Five from the Yorkshire Sculpture Park

I've been away from the computer for a while whilst I get used to the new situation with my eyes. A couple of weeks ago, when I was coming back from the hairdresser, I noticed that the kerb edges were running together and that our hedge was across the front of the house rather than down the side of the garden.  I was hoping it was just a temporary thing but going out in the car (as a passenger) the next day it seemed that cars on the opposite side of the road were crossing to our side not only that they were doubled.

  Panic set in, I was triaged to a local optician and given an eye test.  To cut a long story short I have double vision because the muscles in one of my eyes have failed and so my eyes are working separately rather than in unison.  I have to have special glasses made and they will be ready in a couple of weeks time so I'm struggling until then with an eye patch on one eye.

Anyway hopefully the new glasses will work.  In the meantime we had tickets booked for the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, where we met with a couple of friends keeping the new rule of six down to just four and wearing masks most of the time except over coffee and lunch.

Here are five photos from the special exhibition there by Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos.  She uses fabric, needlework and crochet alongside everyday domestic objects like saucepans, wheelhubs, mirrors and telephones.

Here is a - link - to more about her work. 

I'll add the photos I took below.  Five and then a collage of five more seeing as it is Friday.  No words as it is quite a struggle to see what I'm doing.

I'll catch up with comments both here and on your blogs when I have my new glasses😎

The week so far

I was so pleased to spot this Clematis flower as I'd thought the plant was lost after it had been put in a pot when we had a new front fence a few years ago.  It hadn't flowered for a while but this year it has.

The squirrels have been using an old tree stump behind the shed to crack open conkers from the Horse Chestnut tree just over the fence.

Three firsts this week.  The first time since lockdown that I have visited a post office, a hairdresser and a cafe.

I needed a haircut and I had to post a birthday present so we decided to venture to the city centre.  After I'd walked the circuitous one way route around W H Smith's to the post office counter I didn't have to wait long to send my parcel.  It was a good job I went in at that point as when I passed by just under an hour later the queue was around the shop and out into the shopping centre.  I'd toyed with going to the hairdresser first but was glad I hadn't.  I arived at Supercuts not knowing how the system of booking in and waiting may have changed.  Luckily I seemed to be the first there and went straight in.  I had to swap my mask for one of theirs and sanitise my hands, I was them covered head to foot with what seemed like a large plastic bag which was ripped off and disposed of as soon as my hair was finished.  The hairdressers were cheerful and glad to be back at work even though they couldn't have the radio on just in case they were inspired to sing along to the music. Whilst I was in the centre I noticed that The Body Shop store had closed down.  I've been using Body Shop products since the late 1970s and shopping at that shop for over twenty years.  As the next nearest shop is quite a few miles away in a designer outlet shopping centre, I may have to rely on online shopping for now. I feel quite disappointed and saddened by this.

The next day we went up to Bridgemere Garden World to buy a few breadmaking items from Lakeland but they didn't have what we had gone for.  We decided to try the cafe and see what the procedure was.  We had to wait to be taken to a table, once seated we gave our order and filled out the track and trace form.  We kept our masks on until we were seated and put them on again before we stood up to leave the table but many people had their masks under their chins or hanging off one ear. Anyway the coffee and tea cake were delicious.

Meanwhile in the garden the Hydrangeas at the front of the house are still looking good even though those at the back have lost their colour.

These last strawberries, from the farm shop, were still delicious and not watery at all.

The weather has been warm and sunny the last couple of days and I've enjoyed being out in the fresh air.  

September

Time has gone so by quickly and summer is meandering towards its end.  Yet, perversely, time seems to have passed by slowly too as many of the things we might have done with the summer have been affected by the inertia caused by the times we are living through. 

  Last Friday I reached the age of seventy and it doesn't seem real even to say it but I'm grateful to have reached that milestone.

Yesterday we ventured to - Ilam Park -which is looked after by the National Trust and parked at the Blore Pastures car park.  We walked down towards the village as far as the road but didn't venture any further as it was getting busy.  I expect nearby Dovedale was even busier. We took coffee and biscuits with us for elevenses which we had when we got back to the car.

The weather was just right, sunny and dry but not too warm with very little wind.  Just a gentle breeze blowing the branches of the trees.

It was lovely to travel just a little bit further afield than we had done for ages.

The views were stunning and there were lots of people walking up on the hills.

 

There were also lots of sheep.

Most of them ignored us

There is always a curious one who dares to stand and stare.

 

Some people like us meandered along the paths, others were very energetic.

Berries and Keys

   

 fluffy, feathery things

and lots of stone walls, wooden gates and seats. Blue skies too.