mary the beloved
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 21 January 2024].
Hello, my lovelies.
It's been a while since I wrote you a rambling, diary-like post and for that, I'm sorry. (Though you may not be ;) )
Things have been busy with me, so many times I have time to edit a photo or four, but it's been a while since I've been able to sit down and write creatively or even just to write to give you an update.
The obvious exception is my end-of-year post. And, looking back, it seems it's been about a month since I wrote something more than a cursory caption about what I'm sharing.
I've been at home more the past few months. Post-summer, pet sittings dropped off, which was welcome. As much as I love all the kittehs and doggos I sit, it was nice to be more settled for a time.
While the homes I sit pets in are always like a home away from home (and the pet parents always make me feel welcome in their homes), I still live out of a suitcase, and I don't always have access to my raw photographs for editing and/or an acceptable screen to edit photos on.
I finally had some paid annual leave in November. I intended it to be a staycation*, but I put the word out to a couple of photographer friends and some family, and suddenly, I had three photo walks in my lap, two nights away, and a day trip out of town. My plans for cleaning, decluttering and downsizing went out the window quite quickly. I'm not unhappy about that, but it means those tasks are still on my to-do list as I write this.
Since then, my day-job brain has been addled and exhausted by piecing together functionality created long before I joined the organisation and trying to mesh that with new functionality to ensure what our web agency has created is fit for purpose. It's a challenge (which I usually love) but has often left me feeling like I've pulled that loose thread on an item of clothing, and I wish I hadn't.
The new year has started on a positive note.
There was a day trip to meet a friend in Milton Keynes. A weekend in Bishop's Stortford, reuniting with a former landlady and her family and meeting two sweet doggos I'll sit in summer - a Maltipoo called Dudley and a Cockapoo called Betsy. And (what is now) yesterday, meeting a sweet but flatulent, snorting French bulldog called Francois (naturally), who lives locally and whom I'll be sitting semi-regularly over the coming months.
I'm somewhat wary of speaking out loud about my travel plans for the first quarter of the year, given my previous travel plans fell through for reasons beyond my control.
But I've booked (free(!) first-class return) tickets using the vouchers reissued last January (and a bonus one that snuck into my inbox!), and my manager has signed off my annual leave.
I still need to book my accommodation, which I'm a bit nervous my bank balance will struggle with, but I plan to visit Llandudno in Wales for a week in early to mid-March. Manchester for a long weekend in late March. And Glasgow for four days in early April.
I booked my tickets at the eleventh hour before my vouchers expired. I could only book as far ahead as early April, so it's all a bit hectic over the next few months between my travels, work and pet-sitting, which will start to pick up again from next weekend.
I'm looking forward to returning to north Wales, a bit further along the Avanti West Coast network than Wrexham, where I travelled to and on to Minera in late October 2021 to sit Meg and Mog for Jo and Becky in the old vicarage. I'm hoping to see more of Wales generally in future, especially returning to the south where Mum's family came from and where I haven't visited since Christmas 1991.
It will be my first visit to Edinburgh's "lesser" sister, Glasgow, but I'm looking forward to the Necropolis and exploring the city and its museums, galleries and botanical gardens.
It will be a return to Manchester, where I've visited at least three times. It seemed a sufficiently substantial distance to justify a first-class ticket but a short enough journey for a long weekend (and, as I've been there before if I have to sacrifice one of the trips due to my finances not covering accommodation, I can live with that).
I thought about visiting Liverpool, which I think I've only driven through. But nothing drew me to Tate Liverpool during the dates I was looking at, and I hoped to catch up with a friend while in Manchester (though we'll see if that will still come to pass).
So, with Wales on my mind and recent fruit and flower photographs captured in Jo and Becky's backyard in their current home in Cotton End, I thought I'd share some more photos from St Mary's Church in Minera in October 2021. I have so many I still need to edit and share, including some more puffball photos to come in a few weeks.
The light after the rain was just delicious and so wonderful for me to experience and capture the graves in the churchyard.
It was a magical Monday morning. If only all my Monday mornings started with such beautiful, inspiring, contemplative and creative visions and experiences. Followed by exploring a new place (or even a familiar place is welcome), some exercise in the fresh air (a mixture of strenuous and gentle), a refreshing pint of cider in a welcoming pub at the end of a productive day, cheese, and cuddles with a kitteh or a doggo.
I'd almost** become a morning person for that shit ;)
So, that's where I'm up to as we close in on the end of January (seriously?! Already?!)
What are you guys looking forward to this year? I'd love you to tell me in the comments x
* My definition of a staycation is a holiday when you stay at home, doing things locally and maybe doing some DIY or just hanging out and reading books. But it's become recognised as holidaying in your home country instead of abroad.
** I'm not fooling anyone, am I? But I'd probably get my butt out of bed earlier more regularly. Probably.
** I'm not fooling anyone, am I? But I'd probably get my butt out of bed earlier more regularly. Probably.
suffer little children
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 7 August 2022].
...and a shed in the back
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 6 August 2022].
I took these photos in October last year when I was in Minera, Wales, cat-sitting Meg and Mog for friends.
In a few days, I'll be cat-sitting Meg and Mog again, but it will be in a village a short distance south of Bedford.
When I went to Minera, it was because Meg and Mog's mothers were house-hunting for a new home within a more manageable commuting distance from London. They had previously been neighbours living at the other end of my street.
I'm hoping to head back to north Wales sometime this summer. But with my health issues making travel nerve-wracking at the moment, Cotton End will be a chance to test the waters, the effectiveness of my new meds and, hopefully, get my mojo back.
Cotton End is a shorter journey from my home than Bromley, where I stayed last weekend to cat-sit Sammy, Lily and Poppy. While I was there, I chose not to venture out much. Literally, two supermarket runs less than ten minutes walk from the house.
Unfortunately, the mercury is set to soar this coming week. That will make going out less appealing for me. But I hope to get out at least a little with my camera.
If possible, I'll also meet up with a friend and her mother who live in Bedford. But it will depend on their schedule and health.
a ca(p)tive audience
Now that Meg's gorgeous face has got your attention...
I have a couple of return tickets to use for travel on the Avanti West Coast network by late November.
Ideally, I'd like to travel back to north Wales and Edinburgh on those tickets. I haven't been to Edinburgh since 2011, and most of my travels in north Wales were back in 2001. I'd also like to venture from Edinburgh to Inverness (or thereabouts) to visit a friend.
Related: I'd like to find some cat-sitting (or dog-sitting, or just house-sitting) work in Edinburgh.
And also somewhere on or near the Avanti West Coast network in north Wales. Potentially around Llandudno.
My full-time temporary work will drop to three days from July, and I can work fully remote. So I'm relatively flexible about location and duration as long as I have decent internet access.
To allow me enough time to get out and explore, it would need to be at least a long weekend, but I'm open to a week or more (my first cat-sitting gig was three weeks).
I can provide references for my cat-sitting and photographic evidence of happy kittehs I've cat-sat. I keep lines of communication open while looking after kittehs, and I'm a clean and tidy occupant.
I also feed fish and can guard goldfish against kittehs, if required ;)
And prints from kitteh portrait sessions are an optional extra.
I thought I'd put my feelers out through friends first before potentially listing myself on Cat in a Flat or similar. In case I know (or you know) anyone in or around Edinburgh or Llandudno/the Avanti West Coast network across north Wales.
My only real restriction is that I don't drive. So anywhere I'm cat-sitting has to have reasonable transport connections (foot, train, bus, cab, etc.)
Bonus points if the home has a room with floral wallpaper, and I can take self-portraits in and around the place I'm cat/dog/house-sitting if I'm so inspired.
If you or someone you know might be interested, slide into my DMs for more info and a confidential discussion ;)
untitled #204
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 29 March 2022].
robin redbreast
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 27 February 2022].
untitled #193
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 26 December 2021].
a low ebb
2020 had its challenges, but I’m not going to lie. For me, personally, 2021 was a bitch.
I’m not going to expend more energy expanding upon that topic in this post.
I’ve tried to stop giving oxygen to elements in my life that proved to be unhealthy this year. Possibly for the first time in my whole life, that involved cutting ties with an ex-partner.
While this year has been a hard one for many reasons, there have been definite highlights.
And, especially when I was sick with Covid-19 back in July, I was overwhelmingly reminded of the brilliant global support network I have. I’m still gobsmacked by that. To those of you part of that network, both family and friends (and I’m sure you know who you are), I send you my love, and I’m forever grateful for you.
Before things went a bit more than pear-shaped this year, I managed to complete another 100 Day Project starting on 31 January 2021. I had a proper go at sketching every day. And, while I don’t profess to be a master illustrator, even after those 100 days, I created some not so terrible drawings.
The 100 Day Project for the coming year will start on 13 February 2022. I’ve had a few ideas of what I’d like to do, but we’ll see which one I settle upon.
Through my Patreon, I shared writings from my attempts at NaNoWriMo in 2009 and 2016. These are still rough second drafts and are currently only available to patrons.
I shared curated series from my sepulchre work, mushroom photographs, and travel photography.
I started my series of love letters to london, which I’d hoped to complete in 2021, but I will continue into 2022.
This year I took self-portraits for the first time since mid-2018 and have shared some that continue my interior/exterior series or fall into my new wallflowers series. I already have images from the latter to share in the new year.
I won’t bore you with my plant progress this year but suffice to say, my indoor plants fared better than the garden.
And I wrote actual handwritten letters for the first time in decades, inspired (or guilted?) by my friend Phil.
The things I let fall by the wayside this year were reading (beyond news articles of varying lengths) and language studies. Both I want to get back into in 2022.
In May, I unexpectedly found myself confronted by what is believed to be the oldest tree in London. A beautiful yew, she may be 2,000 years old.
She was more impressive up close than from a distance. I’ll share more close-ups of her beautiful contours in the new year, though I shared one previously.
In May, there was also a pleasant day out in Hertford. Exploring the source of the New River and wandering along the River Lea. Though there was also a bull charging me for photographing him!
In October, Scott and I explored the section of the New River (not new, not a river) between Hornsey and Finsbury Park.
At the end of 2020, I wasn’t overly hopeful for much travel this year. I would have settled for a weekend away somewhere within the UK.
Thanks to one of my longest-suffering friends, Phil, I visited Chichester and Bosham (first image in this post),
Itchenor
arundel cathedral
and Arundel.
untitled #203
And thanks to a cat-sitting gig for Jo and Becky, I was able to visit Minera,
untitled #144
Coedpoeth
and Wrexham.
However, the most unexpected and surprisingly fulfilling element of 2021 for me was becoming a cat-sitter.
Growing up and into my 20s and beyond, I was always a dog person. I couldn’t fathom cats. I would have said honestly at one point that I hated cats. So cat-sitting was not even close to being on my bingo card for 2021.
But really, in retrospect, I think it was more that I didn’t understand cats.
A chance pub quiz with friends led to me becoming a cat-sitter for the first time this year, and it’s something I hope to continue into 2022 and beyond.
There are side bonuses, like exploring new areas of London and beyond and locations for shooting self-portraits. And going “on holiday” but being paid for it.
But I’m not going to lie that the kitteh snuggles are lovely, and winning over an anxious or difficult kitteh brings a particular buzz with it. (Though I would be all good with less claw-to-skin action in demonstrations of affection…)
So, in order of appearance, here are the cool cats I’ve met this year (apologies for the photo quality with some. I hope to get better photos of them in future!)
Shiloh
Susie
Bao
Paczi
Meg
Mog
Sammy
Lily
Poppy
I’m not going to chance my hand predicting what 2022 will hold. But I have credit for travel that will hopefully take me back to Wales and Scotland, so that’s a positive start.
Anything else is a bonus.
I hope your 2022 is better than 2021.
lily and the snowman
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 9 December 2021].
five crosses inn
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 1 December 2021].
rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 3 December 2021].
untitled #174
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 28 November 2021].
the gardener
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 2 December 2021].
It's that time again.
I'm posting the first one slightly later than planned but aiming to share new images from the season's grievings series every couple of days between now and Christmas and make them public approximately two days later.
I hope you enjoy!
untitled #88
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 20 November 2021].
untitled #161
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 8 November 2021].
a week in wales
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 3 November 2021].
Speeding toward Wales, I watched the English countryside fly by the train window. It occurred to me then it would be my first visit without my mother to the country of many of her ancestors.
My third visit to Wales also had interesting numerological synchronicity. My first visit had been part of a 'round the world' trip with my family around Christmas 1991. My second visit was in 2001 with my parents and my then-boyfriend. And I was taking this journey in 2021. I trust that number pattern won't repeat itself, leading to me not returning to Wales until 2061!
On top of those realisations, it occurred to me it was just a little more than two years since I'd last left England. Though this time, I was only going across the border into Wales. Rather than through the air, over land and sea to Australia.
So, to say high expectations were hanging over the trip might have been an understatement. There was a lot of anticipation and excitement about what the week may hold.
After a week of kitteh hijinks with Bao and Paczi, there was also a yearning for a low-stress week. One that would allow me to concentrate on things other than kittehs while still enjoying kitteh snuggles and pets.
Despite taking about five hours to travel each way due to train delays and a wait for a cab from Wrexham to Minera, the week and Wales definitely delivered.
As well as being able to complete various life admin tasks ahead of my new flatmate moving in and enjoying many, many kitteh snuggles, Minera proved to be a much-needed change of pace and very picturesque.
Though there was drizzle for at least part of most days. And though there were a couple of days of gusty winds. And temperatures were in the low teens most days. The weather really turned it on for me on Monday.
Once the morning drizzle stopped, it left the landscape and details super-saturated in colour. The beautiful post-rain light across the countryside and across headstones was lovely.
I'm excited to share photos from this trip with you - as I am those from my recent trip to Chichester - as I really enjoyed the mixture of subjects: village life; natural landscapes; manmade incursions into the landscape; derelict buildings; industrial sites being reclaimed by nature and the beautiful graves in St Mary's churchyard.
As I wrote in a post to Instagram a short time into my wanderings around the churchyard that day, "Honestly, if every week started like this, I'd be content". Exploring new places (including their graveyards and churchyards), taking photographs, marvelling at (all kinds of) beauty in the world, and knowing at the end of the day there would be a cold pint of cider and the company of some charming creatures to finish up with.
The 5.5-hour walk was challenging for me in parts (muddy, leaf-strewn paths up and down inclines that made me a little nervous) and left me bone-tired afterwards, but in the best possible way.
I generally love being a woman. The only downside is the trepidation of walking solo off the beaten track while carrying expensive camera gear. Wanting to explore further but thinking perhaps that may not be a sensible course to take. Thankfully, I was able to put aside most of those thoughts that day. Though I didn't venture as far into the Minera Quarry Nature Reserve as I would have, had I not been alone.
When not second-guessing my decisions, as I ventured up hill and down dale, I was able to get lost in the moment and in my own thoughts, which was also something sorely needed. Cathartic and cleansing.
My thanks to Jo, Becky, Meg and Mog for presenting me with the opportunity to get back to Wales after too long.
clustered in the churchyard
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 30 October 2021].
I stumbled across a large cluster of puffball mushrooms in the churchyard of St Mary's Church in Minera last Monday.
Just one of many enjoyable discoveries on my 5.5-hour photo walk that day.
I finally had a chance to import my photos from my travels to Wales last night, and I'm looking forward to sharing them with you!
I wanted to write a post about my visit after returning from my walk that day. But I was so utterly exhausted I fell asleep on the couch and ended up enjoying some kitteh snuggles and TV instead, in recovery from such a great physical exertion.
I hope to write and share that post in the coming week, along with at least one photograph from my time in Wales.
In the meantime, I have no new cat-sitting gigs coming up yet, so I'm looking forward to sharing new work with you more regularly again from the comfort of my own home.
I'll also share the final chapter I'd written of embers back in 2016 this weekend as a patron-only post on Patreon.
I'm hoping to take part in NaNoWriMo again this year. Let me know if you decide to give it a go too. A cheer squad is always helpful!