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  • Packing Light: a Week in Shropshire

    Last week we were on holiday in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. November holidays usually bring a mix of weather, so it was important to make sure I had flexible pieces that would enable me to cope with everything from heavy rain and near-freezing temperatures to sunny autumn days. I love to travel light on trips, and aim…

  • Shopping for Knitwear

    As summer turned into autumn, I noticed some of my knitwear was looking a bit tired, and decided it was time to look for replacements. Full of good intentions, I got rid of two old items to make space in the wardrobe for two new ones. I ended up buying four. Oops. One of them…

  • Computer Industry Book Reviews

    Back in the 1990s, I wrote regular book reviews for computer industry magazines. It was a great little gig and I enjoyed reading the books and seeing my writing in print. I also got to keep the books after reviewing them, and ended up with a large collection. I’m sure I still have some of…

  • Feelings of Nostalgia During Lockdown

    Searching this phrase turns up some interesting results on Google. I’m not the only one feeling nostalgic at the moment. Lockdown is having a big effect on people, creating mental space for reflection, and for many, nostalgia is proving to be an effective coping mechanism as we try to process the daily death tolls. I’ve…

  • Morning Pages

    A couple of years ago I read a book called Gravitas, by Caroline Goyder. I read mostly on the train travelling north to Glasgow on a Monday morning. I was always happy when I could get a seat to myself and spread out, relax without worrying the person next to me would want to squeeze…

  • Getting Back on Path

    To-date, apart from the odd wobble, this blog has been mostly about photography. There’s nothing wrong with having a dedicated blog, and everyone says you should focus and specialise, but I can’t help feel that practice is limiting. Maybe my own life is reaching one of those turning points. I still love making pictures but…

  • An Interview With Myself

    Introduce yourself Hello. I like to take pictures and nearly always have a camera in my hand. How and when did you get into photography? I’ve been taking pictures since I was a child, so most of my life. Digital photography wasn’t around when I started and my parents didn’t have much money so I…

  • Happy Childhood Memories

    Today I went back to my old home town of Great Harwood, and walked around for half an hour with my camera. It’s something I’ve been meaning to do for years. It’s grim up north, but it’s where I grew up, where I spent many a happy summer day playing in those backstreets as a…