Month: Sep 2023

#675 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Beach Life, dog walks, Serendipity, Van LifeLeave a comment

We went in search of an offshore breeze yesterday and found ourselves at Godrevy at Gwithian Towans on the north coast of Cornwall. The September Heatwave made a large rockpool the perfect spot for a skinny dip.

Our evening location was very acceptable in every way.

The evening dog walk was very slow and in places the sun was setting in just the right spot.

Ponies are used to keep the sand dunes healthy,but in true pony style my photo is dreadful.

A long time ago I used to photograph Jazz musicians as an occasional money making hobby. I did a lot of Jazz photography , I only occasionally made any money. It is extraordinarily difficult to take a flattering photograph of Jazz musicians, but that was a huge part of the pleasure. Sometimes hobbies are meant to be difficult. I was moderately successful and musicians can be fascinating people. Ponies on the other hand are equally difficult to take a flattering photograph, not particularly entertaining on a conversational level and would never put a hoof in their pockets no matter how good the photograph was. I’m not really certain why I pondered off to my photography past. Maybe while pondering off, I should ponder off on this skinny dipping habit. I’ve been doing it all my life. The Swimmer, a Burt Lancaster film, was the inspiration and yet at no time was Burt naked. I think he just inspired me to swim when the moment presents itself. Unlike Bert, my random acts of swimming never confront me with reflections of poor choices or relationship failures. If a black and white film on a Sunday is your thing I can recommend it.

The Swimmer https://g.co/kgs/PBZYyR

My parents thought my obsession with the film and the act of skinny dipping was a little odd but as true people of the 70’s did nothing to stop me.

And so it continues unchecked and so far I have never been caught out in any way.

Meanwhile back to Godrevy and the lighthouse.

#674 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Bobbing, Serendipity1 Comment

How do you relax?

It is no surprise to any regular @theoldmortuary blog reader that over the last 3 years my relaxation comes from swimming in the sea with ‘The Bobbers’. No one is more surprised than me to say this. If I were writing this blog in 2020 my answer would almost certainly have been reading or listening to music. In Ocrober 2020 four and then five of us started swimming regularly in the sea at Firestone Bay. That number has swelled to 21 as of yesterday.

What started as an immune system boosting, cold dip, for one bobber has become a fellowship of swimmers and Coach. There is nothing official about us, just a Whatsapp group where times of ‘Bobs’ are called. The Whatsapp group messages rarely stick at just a tide time and weather prediction. Our Bobbing friendships have similarly become intertwined, interesting and most importantly supportive.

Sometimes in the past, pre 2020, I knew that if life was tripping me up, with too much to do or think about then a couple of hours in a good book would set me right. Not so much now. Even in the depth of winter I know that a dip in Firestone Bay or another cold alternative is exactly what I need. Developing an eclectic and supportive group of ‘bobbing’ friends has also been life changing and life affirming. People who I would never have met in any other way have been brought together by a shared interest in getting chilly on the coastal edge of Plymouth Sound.

In fairness to ‘ Bobbing’ it does do a lot more than relax. This blog could equally have asked all of the following questions and I would have written something similar.

Where do you laugh the most ?

Where can you always get advice?

Where do your maddest conversations happen?

Where can you always get a hug?

Where do you enjoy biscuits the most?

7 Bobbers Bobbing

#673 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn art, SerendipityLeave a comment

Sometimes landscapes make me want  to lay down and be part of it. Mossy boulders are particularly enticing and, of course, particularly uncomfortable in reality.

Today I felt the urge to paint a fantasy glade with a mossy boulder.

It has a long way to go but I already know the painted boulder would be a comfortable place to rest and the glade is becoming more fantastical by the brushstoke.

Green is my Friday colour.

#672 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn pondering, Serendipity1 Comment

Are you holding a grudge? About?

Sometimes one of these Jetpack prompts really is a pause for thought.

Do I hold a grudge?

No. I do, however, have a mental filing system of harms done, both great and pathetic.

I use this filing system to learn by experience.

Anybody, myself especially can cause harm to another inadvertently or unintentionally. If I am made aware I certainly try to not repeat my bad behaviour.

But the sad fact is that there are many people in the world who set out to cause harm to others. These people are best avoided. This is not bearing a grudge but just a sensible precaution.

If I held grudges, specifically compared to my mental filing system, I think I am creative enough to consider revenge as an art form worthy of quite a lot of thought and planning. I suspect my revenge would be malignant,served cold but with deadly accuracy. The drawer just slamming shut is so much easier for me to live with.

The mental filing system permits a much more subtle and less harmful act to all. If someone has more than one harmful item in their drawer of my mental filing system then there is a risk that their drawer may be closed forever. Minor characters with no redeeming features have their drawer shut and locked with relative ease. People who are more important, or are of greater interest to me certainly can keep their drawer open longer, maybe forever, even though, of course, their harms can often cut deeper.Best not depend on that though, nothing in the filing system is guaranteed. I hold the only master key.

rhdr

So Grudges- no thank you

A nice tidy filing system of harms, or learning events. Yes please.

#671 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Bobbing, SerendipityLeave a comment

It was the sort of day to be beside the sea yesterday. Lovely hot weather with a bit of a breeze. Saharan dust in the atmosphere made for a pink sunset, coupled with a favourable tide in the evening I chose to swim in the dark sea of dusk.

Although this looks blissfully peaceful there was an annoying drone flying overhead. The drone operator may have felt irritated by me bobbing about when all they wanted was an empty bay. The sea had been full all day of people making use of our hot September weather and my isolated dip was just good timing. There were plenty of people still in the water 15 minutes before when I walked the dogs. There was also some live music coming from the Tennis Club that overlooks the bay. It is just too bad that we didn’t have good weather when the evenings were longer and we had friends and family to fill them with. Regardless, an evening swim was very relaxing. The water was crystal clear and beautifully black, mind clearing in the best possible way.

#670 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Books1 Comment

Book clubs are funny things. A well run one will push readers out of their comfort zones. I did not enjoy this book at all, but as so often happens it made me think, and because of that I may remember it more effectively than all the books that I have really enjoyed that have come my way via my bookclub.

Part of me is still a little angry that an accomplished female composer and singer would be depicted in such a way by a contemporaneous artist in the 17th Century. The link below is far more erudite than I could ever be about her and this painting.

https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/barbara-strozzi/

But it is hard to look at this portrait and not think that this is a woman who has been around the block a few times and sometimes taken her pleasure in the alleyways between the blocks. Hard not to see the exposed breast or her grasp of the neck of her instrument.

Male composers of the time with equally vibrant private lives are all, without fail represented in a reverant and respectful style. Just google 17th century male composers. No wardrobe malfunctions for them.

The book further created this ranty blog because in the narrative the protagonist was in search of a woman who looked like this portrait. Not a clever, accomplished musician. He wanted a woman who could fuel his fantasy in a more fleshed out way.

Reading! It makes you think

#679 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn artLeave a comment

The sun sets on 10 days of Drawn to the Valley Open Studios at Ocean Studios.

I think all the artists were wilting a bit by closing time on Sunday but there were still plenty of people wandering in, even as we packed up.

Drawn to the Valley had some great impromptu signage. Refreshingly basic and not discussed endlessly at a committee meeting.

Of course I had failed to explain to my dogs that the 8 am walk no longer needed to take us to the Royal William Yard. So this morning they set their paws once more towards the gallery. But that brought a little moment of interest. Last week this blog bought Dolphins, today a Submarine.

Something unusual before I returned home to do the last Open Studio job. Something the dogs are less keen to help me with compared to an interesting walk. The arty unpacking. Something that I know will be happening all over the Tamar Valley this morning. Goodness what a tedious job. But I must get on with it…

More sun setting on a fabulous Ten days with 12 great artists and hundreds of interested visitors. Thanks to everyone involved

#678 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn blogging, Serendipity, Travels2 Comments

Why do you blog?

My  inspiration to blog is not particularly noble. Someone, who had already irritated me had said that I had nothing interesting to say and that any blog I wrote would reflect that. I struggled a little to find my place in blogland. Then a variety of things occurred including a World Pandemic when, if we were lucky, none of us had much of interest to say. My blog evolved into what it currently is, a ponder on some small part of my day or a thought that I have had. Like many of us,my life has a repetitive pattern so I need to find a nugget of interest or something different about things I do every day. The photo above is a case in point. Last night’s dog walk took me just across the water from my home, my home is completely invisible, and would be even if the ferry had sailed away. Behind the ferry is a narrow strip of land occupied by the ferry port, the Ministry of Defence and a Primary School sports field. The tiny strip of land occupied by the Ministry of Defence is on a narrow rocky ridge, partially covered by trees. It is this ridge that obscures my view of the ferry from our side . Although as the trees lose their leaves we can see the bridge of the ferry if there is a high tide. If I were any good at throwing a hard ball I could give the crew on the Bridge a nasty shock as I write this blog. Similarly I could get you some fabulous drone footage of happy holidaymakers on the ferry from the comfort of my bed. However the Ministry of Defence would take a very very dim view of me flying a drone over their strip of land, so that is never going to happen. It never ceases to amaze me that so much is happening maybe 200 yards from my home and yet this is one of the most peaceful places I have ever lived. Just occasionally if the tide is right, there is a sensation of a thrum from the engines, or when the wind is in a favourable direction, we can hear the public announcements as the ferry gets ready to leave. As someone who loves to travel and loves the idea of travel I find there is something quite energising about living so close to a ferry port. My mind can travel vicariously every time the ferry leaves port and be equally gladdened by its safe arrival. And that my friends is why I blog, nattering about insignificant things to an invisible audience. Simple pleasures.

#677 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Architecture, SerendipityLeave a comment

I have been lucky enough to spend the last ten days working in an art gallery in converted military buildings. I love the quiet corners of these buildings. Today the building was humming with creative people and hundreds of visitors. Gentle exploration and determination found the corners I love, empty of people.

This is a no frills building and I love it for not having any softness.

These quiet pictures give not an inkling of the artistic and creative buzz that is resonating off its hard stone walls.

Gentrification has not occurred. The buildings have just been quietly repurposed. Peace where once wars were planned.

https://royalwilliamyard.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwusunBhCYARIsAFBsUP_J66pCGj6Aa-DSgNmaaTD7yTToGynx8FYJtux4YMbm8V0Q7l-UXyMaAvtREALw_wcB

#676 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Bobbing, SerendipityLeave a comment

How are you feeling right now?

How would you feel if you had just been swimming among  shoals of fish with hundreds of sea birds feasting on the fish and a pod of dolphins breaching just yards from your swim zone.

Doing that with the best group of bobbing buddies on a Friday morning is just one of the loveliest moments that life can unexpectedly deliver.

For a couple of days now there have been a lot of fish in our little bay on the edge of Plymouth Sound. Coupled with super high tides and the arrival of a pod of dolphins it has been like living in a wildlife documentary. The cries of the seagulls and the twinkle of fish scales in the water made our morning bob very magical. How am I feeling right now?

Blessed by the serendipity of nature. Swimming with Dolphins…

Somewhere out there there are 8 dolphins…

Millions of fish. Hundreds of Seabirds .Nine bobbers including Coach who couldn’t believe quite how lucky we are to swim in such a fascinating place.