A Dog’s Viewpoint.

Today, I heard a knock at the door. I started barking to alert mummy that someone was at the door! Stranger! Stranger! Mummy went and opened the door and in stepped Christine with a smile on her face. It wasn’t a stranger after all! I wagged my tail and went looking for a toy to give to her. Maybe she has come to play with me? ‘Do you want to go to the park, Riley?’ Christine said. Yes, yes please! Mummy strapped the harness on my back and then David walked through the door. David my best friend! I ran to give him a sniff. I followed David outside and into the big red car that sometimes makes me sick. Christine sat next to me and I looked out of the window as houses and people sped past. It all became a blur.

We finally stopped and David helped me climb out of the car. I was so happy! I could see the park! There are lots of smells here and the first thing I did when we walked over the road was add my scent to a tree. Riley was here!

We all walked a path that lead to a lake where lots of birds sat on the water. I got so excited that I pulled a little, I wanted to catch all the smells, sorry! There were lots of people walking in the park too, some with doggy friends. Hello, sniff. Hello, sniff. Hello!

My favourite part of visiting the park is the big green field where we run and play fetch together. Today, we had the field all to ourselves while swallows flew overhead. I could have played there all day!

All too soon we were back at the car. Christine gave me a drink of water. I was thirsty! I panted all the way home, pant, pant, pant, but I was very happy. I had enjoyed my walk.

Do you have any doggy friends? Where is their favourite place to run?

Waggy tails,

Riley  

The Iron Men!

Another Place (1997) by Sir Anthony Gormley was first exhibited in Germany before being permanently situated at Crosby beach in 2005. The idea behind the instillation was to test ‘tide and time, stillness and movement.’ Seeing the 100 iron casts (of Gormely’s body), stretched two miles along the beach, all looking towards the horizon is deeply emotive. Seeing the instillation during a high tide, the men’s bodies are submerged, leaving only their heads showing. Somehow it makes me think of resignation, like the men are giving up. At low tide the men are just watchers, deep in contemplation. Everyone will have their own interpretation.

Over the years the tide and weather have left their mark on the iron men. Barnacles cling to some while others turn red with oxide, highlighting that environment and time effects everything.

David and I have visited Another Place several times over the years, in all types of weather. This weekend we decided to take Riley along with us. The journey took 20 minutes from Liverpool and we found ample car parking at Crosby Coastal Park where there is a lake and adventure centre. There are now car parking charges. We paid £1 for two hours.

As it was Riley’s first visit to Crosby beach, we introduced him to the iron men. He sniffed around their feet and even offered his favourite toy for them to play fetch with him. It was cute watching him interact with them. I’ll finish the post with a collage of pictures of our day at the beach.

Anthony Gormley and Riley

Christine, Riley and Anthony Gormley

Have you visited Another Place? What were your impressions of the art exhibit?

Thanks for stopping by,

Christine x

12 Hours of Day #5

Sharon from Sunshine and Celandines messaged me on Friday informing me that this Saturday was another Photo an Hour. Though I had nothing planned, I thought it would be good for you to see into an ordinary day of mine. So here goes! 🙂

Photo and Hour – 22nd April 2017

8am to 10am:

Most of my Saturday’s start at 8am. Today was no different. I crawled out of bed sleepy eyed and had breakfast with Artie sitting at the bottom of the bed, with wonderful spring sunshine streaming through the bedroom window.

Morning light

Dressed for the day

After breakfast I got dressed and put my ‘face’ on for the day ahead.

10am to 11am:

Saturday is shopping day, so David, mum and I headed towards Asda, or in Liverpool it’s ‘the’ Asda! :p The alarm for the hour sounded when we were heading into the frozen section of the supermarket, so we turned and smiled for the camera! Cheese!!

11am to 1pm:

Since the sun was shining, (though it was cold), David and I decided to take Riley to another local park, Sefton Park. We walked around the boating lake and played fetch on a field full of daisies and dandelions. 🙂

Riley

Selfie!

1pm to 2pm:

We arrived home for lunch at 1pm. I sat down with a Tassimo Costa coffee, the last of the hot cross buns and the final chapters of Anthony Doerr’s All the Light We Cannot See.

Lunch

David’s curry base

2pm to 3pm:

While I took to doing some housework, David started preparing the ingredients for his curry base. He’s cooking Sunday’s dinner, so I left him to it! 😀

3pm to 5pm:

While dinner cooked I pottered about the yarden. I enjoyed listening to the buzz of two bees visiting the lithodora and red campion. Both were hairy-footed flower bee’s, the cream one is a male and the black is a female.

Male Hairy-footed Flower Bee

Female Hairy-footed Flower Bee

5pm to 7pm:

Saturday’s dinner was a Quorn Sausage and Lentil Cassoulet. I adapted the recipe from Donal Skehan. I used red lentils instead of puy lentils, perhaps I should have used green? Halfway through the meal I gasped, ‘I’ve forgotten to take a photo.’ So I apologise for the half eaten picture of the meal.

Quorn Sausage and Lentil Cassoulet

Artie

6pm’s photo comes courtesy of David. I was upstairs doing something or other. When I came down, David said, ‘there’s a new picture taken for the hour.’ I scrolled through the gallery and there was a picture of Artie, David had taken. Though Artie doesn’t look that enamoured :p

7pm to 8pm:

My last photo of the day. With the sun setting, I pour myself a glass of pinot, David switches his PS4 on. An evening of Classic FM and reading is ahead.

Evening’s entertainment

Thanks to Janey and Louisa for setting up the challenge.

How did you spend today’s photo an hour?

Thanks for reading,

Christine x

A Walk on the Beach

For the last day of the long Easter weekend, the weather didn’t bode well. We awoke to more rain. However, David and I decided to head out anyway. We took a 50 minute drive to Formby Point. In the back seat of the car was Riley who doesn’t like long journeys. We got to the car park with no hiccup and walked through the squirrel woodland towards the dunes and the beach beyond.

Squirrel Forest

Which way should we go?

David and Riley

At the beach we let Riley off the lead and played fetch with his favourite toy. We all had so much fun and it didn’t rain!

Riley

Jump!

Chase!

Christine and Riley

Before we left the beach for the car, we witnessed a wonderful show of nature. A starling murmuration billowed over the waters edge. It was amazing to watch!

Starling murmuration

Sadly its back to work tomorrow, but it’s days off like this that make the commute worth it. Roll on the next holiday!

How have you spent your Easter break?

Thanks for stopping by,

Christine, David and Riley x