It’s one of those bookshops…

…with no books most people have seen before, and with the most esoteric titles. It’s in metroland of course, where else would anyone buy books like these, and it’s almost next door to the £3-50 loaf bakery. Incidentally I am addicted to the bread from this place, and last week on my most recent visit to metroland I strolled over to take a little look round the district. Avoiding as best I could the oncoming stream of meedja people trying to make a film about the 70’s, I found another branch of the bakery and popped in to shell out … Continue reading It’s one of those bookshops…

There’s another talent…

Here’s another image to take your mind off the news. Another fellow graduate of Manchester College of Art and someone who has developed into a fine printmaker. Ros Forster has an exhibition at the beginning of December in Derbyshire, and if you can get there, get there. A talented cutter of lino, the resulting prints are well worth a view and a dip into the bank account. For more details go here: Exhibition in December And don’t forget to go there. Here’s another fine example. Continue reading There’s another talent…

This will take your mind of it…

Drawing and painting is therapy and we could all do with some of that at the moment. These are landscapes by a bloke I went to college with way back in the 60’s and who had the somewhat dubious pleasure of sharing the same house with me and others in Rusholme, in Manchester. It was certainly not a place to rush home to and when my father visited to help me with my luggage I detected certain misgivings not just about the area, but about the premises. I would not let him through the front door with all its bell … Continue reading This will take your mind of it…

“If I were you I would n’t start from here”

So goes the alleged first line of directions to a driver in Ireland. Now I’ve been to Ireland and the only time I got directions was from a taxi driver in Dublin when trying to find my way to a particular street where awaited a bed and breakfast for myself and family. As I got back into the car my other half asked me what he’d suggested. “I have absolutely no idea what he said to me his accent was so thick, but he did smile a lot giving the impression that the place would be hard to find” As … Continue reading “If I were you I would n’t start from here”

Adult cereal and leg of salmon.

Meandering into the Northgate branch of Gloucester’s Sainsbury some years ago, this friendly supermarket unlike it’s big faceless brother on the other side of town, catered for the city centre folk. Not exactly ‘trolley full big spenders’ but loyal nevertheless. It was obvious from the quaver in her voice that this was Tracie’s first ‘go’ on the tannoy to announce the deal of the day. She was approaching it with all the trepidation of an ‘x’ factor finalist. Speaking to her mum that morning she said she was a little nervous, more accurately she said ” Oooer Mam am bricking … Continue reading Adult cereal and leg of salmon.

Revolutionary in action.

It’s a sort of revolution. Before you skip to the end you need to read this handy guide to book revolution above, reblogged from an earlier blog, so like a biscuit it’s been cooked at least twice. Here’s the revolution taking place. It’s a harmless sort of protest, so when you see an unworthy book. Join the revolution.I’m sure Mr Vardy is a delightful human being. Here’s another picture from this week which speaks for itself. It takes a really good cartoon idea for a member of the public to go to the trouble of doing this, and in common … Continue reading Revolutionary in action.

What is it about masons?

  A trip to the Mason’s yard at Gloucester Cathedral. I have a friend at the Cathedral who said she would help me out getting a small sculpture repaired for me. I wanted to match the stone and make the repair myself and asked if I could have a little stone dust to match the colour when I make the repair. She was happy to oblige and off I went with the wingtip in my bag. The sculpture was of a bird and it’s wing the victim of the gust of wind. I’ve been to this place before and it fascinates … Continue reading What is it about masons?

Autumn plotting…

Some days of Autumn the light catches just right and yesterday was such a day. Not my plot but one that I cross on a favourite walk. This one caught my eye. If you look a little closer you’ll see a fine crop of tommies in that greenhouse and the greens have done ok too. Anyone familiar with my site will know my liking for sheds. This plot with it’s amazing collection of slightly raised wooden beds for the veg must have taken hours of work to get right. I think I know what they are trying to achieve and … Continue reading Autumn plotting…

It’s a sort of revolution.

I’m re-blogging this from some time ago as we are in the season of celebrity books and here in Nam ( Cheltenham ) we’ve just had the what people call the ‘lit fest’. It’s a great boost to the town bringing in loads of worthy media folk and writers looking for an extra sale of a recent tome. Here’s something that I am wont to do now and again. I’m sure that many people like me, take against certain celebrities. One of my own dislikes is that chap who swears a lot whilst cooking. I do a bit of that … Continue reading It’s a sort of revolution.

Pancake tosser…

It’s not often you get a pancake tosser on the front of a magazine, but this one made it. I quite like the art director’s note  in the top right not to lose the pancakes at the top when placing. I’m assuming I did this for pancake day. I was always inspired by the wonderful invention and drawing of William Heath Robinson, where he imagined machines that could do all sorts of wonderful tasks. I think this drawing would benefit from some simple animation.Flying pancakes, lovely. Heath Robinson I’m having a week of postings to see what sort of response … Continue reading Pancake tosser…

The view from the Victoria sponge

This blog covers a multitude of recent popular subjects. Baking being one of them. The drawing (it’s not a sketch for crying out loud ) is a first idea put down on paper very quickly and I just hope that I can get the same feeling onto the final as happened in this. It’s part of a series on the British which was somewhat interrupted by the Brexit shenanigans, and has caused me to think a little more about the project. We are not quite what I thought we were before the vote. Anyhow, politics aside, and that’s where they … Continue reading The view from the Victoria sponge