Tag Archives: Musings

21st October picture of the day…

21 Monday Oct 2024

Posted by in Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Wales

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The start of a new week here at Bigland Towers, although a lot of it will be spent elsewhere – beginning tomorrow. Today’s been spent catching up on work, picture editing and writing. Yesterday we received a bit of a battering from the latest storm (Ashley) which brought strong winds that have brought down a heck of a lot of leaves. Today the wind’s abated, leaving behind a colourful carpet along roads, pavements gardens. The weather’s still very mild for the time of year and clear skies and sunshine have re-appeared after all the rain. This is welcome as tomorrow I’ve got to travel down to Swindon to meet up with friends and colleagues ready for an event the Permanent Way Institution (PWI) are holding on Wednesday, which I’ll be working at. When it was held last year it chucked it down with rain which made the job rather challenging. So, today I’ve also been busy brushing down all my PPE as I need be suitably dressed. Expect a rolling blog from me tomorrow as I make my way down to Swindon via a couple of stops on the way which (if all goes to plan) should produce some unusual pictures.

In the meantime, here’s today’s picture which is another from last week’s trip to Wales. Not that you’d guess where the shot was taken as it looks more like Italy, but that’s the beauty of Portmeirion for you!

Be seeing you…

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

19th October picture of the day…

19 Saturday Oct 2024

Posted by in Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Wales, West Yorkshire

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We’ve both decided it feels rather strange being back here at Bigland Towers. We weren’t away long – just 4 nights – but the pace of life on the peninsula was very different and I have to say we rather liked it. One of the things we’ve noticed since we’ve been back is the amount of traffic on the roads and numbers of cars clogging the streets. Life feels much more frenetic here. Of course, it’s not all bad. I can walk to the local supermarket (and my local pub). Plus, we have superfast broadband rather than steam-powered internet, but there was something special about having so many beaches close to hand. Coastal views give you a very different perspective and feel compared to being landlocked.

That said, we’ve made the most of a day which has proved to be sunny and mild. I’ve managed to catch up on some work and plans for the week (thank you superfast broadband!), we’ve picked up shopping to make some excellent meals – and we’ve dropped off supplies to Dee’s parents. Now it’s time to relax with a movie and enjoy a meal of spicy prawns with chorizo and garlic bread.

I’ll leave you with today’s picture which was taken on the Afon estuary outside Portmeirion when the tide had turned. Much as I like this neck of the woods you don’t get this in the Pennines.

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

13th October picture(s) of the day…

13 Sunday Oct 2024

Posted by in Food and drink, Musings, Picture of the day

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It may be Sunday but it’s been anything but lazy. Both of us have been busy here at Bigland Towers, finishing off stuff and preparing for the week ahead, which sees us relocate to the Lleyn peninsula in North Wales for a few nights. But before we go there’s been work to sort out. Dawn’s been busy getting ahead of herself with work for her organisation whilst I’ve been occupied getting last weeks pictures out to clients.

Then there’s been a cooking marathon. The pair of us have been fighting over space in the kitchen to come up with creations new and old. I’d plumped for having a crack at a new recipe for pork in a red curry done in a slow cooker, whilst Dee’d decided to bake us one of her fantastic Bakewell tarts to take away. Well, if you’re going to be out walking, what could be better than a sweet sugar rush?

So, today’s pictures are of our joint cooking efforts.

I enjoyed making this but I’d certainly tweak the recipe next time. Our tastes are more Asian, so we can take the spices, whilst the original recipe is a little more pedestrian for Western tastes.
Dawn’s divine Bakewell tart, a confection that she’s honed to perfection. It’s Gluten free too…

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

11th October picture of the day…

11 Friday Oct 2024

Posted by in Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Transport, West Yorkshire

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We’re winding down to the weekend here in Bigland Towers after a week that’s seen us both busy – and even at the same event for a change. Today’s been one where I’ve been housebound in order to catch up with picture editing and writing for a living in order to clear the decks for next week as the pair of us will be having a few days R&R in Wales, basing ourselves on the Lleyn peninsula. Mind you, getting out from home wasn’t that easy today as the contractors who’ve been resurfacing the road outside the cottage have been on the final stretch, laying the topcoat of tarmac and then sealing it with the company’s ‘special ingredient’ which adds durability and waterproofing. Well, that’s what one of the workers whom I had a long conversation told me when I nipped out to get pictures of their activities. To be honest, the folks who’ve been doing the work have been very good and very flexible. They know closing the road and getting people to move their cars can be an issue for some people. But hey, let’s keep this in perspective. We get a brand-new, pothole free road that will last for years at the end of it, so what’s the problem? No pain, no gain as they old saying goes (and this was hardly painful, merely mildly inconvenient). Plus, from a selfish perspective – I got to get some interesting pictures and learned something – and all I had to do was step outside my front door.

Still, more of that when I’ve the pictures downloaded and edited. Right now we’re about to call it a day, having nipped out to see if we can see the ‘Northern lights’. Sadly, there’s no light-show here in Halifax tonight – at least not at 23:00 anyway. Instead, I’ll leave you with a different sky. This was the sunset I saw from a beach on Viti Levu, Fiji, on the 9th March 1999…

I wonder if we’ll get anything to compete with this in Wales next week?

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

Men at work.

02 Wednesday Oct 2024

Posted by in Musings, Photography, Photojournalism, West Yorkshire

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Here’s a slightly different blog today. These past few days the road outside the cottages and the rest of the street is being resurfaced. We’re not talking endlessly filling in potholes here, we’re talking proper resurfacing where the tarmac is being stripped back to the cobbles – where they still exist – or the surface beneath them. It’s a major operation as I reckon there’s about a mile of roadway that’s being done. Needless to say, I’ve been distracted by the work as it’s fascinating to watch. Here’s a few pictures.

The planing machine at work, stripping back the old tarmac.
How it looks from the cottage
Within a few hours of stripping back the old tarmac these guys were busy laying the base for the new road surface
A complex but well done job, especially on a road that keeps changing shape…

Of course, we could have complained about the ‘inconvenience’ of having to move cars, the noise etc, only none of us did. Instead the workers were offered tea and biscuits by people! It can’t be an easy job as the workers are constantly on the move, and whilst many of them are young (ish) there was one chap who’s 75 and still working. I won’t be around to see how far they get tomorrow as I’m working away, but I’ll get some more shots before they go – and hopefully get a personal story or two.

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

30th September picture of the day…

30 Monday Sep 2024

Posted by in Calder Valley, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Weather

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I’m sat in the office typing this whilst listening to the sound of the heavy rain falling outside. It’s never stopped since this morning. God knows how much has fallen, but the whole area is absolutely sodden. The only good news is that the River Calder hasn’t flooded, why I don’t know. Perhaps the recent flood remediation works around Mytholmroyd has made a difference, maybe because the rain’s been heavy but steady all day. Either way, we seem to have escaped the problems other parts of the country are experiencing – although rail services through the valley have been disrupted by events elsewhere.

September has been a pretty miserable month weather-wise, despite odd days of sunshine here and there. The amount of rain we’ve had has broken several records. Climate Change is real – and it’s here (although the denialists still pretend otherwise). I only hope things improve in October. I’ve a lot of things I want to do and I need sunny days to do them.

In the meantime I’ll be keeping myself occupied in the warm and dry – like today, where most of my time’s been spent picture editing, writing and counting raindrops! However, I’ve a press trip on Thursday which will be interesting – as you’ll see nearer the time.

For now I’ll leave you with today’s picture. I still managed to get out for my daily constitutional, but I was in full waterproofs (boots, jacket, trousers and gaiters) and with a golfing umbrella to boot! Here’s how the Calder valley looked from the Albert Promenade above where we live.

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

18th September picture of the day…

18 Wednesday Sep 2024

Posted by in Greater Manchester, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Travel

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No travelling for me today – unless you count walking around the local woods and parks to get my daily exercise in. Instead, I’ve been busy editing all the pictures I took yesterday, along with others from the past week. It’s a time-consuming operation to get them ready for clients, plus there’s captioning the ones for my own website, although some of those are going to have to wait as I’ve a lot on at the moment with jobs on every day for the next several days, including through the weekend.

I’d hoped to have been in Germany next week for the massive bi-annual Innotrans rail trade fair, but it doesn’t look like I’ll be able to make it as other things have come up that are more important. Life has a habit of coming at you all at once, making plans difficult.

In the meantime, there’s going to be plenty of trips to write about, starting with a little jaunt to Derby tomorrow, but more of that after it’s happened. In the meantime, here’s a picture from yesterday that I didn’t have time to publish. It’s from Strines, a village on the railway from Manchester to Sheffield via New Mills. I’d never visited the place before for the simple reason that there’s not really anything there to see. But I did find this. It’s an old millpond with a Dovecote in the middle of it, a useful base for a Heron which can be seen fishing from it.

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

15th September picture(s) of the day…

15 Sunday Sep 2024

Posted by in Food and drink, Musings, Photography, Railways, West Yorkshire

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We’ve had a home-based day today here at Bigland Towers, partly due to the weather (it’s rained most of the day until the evening) but partly because we’ve both had stuff to do. Whilst I’ve been kept occupied picture editing and type-swiping upstairs Dawn’s been busy downstairs exercising both her body and her cooking skills!

So, here’s pictures from both our activities.

Hello stranger! Class 195s are rare visitors to Huddersfield but because of the Calder valley line being closed whilst the railway bridge over the M62 at Castleton’s being replaced, the units are finding gainful employment on other routes. Here’s 195007 at Huddersfield on Friday, before working 2W24, the 1835 to Leeds.
Meanwhile, here’s one of the three dishes Dawn’s prepares today. Gluten-free apple pie. What a shame this photo’s not ‘scratch and sniff’!

Oh, whilst I’m on the theme of food and drink, here’s a rather special collaborative offering the was available in my local pub tonight.

A collaboration between Phoenix brewery in Heywood and Riverhead in Marsden this strong (6%) ale is apparently based on the famous ‘Wobbly Bob’. It’s a limited edition, so if you find it – enjoy!

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

14th September picture of the day…

14 Saturday Sep 2024

Posted by in Calder Valley, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, West Yorkshire

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We’ve had a home-based day here at Bigland Towers. Mainly because of unpredictable weather and too much to do – so it’s sometimes nice to refocus occasionally. Instead of scurrying around the country (don’t worry, there’s lots of that to come) the pair of us have been homebirds. Dawn’s been happy to potter around the house whilst I’ve been making the most of the good weather to finish a project on the cottage. Well, outside the cottage anyway. We have a cobbled entry that runs along the back of the row of cottages we live in. Picturesque it may be (when its not adorned with washing lines) but the problem is the cobbles soon get weed-strewn and slippery in winter. This summer I decided to fix that so I’ve been busy cementing in between said cobbles to prevent the weeds taking hold and give me a break from endless weeding. It’s taken a while due to the weather, but I managed to finish the work today. Now my OCD kicks in as I spend the next few weeks cleaning off the slightest excess mortar from the cobbles with stiff brushes!

Job done the two of us headed out on a food shopping spree. The freezer has been run-down somewhat this past week or so, which warrants a cooking spree. The weather here in the Calder Valley’s predicted to be wet tomorrow, so whilst I’m busy type-swiping and picture editing for a living Dee will be cooking up a (vegetarian) storm. I’ll be barred from the kitchen whilst she does (except to muck in doing the washing up) but I have my own recipes planned for weekdays.

No doubt there’ll be plenty of food pictures to post soon. In the meantime. I’ll leave you with today’s, which was taken on my walk home down the hill from my evening constitutional and quick visit to our local pub.

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

9th September picture of the day…

09 Monday Sep 2024

Posted by in Architecture, Manchester, Musings, Photography, Railways, Travel

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It’s been another day slogging away over a hot computer here at Bigland Towers. My timetable slipped slightly due to the fun and games at yesterday’s Green party conference and the vote to back building HS2 which required a blog all of its own. Having penned that it was back to picture editing, sorting out station images for a client and planning how I’ll get to the last dozen plus locations – some of which only see trains once a week! The logistical challenge is an interesting one, but it should keep me fit as well as give me the opportunity to visit some places I’ve never been before. But that’s going to have to wait until the weather’s right – hopefully later this week.

Tomorrow I have another, rather different assignment up in Newcastle (and Edinburgh), but more of that after it’s happened. First, I’ve got to get to Newcastle tomorrow morning, ready to meet up with the cameraman I’ll be working with. Yep, it’s not me doing the filming on this little adventure! No doubt I’ll have some time to blog tomorrow, even if it’s not going to be a full running commentary on the day.

In the meantime, here’s today’s picture, which is from my recent prowls around Manchester. I love the little nooks and crannies or unexpected turns you find at some railway stations as the builders tried to cope with the topography and meeting between road and rail. Here’s one from Davenport station, just outside Stockport on the route to Buxton.

I’ve always been interested in the architecture of the railways and have a gallery dedicated to railway stations (good and bad), so if you want to see more examples from across the network, follow this link.

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312