I'm finding this winter difficult, my usual joie de vivre, and optimistic glass half-full mentality, has taken a battering. I'm not the only one I'm sure. Several factors are in play: the situation in Ukraine, the global climate crisis, the cost of living increasing, the divisions in society, the pandemic, the ineptitude and corruption of our elected government; add to that my heavy workload at fotoVUE, some climbing finger and shoulder issues, missing my children, Xavier and Felicity (they live in the US) and of course this bloody dreary weather we are having in Calderdale— grey, damp, wet and dark..... and the flood sirens have just gone off here in Hebden Bridge. It's not looking good, the snow has melted and it is raining hard, the flood defences are up.
We all need cheering up. Friday afternoon I was talking to Alyn Wallace the author of a forthcoming fotoVUE title, Photographing The Night Sky (we are nearly there). Alyn had just returned from a trip to Antartica. Alyn always cheers me. After we finished talking I had another video call from my friends Jamima, Laura, Jo, Donna and Scott — we all swim outside together. They had booked a night at the Victorian Turkish Baths in Harrogate. Would I like to join them they asked. After some hesitation, I said yes and was there in just over an hour, only passing two downed trees from Storm Eunice. What a delight it was, real warmth and not just from the sauna and hot room.
Overnight, the temperatures dropped. Myself and Pedro (Donna's dog I was looking after) high tailed it to Todmorden to get some sourdough from Cragg Vale's The Bakehouse on Tod market for Scott and Donna, then as the snow came down thick I had a quick breakfast at Matt and Emily's Park End Cafe.
If it snows, I have to be out there with my camera, usually all day. First stop was Lower Moor where Tod Harrier's Flower Scar fell race would be descending, plus it gives great views of Lydgate in the valley below - and there would be sheep, there's always sheep around here, and ruins and much white magic. From there...... well see if you can recognise my route from the images below.
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