Month: Oct 2021

#12 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Box1 Comment
© Songlines The Box. The Seven Sisters.

My Wednesdays will be a real bright spot in the long,dark, drag of a British winter. Songlines a major International exhibition of the art of Australian First Nations People has opened today, Thursday, at The Box in Plymouth where I work. Yesterday was training and orientation day, like many such days in any subject I came away disorientated and aware of how little I know about the subject being taught, in this case non- western art. If those were my only thoughts on this wonderful exhibition that would be quite enough to deal with, but Songlines is not that simple. The subject matter of Songlines is both Ancient and Modern and is a thorny old subject to get my head around.

The heroines and positive energy of the Songlines in this exhibition are the seven sisters who use guile, magic and determination to protect themselves from a dangerous sexual predator who is named Wati Nyiru.

Shape Shifting and long distance travel are two of the methods used by the sisters to protect themselves. In the picture above, the seven sisters are expressed as highly decorated ceramic vases. Wati Nyiru is the malevolent vase lurking in the corner.

That is the limit of my day one understanding that I have the confidence to write down. I am in luck though. Such is the significance of this Exhibition, the BBC has made a T.V programme about it with Mary Beard . A Professor of Classics at Cambridge University, I have every confidence that Mary will shine a bright torch on this exhibition and succinctly explain all the nuances of these stories that it would take me forever to work out.

I have a date with her on Friday evening to watch her programme, Inside Culture. To be fair I often watch her either on a Friday or on catch up but never usually with the concentration that I will give this weeks programme.

#11 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn WordsLeave a comment

My apologies in advance, this blog will use some of the same images as yesterdays. I’ve always thought the term Sea changes referred to the the fact that the sea can change its moods and behaviour really quickly.

The picture above was taken about 18 hours and 500 yards from the one below.

A substantial change in my opinion.

But it turns out Sea change is nothing to do with the actual sea and is something far more grizzly!

Who could have guessed! I actually prefer my theory, large waves compared to calm waters is infinitely easier on the mind than the changes that occur to a drowned body. Thanks Shakespeare

#10 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Bobbing, Serendipity1 Comment

This week is set to see the sea temperature drop almost 5 degrees . Yesterday and today it will be around 15/16 degrees, by the end of the week it could have dropped to 10/11. The sea as seen above was choppy and difficult to get into last night but,once in, it really was a good evening swim. The bags we carry with us are getting heavier though. Flasks of hot drinks, layers of clothes and wetsuits are making a return. Strangely most of us are enjoying the return to ‘proper’ cold water swimming. The late Spring and early summer were lovely as the sea temperatures started to rise and we could swim as long as we liked early in the morning or late into the evening without too much concern for anything beyond, perhaps, the tide.

Swimming in cold water has an extra frisson to it that we (the Bobbers) have missed in the warmer months. I write this now from the comfort of a warm house, by the end of the week proper cold water swimming will be a reality. We will have all the frisson we could wish for.

#9 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Friends and FamilyLeave a comment

I’m not a huge fan of halloween but am aware that without halloween a lot less pumpkins would be grown. Pumpkins bring colour and eccentricity into the back quarter of the year.

Turks Head pumpkins are my favourites. Warty, imperfect and lumpy. They need no embellishment from carving to be interesting,unlike their rotund relations the Orange Pumpkin.

Pumpkin carving and me have history. There is an expectation that because I am ‘artistic’ the whittling of a face or something more into a pumpkin will come as second nature. Whittling Pumpkins doesn’t interest me and on the occasions I have tried it I have found it to be hard/dangerous. The effort put in is far greater than the end result. Of course my attitude was a source of huge disappointment to my children. Not for them dressing up in ghastly outfits and begging/ frightening neighbours/strangers in order to get sweets. They were not totally deprived at the end of October, we often had parties for some of their friends there was just less sugar, plastic and tat, and no intimidation of the local population. I’ve always wished Britain had adopted Mexican Day of the Dead as our end of Autumnal event. More authentic, joyous and less threatening.

Though related, the two annual events differ greatly in traditions and tone. Whereas Halloween is a dark night of terror and mischief, Day of the Dead festivities unfold over two days in an explosion of color and life-affirming joy. Sure, the theme is death, but the point is to demonstrate love and respect for deceased family members. In towns and cities throughout Mexico, revelers don funky makeup and costumes, hold parades and parties, sing and dance, and make offerings to lost loved ones.

Far better, in my opinion, to remember fondly and celebrate our deceased loved ones communally and with positivity. Maybe its time to do a DNA test and see if any part of me is Mexican.

For now I just have dancing carrots!

#8 tholdmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn dog walksLeave a comment

October days that are this bright need to be enjoyed to the max. Our weekend plans were slightly derailed by circumstance but with the weather still good we decided to carry on with our plans to visit Exmouth and Dart Farm. Both places are familiar to us but there has been a gap of more than ten years since our last visit.

Dart Farm is a farm shop selling lovely fresh produce, some of which they grow themselves, and home and beauty products. There is a massive outside area with picnic tables and walks and trails around the crops.

The pumpkin fields were beautiful and not just with brash show off pumpkins, the dark greens of this picture are just mesmerising.

Leeks, Chard and cabbage were gorgeous on our sunny walk and so unusual to be this close to fields of growing veg. After an hour or so we bought some picnic stuff and set off for the coast with two already exhausted dogs.

Exmouth has a huge length of beach and, thanks to Victorian Architects and Town planners, an equally long promenade that runs the length of the beach. We started as far away from the town as possible at Orcombe Point and made our way towards the town.

Miles of a view like this. Exmouth has so much sea and promenade and yesterday it was dotted with people harvesting vitamin D and a late tan from the comfort of chairs and blankets. After two summers of the British actually taking holidays in Britain, Exmouth looks very fine, jaunty even. Embellished by hard work and two years of holiday makers cash the whole area looks rejuvenated, dusted off and ready for anything. Ready for anything did not describe 4 human legs and 8 canine legs after our days walking in two locations. Time to jump in the car and head for home.

Not this car of course, a very proud owner would have almost certainly chased us off and we just didnt have the legs left to risk it.

#7 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Devils Point, Home TownsLeave a comment

Today is a red letter day. This cement mixer delivered the last pour of concrete to the new steps and slopes of our swimming area just as the tide was receding yesterday evening. Over the weekend the wooden shuttering will be removed and the concrete left to cure for a while and by next week we should all be able to swim at our favourite spots.

Swimming yesterday was not without excitement, but there is no photographic evidence. A submarine quietly slipped into port alongside swimmers who were swimming between the buoys. The deep water access to Devonport Naval Dockyard is just beyond the swimming area between Devils Point where we swim and Drakes Island which is on most of our ‘bobbing’ photos.

This misty shot shows the geography quite well. Swimmers are permitted to swim out to and along an imaginary line that runs parallel to the island. There is a cheeky fishing boat in the area that is the near the deep water, underwater trench. There were mackerel in there at the time, the submarine came later.

Mackerel accidentally played a big part in the serendipity of yesterday.

Last week at the blogging course, I had the fattest,juiciest,oak smoked mackerel for my lunch. Provided by a fabulous cafe in Bethnal Green.

https://www.leilasshop.co.uk/

© Leila’s Shop

The only place I know to buy these gorgeous, golden fish, locally, is our local Polish supermarket. Anxious to enjoy fat smoked mackerel again this weekend, a trip was quickly planned. The supermarket happens to be next to an eccentric and fascinating junk shop. This became the most random shopping trip.

There is a world shortage of Bistro sets, the cute French inspired table and chairs sets made of cast iron or aluminium. Apparently, they are all trapped somewhere in containers. On the hunt for mackerel, we found a bistro set outside the junk shop next door.

This may be the strangest two item shopping expedition ever. Thanks to

http://www.littlecamdenmarket.co.uk/

and Delta Supermarket https://www.westendplymouth.co.uk/

Thankfully last nights sunset just about brings this odd blog together riffing on a theme of red, orange and gold.

#6 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn YardeningLeave a comment

I suppose the middle of October is a reasonable time to start mentioning mists. This was yesterdays early walk and if I set off now it would also be todays. Only an hour or so later the sun was properly out and this scene would have looked quite different. As it was I was struggling with heavy metal objects at the tip during the best sunshine of the day. Not really the best place for photography. But there is something uplifting about leaving the tip with an empty car. Yesterday passed with many small and irritating domestic admin jobs achieved. On days like yesterday the dogs get especially good walks because walking a dog is infinitely more interesting than the next dull, but essential job. I know that some time in the future, hopefully next year, my repotting of the Fig tree will bring strong new growth and lots of glossy leaves but yesterdays labours saw the fig tree move into his new but temporary home. A new (old) pot just a few inches bigger. Where, oh where is the instant gratification in that!

What Fig does not know, is that just a couple more inches of growth and he/she will have a friend, who is not much bigger to natter to. Just the other side of the wall our neighbours also have a fig growing. Never one to speculate! I think having a figgy friend so close might encourage all sorts of fig related development. Perhaps future October’s might look a bit like this in our kitchen.

For now the only figs in this house will be supermarket ones.

#5 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Hugo and Lola, staycationLeave a comment
©Emily Bobber

This is all that is left of the West Pier in Brighton. I used to pass it every day on my way to work in Brighton. The pier closed in 1975 and has been ravaged by storms ever since. For me it has always been a ghost pier. Something to focus on when looking out to sea thinking deep or not so deep thoughts. It is some years since I have visited Brighton. It was definitely a destination booked in for this summers great staycation but a complication arose with the dates and we weren’t able  to go. Getting a “fix’ of Brighton every few years is an essential piece of ‘touching base’. Fondly known as London-by-the-sea it is a larger than life sea side resort.

One of our ‘Bobbers’ group ran a half marathon there this weekend and captured this lovely image.

Hunting in my phones image file I’ve only found one other blogworthy picture.  Hugo, posing very regally at the Prince Regents Pleasure Dome, The Royal Pavillion.

Any future visits to Brighton will almost certainly involve swimming in the sea, no matter what time of year we schedule a trip and definitely more photography!

#4 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Bobbing, Home TownsLeave a comment

Yesterday evening was the first time for a few weeks that I was able to walk along the coastal path nearest to the swimming beach that the ‘bobbers’ prefer to use. The beaches and the coastal path beyond the Artillery Tower have been closed for essential maintenance. Although the path is now open, the steps and slopes that allow us to get into the water at high tide are being refurbished.

We often joke that our ‘free’ hobby is anything but free as we buy various bits of equipment to make winter swimming easier and safer to achieve. But for our local council maintaining the concrete against twice daily tides and winter storms must be a huge budgetary responsibility.

Looking at the amount of work that has been done I’m pretty grateful that my only responsibility before winter is to get a wetsuit. But for now October is still being kind to us.

©Debs Bobber

#3 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn blogging1 Comment

Long before I started a blog, I had a normal job in London. One of the places I would seek refuge, after a nights work, was The Townhouse, Spitalfields. Home made cake and coffee embellished by the Townhouse itself always slowed the busy pace of London down to something more manageable. The link below describes the Townhouse far more comprehensively than I ever could.

https://www.theshopkeepers.com/town-house-spitalfields-london/

There was serendipity at work when one of my favourite blog writers, The Gentle Author offered blog writing courses based at The Townhouse.

Returning this weekend for a second writing course with The Gentle Author was a treat, both visual and experiential. In between learning and enjoying wonderful food I hopped around like an overactive magpie gathering photographic trinkets for future blog use. It helped that bright autumnal sunshine barged its way into the corners and recesses of the early Georgian building, making everything a little more magical.

Taking magic to a different place was the bathroom we used this weekend.

And the kitchen where refreshments were served.

Home

The link above takes you to the Townhouse website. I”m sure this will not be the last blog I write about this gorgeous building.