caught The Kate Jackson group, Heaven 17, The Rifle Volunteer, The Crookes, Jungle Lion, a bit of the Guillemots from a distance and probably some I have forgotten.   Spotted the brilliant buskers buses shipping people around the venues.

Peace Gardens

City Hall, Barker's Pool

Devonshire Street

Heading for Dev Green

Outside the Forum

Still near Devonshire Green

Leopold Square salsa

 and a quiet walk back up West Street - hills as ever in the distance

Arthur's seat

Beach Huts we have loved - Kent & Suffolk

Here we go . . . .

Whitstable - working huts

Whitstable

Herne Bay

Waiting patiently at Aldeburgh

Southwold

Broadstairs