Image 52 - Week 11.. Can Seagulls fly up into the sky.?

12 Stones.. and a surprise..

 

Steps and the view of life they offer up...

 

 

I was prepared to walk along the beach in order to pick up my coach at the bus station.; not a bad early morning commute,  but Shep Snr. insisted on me having a ride in to town..; I accepted. At least my alarm didn’t need to be set quite so early as the ride was going to take just  10 minutes as opposed to the 50 minute walk .. and at 6.45 am, I wasn’t going to refuse.., however to back up a little to the day before..

I’ve been checking and rechecking my ticket for the couple of days I’ve had it. It’s a simple travel ticket really, but yet this one is reuniting me with an accent and warm art talent I’ve missed. This particular talent represents a group of artists and a geographical area that together will provide me with a link to a past that I’m excited to embrace..

Counting down the last 3.00pm to 4.00 pm hour (as I write this), I imagine the plane’s wheels touching down at some time during the hour.; I’ve been told I will get a call and look forward to it without taking it for granted of course.; the call will indicate and confirm a friends arrival after her long haul flight and the coach ticket will offer me the chance to catch up in person..

All changes saved..

It's just a door that's not been opened in a while..

 Some people dream of a lotto ticket, but for me, I’m happy with my coach ticket..

Saving..

Have I mentioned that I’ve culled my Facebook page and reduced my ‘likes’, friends and groups.; no.? Well, I have..; numbers don’t do it for me as you may understand from the few weeks I’ve been ‘Image’ scribbling., so I’m getting back to the friends I know and regularly communicate with.. and I feel better for it too..; I’m sure I’ll have offended someone: Sorry to the fifty or so I’ve painstakingly removed., but all I can say is that it’s not been cruelly intended, it’s simply a case of ‘writerly’ writers socially communicating as opposed to being there as a ‘possible networking contact’.. I consider FB to be a social media site and not something for me to gain/gather ‘numbered’ respect...The first to go have been those who’ve recently ‘added’ me because of nothing more than a vision I’d been working towards..  A case of last in, first to go.. and as callous as that sounds, believe me, only a couple were a no brain'r.

I can operate psychologically with about 150, which actually still feels too many incidentally, but ‘we’ll’ see how that goes for now.. and as for all those groups ‘we’ accumulate, THAT had to change too... ;)

I  bet she’s going through customs now, or waiting for luggage, or looking for a phone to let family know she’s landed and in one piece.., but I bet she’s on UK soil for her first time..; surrounded by foreign accents.., the noises will be new and the information signs and language will all be confusing and alone, it’s a moment when you don’t know which way to turn..  Different fashions and a currency you’re not familiar with can be a daunting, yet exciting introduction for a newbie..

I couldn’t even work out how to use a payphone when I arrived back.. and it seemed that everybody walked faster and totally knew where they were going.. and tired, loaded up with luggage and disorientated, it’s a time to stop, take a deep breath, look around and accept that actually everything’s ok..

All changes saved.

Not the best conversationalist around...

Okay., the call just came in., she’s landed..; yeah..

 A few days have passed since I wrote the above and I've decided that I have a ton of material that's inspired me and that I'd like to share., however.. and despite all this good stuff.. I'm not sure I want to.. First off., I couldn't take pics of the very thing that worked for me.., thanks to the National Gallery rules.. 

Wandering through London's National Gallery filled me with emotion and inspiration and sadly., the rules state 'no photographs'., so you'll just have to take my word for it..; the time 'in there' was pretty darn inspirational.. A wall of several Van Gogh's was enough to bring tears to my eyes.. and as for the Sunflowers., well.. no pic would have done it justice., so there.., but to add oodles of Rembrandt's, Matisse's, Pissaro's, Manet's and Vermeer's and I fail miserably to add any photos that could do my inspirational Image 52  efforts any justice this week..

.. and besides.., my writing style doesn't work that way..; I need to just ramble and try to recall the events of the last week rather than document them as I go.. I will give it a good effort one of these weeks to formally throw my words into a beginning, middle and end.., but.., for now, if you guys haven't paid a visit to the National Gallery, then git your asses up to Trafalgar Square and do it.. NOW.. and when you do, I challenge you not to be moved at something in there AND it's free dude....; the gauntlet's thrown.. I saw a brush stroke filled with colour, passion and history and fortunately for me, there were seats dotted all around as any excited energy I had drained from my humble body at the sight of a few old canvas' hung under the most fantastic light my eyes have seen a canvas hung under...; just do it..

No comment..

I also climbed the Chapter House steps during the past week and can recommend those too.. 

They date back to the year of 1306 and I have no words to describe them or the room they lead to either other than it's full of light..; the kind of light that fills your whole body with love and sense of wonderment...

Wow., this week's Image is going really well so far..; nada.., but I'll find something to throw among the words that won't do my week any favours.. Stunning is a word that springs to mind, but then that word's only eight letters long and my soul can't accept a simple eight letter word good enough to describe how inspiring every minute of my past week has been.. Dang it..

The Bishop's Palace followed before a flying visit to the Jurassic Coast and getting lost for an hour or so on the fog filled country roads.. Ahh well, at least I drove by Monkey World and saw the entrance which will offer up laughter for many years to come... that and the mention of bread..

Did I mention a visit to my personal history too..; not quite as far back, but far enough.. and the size of that tree surprised me..; I planted it baby..

Oh drat, I was responsible for missing a ride too.. Normally I'd like to think I'm reliable for that kind of stuff, but if you ever take an important ride with me that requires you to be at a place at a certain time, beware, 'cause 1.45 is just a tad different to 1.15... and if it's supposed to be a 1.15 departure., turning up at 1.20 is going to cause you to miss your connection..; sorry guys..

I've also missed a bloody European city window, but have booked the Shep suite knowing I'm going to make up for it.. 

I am supposed to include pics with this blog aren't I..(?), so give me a few moments to see what I've taken this past week that I can share with you guys.. Perhaps I can form some kind of cohesive and inspirational story..; this should be fun., for me..

Well., I do..

Hmm., I also roamed a few acres of the 160 available to me on a local site that dates back to 1086 and are recorded in the Domesday Book.. Despite the house being 'apparently' closed, I still 'entered' it's open doors with the ready explanation that I was part of the formal wedding ceremony  I saw already in progress and despite wearing jeans, a fleece and walking shoes and 'forgetting' to shave that morning, I  couldn't help noticing that I didn't quite seem to fit the morning suits I saw being photographed on the gravel driveway infront of the imposing front door,  however I roamed the gardens and grounds while fully expecting to be 'escorted' to the exit at any time and yet, happily,  that didn't happen.. I couldn't help thinking of the movie 'Wedding Crashers' while I took in the River Piddle and all for the love of  this  week's Image 52..; the things we do for art, eh..

Sounds like I'm a lotta trouble eh.? I guess it's not how 'we' do it here..

Geez., I've gotta get my act together and find me some pics to attach before this week gets outta hand.. , but guys, it's been a real inspiring week and I haven't mentioned the live music I took in too.. and if I let you know about the love I felt from one hug, you'd be blown away.. holy cow, I even stopped to stare a cow out and only 'cause I've never done that before.. 

I see ya..

 Minutes and moments not to forget and hey, I can at least say I stopped to check out a field full of cows and stare one out.... Yep., I'm nuts., I know., but I'll eventually work out how I can live every minute.. 

Who knows just what goes through one's mind when you take your final breath, but I'm gonna make sure I have a bunch of crap to have to go through in the hope it takes an eternity.. and now I have a moment with a herd of cows...; do you.?

.. and how could I forget the Victory.. and all this without a clear sky or any colour.. I need me some more of this cultural stuff..; any takers..?

The week began with an accent bringing a past to life and ended with an accent leaving a heartful of hugs.. and inbetween it was filled with laughter, trust and warmth.; no pitches.., but a sense of a shared journey.;  surely the best kind to take.. and throw in some art and heavy gilded frames.. and you've got what it's all about man..

Simple really when you think about it..

Culture.. and the clear inspiration that can't be photographed but is felt and felt deeply.....; this week's Image 52 is etched for my soul to recall with every breath I take..

Every week we're getting older...

Are we being safe.., or are we going to cross that bridge..?

.. and thank you to the unknown child I overheard asking his Mum the question that offers up this weeks headline..