Monday 17 June 2013

Caravan as library

With no laptops, smart phones and for most of the time no electric hook up the TCG became a great space to sit, read, think, chat & day dream





Tuesday 21 May 2013

An unplanned turn West


A cool dry start to the day with cowslips in the lorry park
Sun out by 10am near Lyon
30 minutes to Valence and all the trees are greening up.
Snow on the mountains in the distance





 

 snapography
 Dravelling = driving & travelling

By the end of the day poppies near Arles as we took an unplanned turn to the West and spent the night in the Camargue
poppies near Arles

Sunday 5 May 2013

Lorry park sleepover south of Dijon

Heading east and nudging south. 







Still not thinking in kilometres & misjudging the extra weight we were towing, plus the windy conditions we drove quietly for what seemed like forever with the orange out of diesel light shouting at us. Literally rolled into an aire just as the the van made a click that said completely empty. Luckily we were able to refuel with no damage to the van, lesson learnt was to keep filling up when half empty.



8 deer
15 magpies
hawks sky dancing

Slept with the lorries just south of Dijon - steady all night sound and rhythm of the motorway

Wednesday 1 May 2013

Lemon yellow grape blue buildings

Passing through Northern France, fields saturated, turned and ploughed red brown, glistening wet.
Storm sky behind us
Pollarded tree




Everything in lines
Chalk and Tree mulch
Mining


Dry ski slope
Lemon yellow grape blue buildings
Green corrugated tin round shed 
Being dismantled



Tuesday 30 April 2013

Channel crossing & Calais



Anticipating the need for a good sleep after a long day of travel and not wanting to wild camp near the docks  on a late arrival we booked ourselves into a campsite at Guines just a short drive from Calais. Not cheap but a good for a refreshing one night stop over near the ferry.


Woke to sound of rain with blasts of sunshine which soon changed to persistent rain. Took a huge effort to move the caravan which had got stuck in the soft damp ground. 

Quick stroll before setting off for a long day on the road .



Monday 29 April 2013

Dartford Crossing



Excuse me 
Oh will you excuse me 
I'm just trying to find the bridge... Has anybody seen the bridge? 

(Have you seen the bridge?) 
I ain't seen the bridge! 

(Where's that confounded bridge?) [spoken by Robert Plant]

from The Crunge - Houses of the Holy - Led Zeppelin 




Even though singing about a musical bridge these words often come to mind when out walking and looking for that all important river crossing. Luckily the  Queen Elizabeth II bridge is easily found. Maybe Ian will add this to his collection of bridge prints one day.




Sunday 28 April 2013

Black Headed Teasels

Travelling south through England passing black headed teasels, attractive to Goldfinches and holders of motorway pollution. These blackened spiky forms looking inked up and printed into a support of nature reminded me of a field edge I often walk near home in Yorkshire bordering Bellmanear Farm where unblackended teasels form a long reach of set-aside.
Hull Traders - fabric design
Teasel Exposed Interior -Nuala O'Donovan

http://www.nualaodonovan.com

Hearld Mug with Teasels - Angie Lewin

Teasel - Karl Blossfeldt

‘Teasel’ (1949), Ellsworth Kelly