how come u don't call me anymore?

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 14 May 2025].}

Egads! Where did April go?

I had a sitting with my regulars near the start of the month, then the ten-day sitting with Dudley and Betsy mentioned in my last post.

My birthday fell just before Easter this year. Usually, I spend it visiting a gallery and/or photo editing. I had thought it would be a sedate affair, editing photos with the doggos for company, as I was away from home.

However, two friends took up my invitation to visit me and the puppers on separate occasions over Easter. I also had an in-person catch-up with a client I'm designing a website for the day before my birthday, which I'd booked as annual leave.

So, I was spoilt for social engagements and spoiled myself with cheese from The Bishop's Cave (as you do). A Cornish Yarg wrapped in nettles (I decided to try the original version, as it had been recommended to me previously, but I'll indulge in the garlic version next time!), a truffle Brie, and a Scottish Blue Murder, formerly known as 'Blue Monday', for those who are wondering.

Since I returned from Bishop's Stortford, I visited The World of Tim Burton exhibition at the Design Museum with a friend. I had another sitting with my regulars, which included three more social engagements, two of which were a little last-minute (and one was virtual and lasted over five hours!)

Then last weekend, I travelled to Brighton to catch up with friends and meet a kitteh called Chilli, whom I'll be sitting for the second half of June.

I'm doing daily visits with a local senior kitteh this weekend, and planning to visit The Face Magazine: Culture Shift exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery with a friend. Otherwise, I'm at home for a stretch, which is nice.

Aside from cheese and socialising, I've been dealing with some health stuff (nothing major), including learning about predictive genetic testing, working my day job, completing over 365 days of learning Welsh on Duolingo, trying to get back up to date with my life admin (more sinking than swimming, it sometimes feels) and trying not to wear my fingertips to the bones with doom scrolling.

I already have photos edited for posts later in the week, but I hope to spend a large portion of this week/end editing more and creating other pieces to share with you.

Oh, and this photo is from my visit to the Isle of Portland in September last year. Nice light on that telephone box.

If you feel inclined, let me know how you're doing in the comments x

red bows

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 6 December 2024].}

I'm slightly behind schedule but somewhat less stressed.

Only somewhat, but I'm hopeful there will be good news to share more widely in the next few days.

Fingers crossed!

the old toll house [reflected]

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 30 July 2024].}

The Old Toll House, a Grade II listed building formerly a turnpike tollhouse.

darkened windows

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 8 May 2024].}

These are the first and penultimate photos I took with my D700 when visiting Margate with friends in September 2016 (in reverse order).

A building near Dreamland that I imagine is long gone almost eight years later.

Abandoned and/or derelict buildings almost always catch my eye. They're so photogenic.

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untitled #1 [margate, kent, england, 2016]

memorial to heroes of the marine engine room

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 5 May 2024].}

I let the team down.

This monument and some flowers attached to a railing near the Isle of Man ferry terminal were the closest I came to photographing a grave while visiting Liverpool last week.

Nostalgia was heavily represented: tributes in various forms to The Beatles, Billy Fury and others. And my memories of Pier Head swirling around my head.

But my time in the city was too short to allow time to seek out a cemetery.

There may have been graves in the Our Lady and St Nicholas Church Garden, but I only paused briefly to capture the church before moving on.

And even when I photographed this monument, I had forgotten seeing it on the map.

Google Maps records it as the Titanic Memorial. Wikipedia tells me that was the original intent of the monument. However, it took on a broader recognition of the heroes of the marine engine room after World War I.

From Wikipedia: The memorial was intended originally to commemorate all 32 engineers who died in the sinking of Titanic on 15 April 1912. Liverpool was the Titanic port of registry, as well as the home of the ship's owner, White Star Line. Construction was funded by international public subscription.

Spaces were left on the monument to record the names of other engineers. However, due to the heavy loss of life throughout World War I, its dedication was broadened to include all maritime engine room fatalities incurred during the performance of duty. Shrapnel damage from bombs that fell during the Second World War can be clearly seen on the monument.

The shrapnel damage mentioned is apparent in the photo I took. However, I was so conscious of time (and the weight of my luggage on my shoulders) that I didn't stop to inspect the monument more closely and take more photos. I only looked up this information after editing. I realised I should have spent more time capturing it.

leo/poldo ii

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 19 April 2024].}

I captured these photographs of the equestrian statue of Leopold II in Place du Trône in Brussels during my visit to Belgium with my parents and then-partner, Kyle, in September 2014.

According to Wikipedia, Leopold II was the second King of the Belgians. Although he still holds the title of the longest-reigning Belgian monarch, by all accounts, Leopold II was a nasty piece of work.

See, in particular, his reign over the Congo Free State (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo).

I won't use the words 'founder' and 'owner', as we know there were already people there when he claimed those titles who had more right to claim ownership than he did.

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leo/poldo ii [place du trône, bruxelles, belgium, 2014]

I usually avoid capturing people in my photographs of monuments, architecture, street scenes, etc., but I quite like the moment I captured with these particular folks in the second image.

pay here

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 6 March 2024].}

things of stone and wood

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 17 February 2024].}

post-floral

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 7 February 2024].}

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untitled #17 [redland bay, queensland, australia, 2009]

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untitled #15 [redland bay, queensland, australia, 2009]

blood red

Two of my self-portraits - one from my wallflowers series, the other from my plush series - are included in Issue #123: Color 2024 of F-Stop Magazine, and both feature floral motifs: the wallpaper in one and my dress in the other.

This photograph, which I took in my parents' garden in Redland Bay in 2009, of a Cordyline fruticosa (commonly known as a ti plant) doesn't include a floral motif. But the leaves are so vibrant with the backlighting that they fit the colour theme I submitted to.

Since I've already shared the two photographs included in F-Stop Magazine, I thought I'd share this one alongside the news.

the fitzwilliam museum

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 2 January 2024].}

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untitled #76 [the fitzwilliam museum, cambridge, cambridgeshire, england, 2017]

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untitled #74 [the fitzwilliam museum, cambridge, cambridgeshire, england, 2017]

taste and see that the lord is good

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 29 October 2023].}

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hertford town church [hertford, hertfordshire, england, 2021]

between the bars

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 6 November 2022].}

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untitled #49 [grove park cemetery, grove park, london, england, 2022]

public footpath

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 23 August 2022].}

For those who aren't aware, England, Scotland, and Wales have a system of public footpaths and bridleways collectively recognised as rights of way.

They allow folk to travel across private land without fear of a charge of trespassing. Or threat or reprisal from landowners.

In rural areas, they can make getting from Point A to Point B on foot a much quicker journey than if you had to stick to the footpaths alongside roads. They also make for interesting routes for those of us inclined to photo walks.

The entrance to this public footpath can be found north of Cotton End.

I didn't take it while I was cat-sitting for Jo and Becky this time, but hopefully, if I have the chance to cat-sit Meg and Mog again, I will be able to explore it further.

Or, at least, others not far away which lead to places that seem enticing to my photographic eye.

If you want to see how extensive the right-of-way system is in the UK, check out the Footpath Map.

priory country park

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 18 August 2022].}

In 2018, on a drizzly November day, I met my friend, Khanisa, for a walk and a late pub lunch in Bedford.

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untitled #60 [priory country park, bedford, bedfordshire, england, 2018]

We wandered along the River Great Ouse out to Priory Country Park and back, despite the rain.

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untitled #62 [priory country park, bedford, bedfordshire, england, 2018]

I didn't manage to get out and about as much as I'd have liked while cat-sitting in Cotton End last week, though I did attempt something of a photo walk one day.

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untitled #57 [priory country park, bedford, bedfordshire, england, 2018]

And I did catch up with Khanisa for an afternoon for a long overdue face-to-face chat.

So, I thought I'd edit and share some photos from our walk that day in 2018.

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untitled #58 [priory country park, bedford, bedfordshire, england, 2018]

edward-howard howard-gibbon

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 10 July 2022].}

The final resting place of a Norroy King of Arms.

hedge bindweed

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 13 May 2022].}

untitled #204

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 29 March 2022].}

rievaulx

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 18 March 2022].}

Rievaulx is a lovely little spot in the North York Moors.

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untitled #1 [rievaulx bridge, rievaulx, north yorkshire, england, 2012]

Visiting there in 2012 (when these photos were taken) inspired me to encourage my parents to visit there during their visit in 2017.

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untitled #4 [rievaulx bridge, rievaulx, north yorkshire, england, 2012]

Unfortunately, on that visit, we had sleet and rain instead of smatterings of snow.

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untitled #5 [rievaulx, north yorkshire, england, 2012]

It was a lovely spot to visit on Valentine's Day.

pink petunias

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 28 January 2022].}

From Wikipedia: The Maya and Inca believed that the scent of petunias had the power to ward off underworld monsters and spirits. Their flower-buds were bunched together for magical drinks. According to New Age folklore, Petunias will only thrive where there is "positive energy" and will not grow in places where there is "negativity".

When given as a gift, Petunias have (in the language of flowers) two mutually exclusive meanings, symbolising on the one hand being comfortable with someone, and on the other anger and resentment.

A somewhat clichéd image, the interpretation of petunias in the language of flowers feels appropriate right now.

It's a tribute to how comfortable I felt with my friend Anthony at all times. And the anger and resentment I feel in waves (mingled with melancholy and intense, overwhelming sadness) for the fact that his life was cut short.

And so many of the comments and posts I've seen about him since he passed highlight his gentle nature, positivity and enthusiasm.