Wednesday 26 October 2016

Winter fuel

I just go the winter fuel supply today. Twenty-five, 40 kg bags of high grade anthracite.
One of the problems houses have in Ireland and the UK is dampness. And not as you'd think from rain, well, at least not primarily anyway. No, the issue we have is general humidity. So when in Spring we stop lighting fires dampness permeates the walls of a house and this needs burning off before one can be comfy in winter.
I discovered the truth of this when I got hygrometers and put them all over the house thereby discovering I have 80 plus in summer but only 60 plus in winter. No matter how wet or dry it is rain-wise.
I helped the men schlep in the bags off the lorry and got the compliment that he could see it wasn't the first time I humped bags. Something as a newly minted Artist, slash classical historian slash landscape designer I'm not sure IS a compliment.
But I have moved thousands of those darn bags in my youth, filled with chemical fertiliser or seed grain, and I expect your body doesn't forget how to make the bag do the work for you.
Anywoo's.

Sunday 23 October 2016

On the mountain today, and a Virginian chick

Shenandoah valley is seems.






The woman in the white top is the mom of the kid. I was a bit shocked to be honest.








Tuesday 18 October 2016

Foreign ministeries and Chancelleries

I expect Foreign ministeries and Chancelleries across the world are watching the proceeding of the US election like a hawk. Since we can, barring utter catastrophe, say with a certainty is will be either Clinton or Trump. And since they would have to deal with the US whichever arrives in the Whitehouse I expect they are hoping that the other houses cause a locking that would stifle the US's ability to act. Not that that had much luck with Bush when circumstances impinged and caused to the entire DC political system to act in lockstep.  

Mayfly


Monday 3 October 2016

WOWZA

The keys are 8 inches from the tip of the car key to the end of the brass chubb. Bottom of the thing and top.
Anyhow's it must be 20+inches across.




Sunday 2 October 2016

Photo walk, a report.

This is the text of a mail I got from Kelby on the 29th. (It has come to our attention that your published walk has less than 5 registered walkers. In order to Lead a walk, your walk must have at least 5 registered walkers. 

Please promote your walk via Social Media or whatever other avenues you feel fit to try to obtain at least 5 walkers. if the walk does not have 5 registered walkers by Saturday, October 1, we will have to delete your Leader application from the website. 

If you currently have less than 5 walkers, you can also choose to  join another walk published in your location. 

Decided not to lead a walk?  Please let me know and I will remove your walk from the PhotoWalk website.)  

At that stage I had 2 walkers registered on the site but I kinda knew what would occur. By Friday evening I had 7, and another two on Saturday morning. I also said in the local newspaper that all were welcome but only those that registered could enter Kelby's competition. Anyway, when I arrived to the start point at about 2:10 I had about 20 waiting there. 

What put a bit of an exquisite squeeze on the thing was the local satellite tv asked if they could tag along with a cameraman and a reporter.

All in all it seemed people liked the idea and the walk. They could get a bit of information on this and that without feeling foolish. They could shoot whatever they wanted, in however they wanted, all I asked.
The end was a little disappointing, but not too bad. There was a re-play of a major football match and a lot of them went before the finish. 
So all in all it was good. 
Now I have to await their photos and choose the best. They get something for the winner. ANd that's uploaded to the main site. But that's a few weeks away.
Because I was trying to keep things going and watching that people weren't being left out I totally forgot to shoot the group. But the others did and here   if you scroll through a bit you'll see the others and some of their shots.