Split Decision

Split Decision by Sam Shendi on the Plinth outside Liverpool Parish Church

Walking into Liverpool from a different direction than usual when visiting the city I turned into Chapel Street and was hit in the eye with these colours. I had discovered the Liverpool plinth.  Like London's fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square it also hosts a temporary sculpture but in this case it is chosen by competition open to people living and working in the north of England.

This striking sculpture measures 45 metres and the artist says the "colours express emotions and fears that a depressed individual experiences when having to make a decision".  I wonder if the body also represents a bottle of pills or just the feeling of being blue.  The colours are the same in each direction - choices are hard when not being able to see a difference in direction.

One of life's coincidences means that this sculpture, chosen in 2019, is so relevant in these strange times of the Covid 19 virus and the instruction to everyone of social distancing, only necessary travel and self-isolation when all sorts of decisions, big and small, will have to be made.  
 
The Artist:
Sam Shendi is an Egyptian born British sculpture who lives and works in Yorkshire. His other works can be seen on his website.  He works in industrial materials such as stainless steel, aluminum or fibreglass to create his figurative works but the colours distract from the material and what lies beneath,  They are fascinating from the whimsical to the thought provoking.

The Not Just Hockney website has a short bio and for lover of the industrial history a photo of his commemoration of the nail makers of Silsden.  Hopefully in the future I could combine a visit to Silsden with a walk by the wonderful Leeds to Liverpool Canal.  

St Patrick

We were in search of red kites in Kilmagig Forest on a holiday in Ireland a couple of years ago, but saw none. In our wandering however we did find St Patrick standing in Kilmagig Old Cemetery on a hilltop near the forest.  It is said this is where he built a church for the name Kilmagig mean 'Church of the Windy Plain'. On our visit there was only a gentle breeze on a warm June day.

Happy St Patrick's Day.

One Hundred Years

Sarah Alice Gardner

Today would have been my mother's 100th birthday but here she is at 23 in her Fire Brigade uniform when she was stationed in Kendal, Westmorland (today Cumbria) in the war.  Leading Firewoman Gardner.  The caption on the back of the photo says "1943 at Kendal over the river near the Kendal Fire Station.".  I think the Aynam Road Fire Station is in the background and can be seen here.  Not only is the fire station now elsewhere but she looks to be standing by lock gates which I presume was part of the Lancaster Canal which at one time ran right into Kendal and was closed to commercial traffic in 1947.

Sarah 'Sadie' Gardner and Charles 'Alf' Pugh

My parents met in Kendal when they were both posted there and my father used to enjoy saying that Hitler brought them together.  Here they are in March 1944 in the village of Sedgwick.  I would hazard a guess they have walked along the canal towpath. I wonder if the tree is still there.

Happy Birthday Mum

The Day of Christmas

Wave upon wave of rain for weeks made me wonder if it is ever going to end but is there hope in sight?  Observe the day on which Christmas falls for the weather ahead says 'The Knowledge of Things Unknown' published in 1729 when Christmas day fell on a Sunday.  Of course just to confuse things that depends on whether you were using the Julian or Gregorian calendar.  Here is the handy guide to the days of Christmas -

If Christmas Day falls on a
Sunday, that year shall be a warm Winter, the Summer hot and dry: peace and quietness shall be plenteous among married folks.  If on a
Monday, a misty Winter, the Summer windy and stormy: and many women mourning their husbands.
Tuesday, a cold Winter and much snow, the Summer wet; but good peace shall be among Kings and Princes
Wednesday, the Winter naughty and hard, the Summer very good; young people and cattle shall die sore
Thursday, the Winter mild and Summer very good and abundant; many great men shall perish
Friday, the Winter neither bad nor good and the Harvest indifferent
Saturday, the Winter with great wind snow and cold, the Summer good; there shall be war in many lands

I like the benign beginnings of the forecasts with often doom-laden endings.

Wishing Everyone a Merry Christmas  

The Mere Cremone Gardens

To continue my stroll by the side of The Mere from the previous post I'll start with this Wood Pigeon chilling out.

The sun was against me to capture 'Secure' (made of steel and oak) by Nick Horrigan so maybe I'll pass the view off as moody.  Next

Its so quiet -sshhh. 

The artist John Merrill was inspired to create the wooden SShhh by the peace and quiet of the beech avenue at the end of Cremone Gardens. Originally made of local lime wood the weather eventually took its toll so he has re-carved and replaced the letters in good old sturdy oak. The utility vehicle was also quiet however its driver was hard at work with a leaf blower keeping the path clear. He had come prepared for in the yellow bucket was something most welcome on a chilly and windy day, a hot drinks flask. His leaf blower was turned off when we reached the sculpture and he

waited until I had taken a picture of the decorated holly tree and passed him to retrace our steps

for the path beyond in the woods was very muddy not the place for someone wearing the wrong footwear.

Or to go beyond the gate to the Fishing Pod to gaze over the waters. I believe there is a family of otters living on The Mere - no need for them to join the EAC (Ellesmere Angling Club) for these natural catchers of fish have carte blanche

Links

Ellesmere Sculpture Trail - John Merrill
Ellesmere Sculpture Trail - Nick Horrigan with a much better photo.

Bee Metropolis

A willow by a mere on a rainy and blustery day in Shropshire. The place is Ellesmere and the area contains the largest natural glacial meres in England outside of the Lake District, which of course are on a grander scale. The mere here (Old English for Sea Lake) is perfectly formed and simply called The Mere.

The waters are surrounded by interesting trees and also

on a hill is a Bee Metropolis, hoping to give bees a helping hand

The slowly moving sculpture was being rotated by the breeze and is by local artist Caroline Lowe who wove a willow sculpture representing a Wool Carder Bee (Anthidium manicatum)

and this honeycomb shaped sign shows it and its plant of preference.

The logs the willow bee rises above have been drilled with holes to make homes for solitary bees and other invertebrates.

Links-
1. Ellesmere abuzz over giant bee sculpture - artist and bee
2. Caroline Lowe

Museum of the Moon

A clear November day when some trees still retain their autumnal colour . Here we are on Castle Hill about to enter Lancaster Priory to see a moon.

The view on entering of our time worn natural satellite - a recreation of the surface by Luke Jerram which he calls the 'Museum of the Moon'.

Walking down the aisle to enter the chancel and look back from the 14th Century choir stalls.

which are intricately carved. It is appropriate that these wonders of woodwork by unknown medieval craftsmen have

 

an embroidered cushion celebrating the furniture making of Robert Gillow and the company he founded in the 19th Century - Gillows of Lancaster and London.  The medieval misericord of the folding seat can be seen above it.

The moon is 7 metres in diameter and there were both spiritual and cultural references to the moon scattered around in the Priory as well as an information sheet with prayers, stories and the dates of the moon's cycle through the month.  I love a pun and the leaflet uses Lancaster's river as one as it is called - By the Light of the Silvery Lune.  Moonlight on water is of course always magical.

Going up the stairs to the gallery a different perspective of the moon can be seen.

There has been a church on Castle Hill since Saxon times however Lancaster Priory dates from the 14th Century but apart from the rich medieval heritage changes have been made throughout time . The bell tower (10 bells inside) is is dated 1759 but it needs some repair and there is a sponsor a brick scheme running inside the church.

The Museum of the Moon like its celestial template is always on the move and the Light Up Lancaster festival, which it was part of, ends today so it will travel south to the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff for December and the new year. (Museum of the Moon website)