Bills Posts

I have had the distinct feeling that the morning walks are a bit jaded, especially at this time of year when an increasing portion of the walk is done in the dark. I must have thousands of very boring pictures of the Spinnaker taken during the walks between the autumnal and spring equinoxes.

Just occasionally some form of inspiration takes hold and I go out on the morning walk with a goal in mind. For example if I know a certain ship is coming in I will try to get to the waterfront in time to see it. Or, some photographic goal.

Take this morning for example, what I wanted to do was to get some atmosphere in to my photos. I thought that I might have a bit of a problem doing this directly on the iphone, so I ended up manipulating the picture in the iPhoto app. The facilities available are not extensive in comparison to the major apps, they were enough to produce the effort at the top. For comparison, here is the original, I manipulated picture;

I’m not talking about my photographic abilities, but the capability of the software. Which I think is not too bad.

Now, when i have a project in mind I get excited thinking about it and it becomes a real pleasure to get up and get out. One of the things about me that really annoys me is the issue I have with imagination. I’m really not very good at coming up with ideas. I need to have something to prompt me. A good magazine article or a book can do the trick.

If I could go out every day with a photographic project in mind, that would be really good.

I’ve come back to the B&W article (Issue 270, page 62 Abstraction) The article looks at the photography & art of a number of different people. I’ve been taking a look at their various efforts

• https://bit.ly/GabrielleCroppi
• https://bit.ly/GiorgiodeChirico
• https://bit.ly/Frank_Stella
• https://bit.ly/Raymond_Moore

Now there are more names in the artcle. and I’ll post them possibly later, but the names above are a coss selection that I had a look at. If you look at them you’ll see that it appears that Giorgio and Frank are more artistically than photographically inclined.

I really enjoyed looking at teh selection of the pictures across the artists.

This kind of takes me to a point that I have mentionned before. That is that I really began to appreciate art when 1. We visitied the Bilbao Guggenheim, but especially Goodwood House.

What got me was the story pehind the art. Now, I am starting to wonder, which is it best to do; To look at an image and then find the story, or to know the story before or as you are looking at the art? It is the link between the story, and the art that I think interests me.

Just a brief note to apologise for yesterdays spost (No. 778). It was pretty poor. Patheticc actually. Sorry about that. I’m almost too ashamed to put up a link to it; https://localitystories.com/2022/10/03/778-book-of-the-week/

Afew days ago I wrote about the book that my wife had acquired for me at the Alverstoke Michelmas Fair. The books is about the Soldiers of the Queen, the military in Gosport.

It starts around the middle of the eighteenth century. Many of the buildings that serviced the military have gone, but many remain and are still used. There are a couple that I walk past every day.

The book has some interesting maps of the area inclluding St Vincent and the Gosport surrounds. It is really fascinating to be able to walk around the area.

I’ve had the most recent issue of B&W Photography. There is usually at least one article that for one reason or another grabs my attention. This time it was an article y Tim Daly entitled “Abstraction”.

I don’t think it matters where you live, I am sure that there will be lots of opportunities for abstract pictures.

This did make me wonder about abstract and surreal what are the differences between them. Here’s a definition from Google;

Abstract is a style of art where the artwork does not refer to anything outside of the artwork itself. Surrealism is a style where the artwork draws from the unconscious and the irrational.

The way that I interpret this is to say that if I take a picture and manipulate it in any way, it doesn’t matter what the result is because the source is based on a real object, any photograph must be surreal in its manipulation. That it is impossible to take a picture of something and then produce an abstract picture.

Now that’s probably a bit bold to say that. One of those moments when I wish the fine arts forum on Compuserve was still about, I feel it would be a good argument.

I do have an actual journal. There are one and a bit volumes of it. I’m about two thirds of the way through the second volume. It’s taken me quite a while to get here. The first volume was started on May 29th 2014. I have had a couple of goes at keeping a diary, but they have never been good, I start out with good intent, but fail after only a couple of days. The journal was different. I didn’t do it every day, only when I felt the urge to write. In places it can be a little bit repettetive. I think it hides a deeper frustration that exists today – what to write.

Even today, there are times when i re-cover what I was writing about. But having a paper journal is also a useful record of things like the details for a move for example, or monitoring stress. On the other hand, there is a fairly detailed amount of planning for a model railway. there ‘s even a. track plan and the start of a parts list.

Then there is the amateur radio side of things. In February 2015, I was thinkning of buying a radio scanner. I did a bit of research and came to a conclusion. It’s all recorded there, and every so often it is nice to look back.

Now, tthere is one area where I have been a bit fussy. The books I use for journalling – in this case I’m using a Moleskin notebooks, 13x21cm, they really are quite good quality and a pleasure to use.

I’ve walked most days this week. The last couple of mornings especially the walks have felt really quite good. Although the weather is cooling down, I made sure I was wrapped up comfortable. The #Breakfastclubs for each morning have been very enjoyable with a range of topics being discussed. The goodness, is just a feeling.

The writing hasn’t been too bad this week I think. I was definitively partly inspired by Gilbert White, and his journals. I’m becoming increasingly determined to buy his book, A Natural History of Selborne, when we visit his house, which we will do before the end of the year.

The thought then occurs to me that Mr. White’s journals cover the years 1768 – 1792. Some entries are very basic, for example; the entry for 30 September 1783; Lovely weather, red even, true Michaelmas Summer. That certainly describes this morning. The questions coming to me; Are there people using Gilbert’s journals for research today? How useful are the journals of somebody like Gilbert white from 200 years ago?

There is another question; What should be journaled today, that will be useful in the future? Given the technical ability of today, and all of the science that is being done is there any point in journalling at all? It’s strange isn’t it? I could barely think of anything to write about and yet by the end of this is a whole new query to explore.

There was something about this mornings walk. It was just a feeling that it was a very pleasant walk. It was nice to see the Crane Heron at the waters edge, I did get a picture, but it flew off before I could get closer. I like seeing the foxes in the car park, I hope they do OK.

I made a change to my route, I occasionally do this I walked down the high street rather than along Stokes Road. Bob was sat with some friends, outside Greggs. I paused for a chat.

The gentleman in the picture is one of the street cleaners (OK, so that’s stating the obvious). I said good morning to him, and he then took the opportunity to ask me what I was up to. He was quite interested. I took the opportunity to thank him for keeping the streets of Gosport clean.

It was just a very pleasant walk. Sorry, this one is a bit brief.

Orion was very clear as I left the house at around 6AM. I didn’t take this picture from there. There’s a couple of points on the morning walk where the street lighting is a bit less annoying. Not too bad, you can even make out that the sword is not just stars.

For as long as I can remember in my day books, I’ve had a problem tracking and cross referencing notes. I am really bad at organising, but I like being organised. That’s a condition that I so rarely attain. Anyhow, I found Bullet journalling. In theory that should do the job. Mostly. Trouble is, I haven’t had the discipline to keep things going. Should I have another go?

An entirely different form of journalling; I had ordered a copy of The Journals of Gilbert White. First glimpse is that this is not a book to read cover to cover, rather to dip in to. His journal or more of a simple chronology of events of nature, but describing it as such is to do him an injustice.

This morning, on my walk I saw two Cranes (Herons?) chasing each other off the end of the Haslar Marina and there were three foxes in the Cockle Pond car park. Just relaxing, not chasing anything. There wasn’t anything happening in the ponds themselves – not that I could see anyway. nonetheless, it was a very nice walk.

The two doors are No.s 16 & 17 North Cross Street. I’ve just spent a bit of time trying to find out when this was built. I’m guessing, but I’d say the 1960’s or 70’s. I don’t really know though.

The thing is (sorry to say this) but I’m not interested in the building. What I am saying is that at some point, it might have been this one or the preceding building or earlier than that, an archeological dig was done before construction began.

Now, I got excited when I read on a website that evidence was found during the dig of people living in the area during the post-medieval period. I thought that has to be ages ago, so I looked it up. Can you imagine that I was a bit disappointed to find that the post medieval dates are between 1485-1750.

At the late end of the range, Gosport would be probably a bit squalid, but well on it’s way to becoming an important town, having played its role in the civil war.

On the other had, it doesn’t look as though much was happening in 1485. Both Alverstoke & Rowner were quit well established, but Gosport was a merest glint in someone’s shut eye.

Of All of the shop closures along Stokes Road perhaps one that I feel saddest about is the tailor Kong Cheung. I have no idea why he closed, It could be anything. I really can’t tell you why I was sorry to see it go, I never used it.

Whenever I go in to town on a lunchtime walk, there always seems to be a lot of people around. On Tuesday & Saturday, it’s market day. Now I wonder how that markets of today compare with those of 20 or fifty years ago?

Perhaps the fruit and veg stall is one of the most traditional All down the street I can hear the lady that runs the stall hollering out her “Come on, last bunch of bananas, only one left.” They seem to do quite good business. I hope so.

Then there’s the chap next to the Post Office. I think the shop is called the Amsterdam. He mostly sells vaping stuff and phone cases. I bought a case there not long back. When I go past He’s often outside laughing with people. I bought a case and a screen protector from him. He strikes me as a chap with whom it’s a pleasure to do business.

Another shop I miss is the sweet shop. Where can I buy my weekly dose of Coconut Mushrooms?