Tag Archives: Musings

7th November picture of the day…

07 Saturday Nov 2020

Posted by in Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, The USA, Travel

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Finally, after the political shitshows and shambles of the past few years, we actually have something to celebrate. The orange cry-baby who’s inhabited the White House since 2016 has finally got his comeuppance thanks to the American voters. Oh, I know it’s not the end of the story, but it is (hopefully) the beginning of the end for populist politics and the poisonous ‘alt-right’ who have done so much to make this a less pleasant planet to live on (as if we’ve an option to go anywhere else).

Yes, I know the fat lady hasn’t sung yet, but the numbers show that we know exactly what she will when she does. Trump’s finished.

Watching his presidency unravel through the day has kept me going as the weather here in the Calder valley’s been miserable. We’ve had fog blocking us in all day, so much so I’ve forgotten what the other side of the valley looks like! Mind you, it’s not as if I can go anywhere at the moment anyway, so I’ve not been too concerned. Instead, I’ve concentrated on those mundane little chores that can actually be quite therapeutic, like chopping back the front garden ready for winter. I’ve always enjoyed gardening and would love to have the size of garden that I had in London, but that’s not on the cards right now, so I content myself with what we have. On the bright side – it doesn’t take all day to chop back! Whilst I’ve been busy pottering Dawn’s been busy in the kitchen as we’ve had a delivery from Sainsbury’s. This is the first time we’ve ever indulged in getting groceries delivered so I can imagine some folks will be thinking ‘what’s the fuss’? But for us it’s a novel experience. Now we’ve stocked up with edible goodies Dee’s busy making her brilliant Bakewell Tart whilst I’m finishing off research for a blog – and toasting the fact Trump’s toast – which brings me on to the picture of the day. This seemed rather appropriate. I took it in Washington DC on the 3rd April 2007 in the midst of the cherry blossom season. Washington looks stunning at that time of year. Let this be a metaphor for the (re)blossoming of democracy in the USA now that Trump and his cohorts have been defeated at the ballot box.

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If you enjoy reading this blog, 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 to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/Thank you

6th November picture of the day…

06 Friday Nov 2020

Posted by in Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Politics, Scotland, Travel

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Not a bad day (all in all) and certainly a productive one. I’ve managed to get a load of eBay items in the post, friends and neighbours have been brilliant delivering food – and I’ve got the third part of my RAIL rover off to be proof-read. OK, the weather’s not been brilliant but as I’m not going anywhere – who cares? Another bright spot has been dipping in and out of the American Presidential election and seeing things slipping away from Trump, who’s going into meltdown. My view on this?

Hopefully, the thin lead that Biden has in the remaining states will translate into electoral college votes and Trump’s toast. My only concern is the genie the alt-right have let out of the bottle when it comes to claims of vote-rigging and the polarisation of the country years of social media manipulation and misinformation have caused. Trump may be history but the bitterness and divisions he’s left behind will linger. Still, this could be the beginning of the rollback of populism. I only wish it could happen here but I think we’re going to have to go through the pain of the Brexitshambles before some UK voters start to see the light.

Despite lockdown Part 2 and our own isolation it’s been a sociable evening as a group of us resurrected the ‘Big 6’ Friday quiz via ‘Zoom’ which turned into a right laugh! Maintaining that level of fun contact with friends (rather than the interminable meetings the internet is often used for) makes such a difference in these bizarre times.

The day’s been so busy I’ve not really had time to think of a picture of the day, or a clever segue into one, so tonight’s is chosen completely at random by putting the name of a place into the search facility on my Zenfolio website. The name was Edinburgh, and this is what I picked. I took this view across Edinburgh from Arthur’s Seat on the 21st March 2001. I was there getting pictures for a new Lonely Planet guidebook and the weather was perfect. Edinburgh is probably unique (but I stand to be corrected) in having extinct volcanoes in the city centre, in this case in Holyrood Park. At a height of 822ft you’re offered a commanding view across the city, Leith and across the Forth estuary to the coast of Fife. Brilliant!

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If you enjoy reading this blog, 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 to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!

5th November picture of the day…

05 Thursday Nov 2020

Posted by in Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Politics, Sri Lanka, Travel

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I feel very odd trapped stuck indoors on one of my favorite days of the year – Bonfire night. Unlike many old English traditions (like mischief night) it hasn’t been taken over and Americanised or turned into a marketing exercise. I’ve fond memories of childhood bonfire parties at home and also later in life in London when Lynn and I would attend one of the big organised displays. Our nearest, and the one we frequented most was just down the road at Alexandra Palace. We’d walk down there with friends and laden with mulled wine and snacks. Now, up here in Yorkshire Dawn and I have tended to have our own little displays and invite her parent over to join us. This year, all I can do is watch from the bedroom window, or listen to the bangs and whistles as I sit in the office typing this. It’s a bit of a damp squib, but then so’s the American Presidential election, which is moving forward at a glacial pace and looks certain to drag on for weeks as Trump and the right-wingers try and drag things out in the courts. Democracy is looking very fragile at the moment as the right-wing populists do everything they can to cling to power. One can only hope Biden spoils their plans.

I’ve not really paid attention to the stateside shenanigans as little’s happened and I’ve been too busy with writing and sorting out the latest tranche of eBay sales which has left me with no time for slide scanning. Hopefully, next week will be another matter after the final part of my round Britain trip for RAIL magazine goes off to the proof-readers and I get a break before I start the next article, which should give me time to scribble some words for pleasure and write-up a couple of blogs that I’ve been thinking about. After all, I’m not going anywhere for a while yet, and it’s not like I’ve got a plane to catch. I wish…!

With today being bonfire night the picture of the day rather chose itself – as you’ll see in a minute. A lot of play is made nowadays about how animals are terrified of fireworks and that they should be banned as a consequence. I’ve extremely mixed feelings about that. Yes, I’ve known some animals that are absolutely terrified. The family dog (Dori) was one, but then so was my mother in her later years. When it came to November 5th my mum would break out the Valium and give one half of a pill to herself and the other half to the dog!

Jet, our cat, is the opposite. In his younger days he’d go wandering off out to see what the noise was all about as he had that sort of nature. Now that he’s an old bugger he’s not the slightest bit interested, but that could be because he’s as deaf as post!

Ok, the picture of the day – you’ll see where I’ve been going now. I took this picture on New Years eve 2003 in Tangalle, Sri Lanka. The owner of the homestay we were lodging in had a party on the beach, which involved copious amounts of fireworks. Rather than running away and hiding one of the local mutts was fascinated by them and did its best to try and catch and eat them!

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If you enjoy reading this blog, 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 to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!

4th November picture of the day…

04 Wednesday Nov 2020

Posted by in Musings, Nepal, Photography, Picture of the day, Travel

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Not that was I was really tempted, but I’m glad I didn’t stay up to watch the result of the American presidential elections come in – as they didn’t and I’d have had to listen to that odious frog Nigel Farage being interviewed by the BBC – as if the man’s got any genuine insight on anything. Instead I had a decent nights sleep and missed the ‘fun’. It’s taken all day for 2 more states to declare and the good news is that with just seven states left to declare Biden is a head of Trump by 29 electoral college votes. As much as I would dearly love for America to reject the values of Trump and his ilk I won’t believe it until I see it.

Still, It’s not been a bad day apart from being cooped up when the weather’s been gloriously sunny – albeit cold. I’ve been keeping my nose to the grindstone and wading through more writing as well as scanning a few more old slides to give me some variety. Looking back at pictures of the railway scene from 20 years ago I realised that it’s not just the network that’s changed. Some familiar lineside landmarks have disappeared too- which has given me the idea for a picture blog. Expect to see that appear shortly.

Stuck indoors self-isolating has been made a lot easier by the assistance of friends and neighbours who’ve offered to pick up shopping or even keep us supplied with wonderful home-baked bread like this. Susan dropped these two beauties off earlier on, so I made a Spanish white bean stew for our supper tonight to go with some slices. It’s good, winter-warming food.

Yum…

A few slices made a great meal with the bean stew.

Tempting as it is – the picture of the day isn’t going to be a food offering, instead I’ve gone for one that links several of my interests, including travel. This amazing piece of architectural confectionary is the inner building of the Rama temple in Janakpur in lowland Nepal (an area known as the Terai). According to Hindu legend it’s where the goddess Sita married Lord Rama.

I took this picture in April 1998. In those days the place was a bugger to get to because of the lack of border crossings between India and Nepal. Lynn and I arrived after a day-long bus journey across the Terai from the Eastern border where we’d come down from Darjeeling. We stayed a couple of days before getting an overnight bus up to Kathmandu. The whole journey’s worthy of a blog in itself. One day, when I’ve scanned all the old slides I might write it…

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Thank you!

1st November picture of the day…

01 Sunday Nov 2020

Posted by in Coronavirus, Musings, Picture of the day, West Yorkshire

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Apologies for my absence this past couple of days but things have not exactly been going to plan. Well, as much as there seems to be any sort of plan at the moment as none of us have a ‘Scooby Do’ what’s going on right now. Until today, when all matters of choice were abruptly taken out of our hands thanks to a text message

This morning Dawn received such message from the manicurist whom she’d visited on Thursday to say that they had just tested positive for Covid 19. Bugger, drat and f**k! Only it was a double bugger as Dawn’s mum had visited the very same manicurist on Friday…

So, this morning the pair of us had a chat. Whilst all the Covid safety protocols were followed and the chances of Dawn (or her mum) contracting Covid appear small, we feel that we’ve no option but to self-isolate. This means we’ve no chance to prepare for Thursday’s national event. On the bright side, we’re reasonably well stocked with most foods and we’ve both got plenty to keep ourselves occupied with, but the fact we’re stuck indoors for the next 11 days isn’t exactly a joy. Hopefully, we won’t end up killing each other as we slowly go stir-crazy! We’ve let close friends know and some have very kindly offered to do any shopping we need in the meantime. Even so, the next week is going to be an anxious time until we know that neither of us have contracted Covid – and neither have Dawn’s parents. It’s not as if any of us can get a test either as you can only get ones on the NHS if you’re displaying symptoms.

With this news in mind, don’t be surprised if my blogging becomes ever more acerbic when it comes to describing the antics of the blond buffoon and his coterie of clowns who are meant to be in ‘control’ of the situation. The only ‘world beating’ that seems to be going on is in the levels of incompetence, which are stratospheric. It’ll be interesting to see if their ‘track and trace’ system picks up said manicurist and contacts us. If it doesn’t, you can see just how ‘world beating’ it really is…

What’s going to chafe over the next 10 days is not being able to venture outside. Even during lockdown we could go for a walk, but now we’re literally going to be confined to barracks, which is a bitch. I’ll miss my daily exercise and as we live in a small cottage where both of us are working from home there’s little chance to do much without one of us disturbing the other.

OK, having shared my joyful news I’m going straight on to the picture of the day, which is of the only view I’m going to be looking at for the foreseeable as this is the one from our bedroom window. Admittedly, as views go, it’s a damn sight better than many, so I really shouldn’t complain! I wouldn’t even mind seeing it like this right now either…

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If you enjoy reading this blog, 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 to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!

29th October picture of the day…

29 Thursday Oct 2020

Posted by in India, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Railways, Travel

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Apologies for the absence of a picture or my usual ramblings yesterday but I was otherwise engaged and simply ran out of time! I’ve been pretty much desk-bound this week as the weather’s so bloody awful. We’ve had lots of torrential rain and gusty winds, so my exercise regime’s gone to pot too. Apart from my birthday it’s been a funny old week. Maybe it’s the ‘Covid blues’ but I’ve really struggled to build up much enthusiasm for anything over the past few days. Perhaps that’s due to the uncertainties and the feeling that life’s on hold at the moment as we all stare a new lockdown (in whatever form it takes) in the face. I’m trying to keep on top of work and be productive but there are occasions when my motivation needs jump-starting. If only hibernation was an option for us humans. Or perhaps I could take a leaf out of Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy’s Hotblack Desiato and spend a year dead for tax reasons…

Hopefully my mood and motivation will recover in the next few days when it finally stops bloody raining and I can escape these four walls!

To be fair, the pair of us did last night in order to spend some time with friends. Being law-abiding souls, the ‘6 from the 6’ as we call ourselves met up in a friends garden, where he’d been busy having an enclosure built that could protect us from the elements whilst allowing social distancing. It worked a treat although it was sorely tested by the awful weather. Even so, it was lovely to be able to spend a few hours together laughing and joking. Who knows when we’ll be able to do it again?

Ironically, as I’ve been typing this, I’ve just heard the news that West Yorkshire moves into Tier 3 from Midnight on Sunday, so that answers that question. Oh, deep, deep joy. It’s going to be a long winter…

Right, on that happy news it’s time for a picture of the day. Today’s choice is something different. Back in 2000-2001 I was travelling in India. Lynn and I had visited friends in Goa for Xmas and New Year, after which Lynn flew back to the UK and I stayed on to visit the Gujarat in Northen India to get travel pictures. I also hoped to find the last Indian steam locomotives operating on the national network. Broad Gauge steam had already disappeared, but there was a last outpost of metre gauge steam operating out of the evocatively named Wankaner Junction! I arrived there at the beginning of February 2000 but I was weeks late. The last locomotives has run at the end of January. However, Wankaner locomotive depot was still littered with engines. Their fires had been dropped and the place left deserted with the last locomotives and the remains of others that had been cannibalised over the years to keep them running. Here’s a picture I took inside the shed early on the morning of February 13th 2000.

YG Class 2-8-2’s No’s 3318 (left) 3437 & 3360 (nearest the camera) illuminated by the sunrise inside Wankaner Junction shed.

You can find more shots from the series, along with many other Indian rail pictures in this gallery. I was sad to have missed them but thankful that I’d seen Indian steam in action several years before in 1985-86 and 1991-92. What a different world it seems now!

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If you enjoy reading this blog, 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 to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!

26th October picture of the day…

26 Monday Oct 2020

Posted by in India, Musings, Picture of the day, Railways, Travel

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Sorry there was no picture yesterday, I was too busy with other stuff and having some quality time with my wife, so I thought you could go one day without one.

The pair of us had various things planned today but the weather forecast was less than accurate. What was meant to be a mostly sunny day turned into a mostly wet one – so plans changed. The fact the new washing machine was arriving today cramped our style too, leaving me stuck in the house all day. Said white goods is now safely installed but it wasn’t without problems as the young chaps who did it hadn’t connected the water pipe properly, which caused a bit of a drama until I sorted it out. I’m not going to criticise them. It’s an easy mistake to make and they’re working against the clock as they’re self-employed. As the old expression goes – all’s well that ends well…

So, whilst the wind howled and the rain blew, I stayed indoors and sorted out yet another tranche of old rail slides and assorted memoribila to add to eBay before writing more of Part 3 of my travels for RAIL magazine. The latest batch of old slides contains some historical items like this from Dover, when we still had a cross-channel train ferry as the tunnel was yet to open. Here’s a look at the picture without having to click on the link.

The day was a Brexiters fantasy. “Fog in the channel – Europe cut off”…

Whilst keeping busy in the office I’ve kept one eye on the car-crash that passes for the anti HS2 (High Speed 2 railway) campaign. They’re not having a good time. In fact, things go from worse to worse. They really should stay away from courts! The other day Joe Rukin made an expensive mess, today 14 protestors have by ignoring a High Court Injunction! I’ll publish the court ruling when it’s available, but here’s what Mark Keir (one of the 14) put on Facebook earlier today.

Poor Keir! An ‘undemocratic use of law’? Riiigghhtt. He never was that au fait with either institution – which you think you’ve above at your peril. When you ‘Clash’ with the law, there’s only going to be one winner…

OK, let’s move on to the picture of the day. Now, where shall we go today? Ah, I know – one of my favourite places. India. I took this picture in November 1997 at Enakulam Junction in Kerala.

Lynn and I were on our way South after spending a couple of months in Goa at the start of our 18 month trip around the world. Our train had pulled in opposite this long-distance express. In this neck of the woods some trains took 48 hours from point to point. I once did Trivandrum (as the capital of Kerala was called then) to Calcutta, which took that long. Now, when you’re on a train that long in India it gets dusty, and sweaty. These passengers took the opportunity to bail out of their train at the station where it had a layover and utilise the water pipes normally used for topping up the trains toilets and kitchen car for an impromptu shower – and why not? This is why I’ve always loved India – there’s always something to see and photograph. In fact, this picture was used in one of the UK newspapers when I used to do travel photography for a living. It was the Times I think. For me it encapsulates a different world and one I have fond memories of. My, did the pair of us have a ball for that 18 months!

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Thank you!

24th October picture of the day…

24 Saturday Oct 2020

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The expression ‘it’s grim up North’ was certainly applicable to today’s weather as we’ve had persistent rain most of the time. Dawn’s been out and about whilst I’ve been busy at home with various chores and work – hardly the rock and roll lifestyle but productive nonetheless. I did manage to escape the office long enough to take a soggy stroll down into Sowerby Bridge and back along the canal but the weather was hardly conducive to lingering which is a shame as the trees are looking glorious right now as they’re shedding their leaves at a rapid rate and some of the colours are gorgeous. Of course, Covid has meant Sowerby’s much quieter than normal so I avoided the temptation of popping into a pub for a ‘swifty’ as it’s not the same when you’re on your own and I’m not tempting fate by mixing with strangers just for the sake of a quick drink – even if the change of scenery’s appreciated. Whilst we’ve dodged the Tier 3 bullet here in West Yorkshire I’m not convinced we’ll remain lucky and I’ve no desire to put myself in harms way. A select group of us had arranged to go out for a meal in Sowerby next week to celebrate a couple of birthdays (mine included) but the tighter rules have meant we’ve had to cancel. With the way things are I’m not sure when if we’ll get the chance again this year.

Back at home I managed to get another tranche of old railway pictures and memorabilia sorted for eBay, including some rare items such as this. I’m gradually emptying cupboards of stuff I’ve been hoarding for years, but there’s plenty more to add to eBay yet which (along with scanning old slides) should keep me occupied during the winter months – new lockdown or not…

Right, on to the picture of the day. Bugger this miserable weather, let’s pretend Covid hasn’t happened so we’re off to somewhere sunny…

I took this picture on Eriyadoo Island in the Maldives on the 16th January 2004. What I wouldn’t do to be socially isolating somewhere like this right now!

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If you enjoy reading this blog, 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 to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!

22nd October picture of the day…

22 Thursday Oct 2020

Posted by in India, Musings, Picture of the day, Travel

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Another one of those days where nothing quite seems to go right…

After the saga of the fridge repair that didn’t happen today we’ve had another domestic farce. Our washing machine had packed up and the new one was being delivered this afternoon, so I was ‘confined to barracks’ for most of the day as the delivery slot wasn’t exactly tight. To be fair, they turned up PDQ and rang me to say they were on their way, so I had chance to clear the kitchen. If only things had been that simple. As soon as they started disconnecting the old machine they hit a problem. There was a historic leak on one of the water pipes connecting to the washing machine, so it was job stopped! Now, I can sort of understand – the last thing they want to be involved in is an insurance claim for flooding, but a more mature and experienced sort of person might have said ‘it’ll be reet’ (as they say in this neck of the woods) and cracked on.

Instead, I waved them and our new machine goodbye (whilst muttering imprecations under my breath) before clearing out the sink to sort out the leak. Half an hour, a bucketful of swear words – and a skinned finger or two later and the problem was solved. To be fair to the guys – they’d spotted something I hadn’t. The colour-coded stopcocks which indicated hot and cold pipes were the wrong way round! I didn’t do any of the old alterations to this house, but I’d like to shake whoever did warmly – by the throat! So many DIY jobs I’ve taken on since have turned into a nightmare as I have to correct old bodges, and whatever you do, don’t ever get Dawn started on the honesty and propriety of the person she bought the place off or we’ll be here all day!

This means we’re now without a washing machine until Monday. OK, first world problems I know – and we have Dee’s parents as backup, so it’s hardly the end of the world, it’s merely one of those little niggles that interrupt your day. Which brings me on to my picture of the day. First world problems? We just don’t know we’re born…

I took this picture in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India on the 20th March 2018. Imagine your mother/grandmother working carrying bricks on a building site for a few rupees a day (every day), then having to wash the family’s clothes in a local river – or as someone once said – trying to break stones with wet washing – anyone who’s ever travelled in India will know exactly what I mean.

Now, what was that I was saying about a broken washing machine?

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If you enjoy reading this blog, 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 to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!

21st October picture of the day…

21 Wednesday Oct 2020

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

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The pair of us have had another day working from home at Bigland Towers, which hasn’t been much of a hardship as for much of the day the weather’s been crap with low grey cloud and heavy rain showers dominating the valley.

On the bright side, sitting in the office all day has allowed me to get all of yesterdays pictures edited and on my Zenfolio website as well as catch up on some paperwork. I had to stay in anyway as an engineer was due to call around to fix a problem with our American-style fridge, which has been playing up. Sadly, that didn’t go to plan as when he did arrive – he didn’t have all the correct parts! Ho hum…

I’m hoping for better luck tomorrow. We’ve a new washing machine being delivered as our old one’s given up the ghost after 13 years, so another day of type-swiping and waiting for the phone to ring beckons. Hopefully, I’ll have one last chance to get out on Friday before Manchester (and now South Yorkshire) go into Covid Tier 3 restrictions. Will we in West Yorkshire be far behind? I haven’t got a Scooby Do! Sense and Sensibility left the field of play quite some time ago.

If restrictions do kick in here then I’ve plenty of things to keep me occupied, which is a plus. The fact the nights are drawing in and I’ll have nowhere to escape to less so. The Covid blues were bad enough in the summer. Winter’s a whole new ball-game.

On that note I’ll move on to the picture of the day, which reflects the seasons. The trees around here have suddenly cottoned on to the fact it’s autumn and are shedding leaves by the truckload. The colours are stunning, so I’m hoping for a bit of sunshine over the next few days to be able to capture scenes like this, which I took Westwards down the Calder Valley in Todmorden, West Yorkshire on the 15th November 2018. In the picture a local Northern train service leaves the station to cross the viaduct that straddles the centre of the town, whilst the surrounding hills are awash with a range of autumn colours. With the rapid rate the leaves are dropping at the moment, I doubt the scene will look similar this November.

I’ve a favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this blog, 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 to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!