The collected stones of a house
its damp dry-stone walls holding
onto the mountainside, shining
where the sun touches. Green
in the gaps and cracks, slates
scattered, abandoned.
A single room open to the sky
white frost in old corners.
Empty folds, sheep aren’t
called here any more.
Falling stones, a farm
slipping under grass.
A view for strangers.
Second draft. Comments, ideas, all welcome. Let me know what you think.
On our pre-christmas trip around England visiting anyone we knew who had a spare bed and a bottle of wine going open, we stopped off in Manchester with friends Martin and Jill. We met them in France and have become good friends, despite only passing a couple of times a year. Funny how sometimes we meet people who connect, and they become important to us quickly. Martin and Jill are like that for us. So since we were within 200miles or so, we thought we’d pop in for tea.
My original plan had been to miss the motorway and cross the Peak district and pass Edale or Kinder. The weather had some other thoughts on the route, and it snowed heavily that night. We took the motorway, and by the time we reached our destination the snow was just a mush on the footpaths. Some things are not meant to be, and it looks like snow for me this year is one of them.
Anyway, Martin had planned visits for us on Monday so we relaxed and enjoyed Sunday roast with them, and settled in for the night feeling welcome and relaxed. The following morning, after a stroll to walk the dogs, and after convincing the ladies that the rain would not last longer than a few minutes (hmm, Manchester – rain, yes it does) we leapt onto the tram for my first trip into the city centre.
Martin had arranged for us to take a tour of the clock tower in the town hall. Today as well we had the pleasure of the German Christmas Market, selling mostly mulled wine and bratwurst. With the odd knick-knack thrown in for good measure.
Spiral Staircase
Railing Detail
Window Detail
The girls decided for, various reasons, not to climb the 170something spiral steps to the tower. Choosing instead to sit drinking coffee and eating cake in the grand café of the town hall. The whole thing is stunning to see, the architects had a wild gothic idea and threw it everywhere. With arches, broad and narrow staircases, spiral staircases. Plus lots of mosaic floors, stained glass windows, and decorated pillars for good measure.
They kindly start you on the 6th floor, after getting the lifts up. Then its into the small spiral, round and round and into the Bell-ringing room. Ropes, benches, not much to see but the guide gives a bit of background. The biggest bell is Great Abel, named after the Mayor at the time of building. Onwards and upwards and into the mechanics of the place, the clock room. Here the whole timing thing happens. These are places that normally you don’t see, they are the domain of wizards and engineers. And the whole thing runs like clockwork. (Sorry, no more I promise)
The Rope Room, Bell-ringers spot
The Mechanism.
More Mechanism
Up again, and you stand behind the clock faces themselves, only three that show. One faces the building itself. In here you can see the buildings reality, it is a brick-built mansion. With facing stone. A bit of a cheat, but cheaper to make. The last leg takes you to past the bell room, and up onto the terrace at the top of the tower. Where Great Abel lives, and the views over Manchester and down onto Albert Square dominate your sight, The Angels, gargoyles, watch over everything. Being this close to these things always fascinates me. And despite the rain the views where worth the trip up there.
The Clock Face.
Angels
Angels
Gargoyles watching over us.
Angels, one for each direction of the compass.
Working while we watch.
Albert Square and the Market
Back down, you need to take care to be slow, and make sure you don’t get yourself dizzy with the turning. We dropped back into the main building, had a look at the murals by Ford Madox Brown in the Great Hall, checked out the Bees on the floor, a symbol of the workers in Manchester that drove the industrial revolution. More Neo-gothic architecture, and it was time to pick up Jane and Jill and head out into the market. Looking back at the tower from the square it looks much taller, leaning back to take it all in.
Gothic design
Manchester Bee.
The Tower From Below
Eating Bratwurst in the outdoors always reminds me of the Schnell-imbiss in Dortmund, Germany. When I was small we lived there for a little while, and going out to the “Schnelly” when we went shopping was a real treat. Memories brought by food. Then, of course we didn’t have mulled wine as well. Very nice on a cold Manchester Monday, followed by a curry to finish of the evening.
Mulled Wine and good friends.
A Well Fed Quartet
Finally, thanks to Martin and Jill for their hospitality, and for showing us a little bit of their city. We shall be back, soon, you were too good at the B & B thing.
Versatile Blogger
Planaquarium has put me on their list for this award, Thanks, its nice that you like what I do enough to put me onto your list.
They can be found here: Planaquarium Great images and writing.
My 15 links to blogs I like, how do you choose? I follow loads and try to drop in on as many as possible, but the more you find the longer it takes, there is so many interesting people out there. Work always interferes with time spent roaming the virtual world and walking in the real one. But this is my list, you are all great.
Paris at my Doorstep
Temporarily Lost Dot Com
Gin and Lemonade
Pat Bean
Obsession
C B Wentworth
Bennis Inc
The Power Of Slow
Zendicative
Elly Huizinga
Connie Dona
Insanity Aquarium
Life and Art
Draw and Shoot
Lets Be Adventurers
The Long and the Short of It
Shahanifudge
Claire Wade
Francis Barker Art
All in no particular order, just places to visit and see some different aspects of life.
7 Random things about me?
I don’t like tomatoes.
I cook Chinese food.
I can juggle.
I like to watch Scooby Doo cartoons.
I played American Football in England for the Taunton Wyverns.
I drink strong coffee, often.
I am an aggressive left-handed militant.
Now I have to visit everyone and tell them. Is this one of those pyramid selling scams?
Pyramid for sale, One careful owner.
Jim
Trig Point Aran Fawddwy
White tops
glazed rocks,
rime just growing.
Jeune pousse,
just enough ice to touch
the shape of the hill.
Just enough to grow.
The trig point marking the summit of Aran Fawddwy, after the walk along the ridge with the wind pushing all the way this marked our furthest point for the day. From here we turned and started our descent. Not before taking picture of the first growth of ice and wind rime on the trig point stones. This can grow through the winter as cold and rain build up. This picture from Waun Fach shows how it grows.
Waun Fach summit cairn
I love the shapes and delicacy of the sculpture created by this natural event. I’m waiting for the next chance to head out and see some more that the British weather has to offer. I was reminded about these pictures by a post on Draw and Shoot a photography blog. A very good one too I think, go visit and see what you think.
The poem was written from notes taken on the day, the weather meant they were brief, and the subsequent poem shorter.
What do you think, too short – not enough? How do you feel about short pieces of writing in all forms. Short stories, micro stories, haiku?
I once took part in an online project called Your Messages, in response to a prompt you had to write a 300 word response/story in 24 hours. I think it makes every word work hard for its money, and keeps the writer on their toes. Does my effort make it in the short poetry stakes? Does it give enough of a picture to make itself worthwhile?
“Jeune Pousse” is the young growth, normally of salad. Sometimes children, in French.
Let me know what you think.
I am now into my second year on WordPress and this is my plan for the year.
I have changed theme and removed Postaweek2011 from my blog. Now we hit 2012 hard and fast. Swift kick in the nadgers and we are off and running. Seems odd though no longer having all those people posting under 2 banners. Being able to see how they got on each day and week, the struggles and the successes.
Breaking out into the New Year
I was surprised at how much people enjoyed the walking posts, it is a pleasure for me to share the pictures and relive the walking. I want to take more pictures and walk locally this year. To see the places we miss because we see them all the time.
Take a bow Mr Shakespeare
