Balls to Black Friday!

I know, I know I've used this title before, but it still stands.  I'm studiously ignoring the consumer madness of Black Friday.  It's not even confined to one day anymore; it rumbles on until Christmas and beyond, with people scooping up yet more home decor and fast fashion, the latter doubtless coming to a charity shop near you in February, stocking fillers no one wants and electrical gadgets that will stay in their drawers, unloved and unused for the remainder of time.  

I qualify this by adding that I have purchased items in sales in the past, so I get the temptation.  However, I've also shopped second hand since my teenage years and it didn't take me long to learn that the thrill of a good quality second hand find (an item that may have commanded £££ new - not to mention discovering something that no one else will be wearing), is a) way more of a rush and b) a little more responsible.  

I rarely visit high street stores these days and when I do, I'm shocked at the mountains of mass produced discounted clothing that will very soon be added to the real clothes mountain in a Chilean desert.  Do you know that this is growing by 39,000 tonnes per year?  Our addiction to fast fashion is now visible from space. 

Image:  Skyfi

So, my wardrobe, or clothing rail, is pretty small.  I try to keep it that way to maintain balance and perspective.  I love clothes, but also have an ongoing internal dialogue about them.  Fashion is fun but also superficial.  

I dress for myself and mood and practicality very much dictate what I wear.  If I'm going on a 10 mile hike for example, I want to be comfortable.  I'm going to wear trousers thick enough to withstand the brambles I'll have to contend with, boots that won't rub my feet and are mud proof and a coat that is waterproof.  If they happen to look good together, it's a bonus, but if those practical outfits don't always express who I am at my core, I'm at peace with that.  There's always time to dress up.  In stark contrast, on another random Tuesday, I may well be found wearing a flowing kaftan or some crazy patterned vintage maxi skirt for a working day indoors when I don't see another soul outside of my family.  

I have friends who adore putting together an outfit and friends who are more about other forms of creative expression and couldn't care less what I'm wearing; they just want to hang out.  It's all about balance.  Everything we buy, whether or not it's thoughtfully produced, will, in all likelihood, one day end up in on a mountain in a desert in Chile - and I try to keep that in mind.  

So my recent second hand purchases are items that suit my style, are variously vintage and/or of great quality and will stay with me for the duration.

1.  Wrangler Leather Cowboy boots; timeless coolness.

2.  Monsoon Embroidered Tabard.  This livens up a pair of jeans and works well belted over a roll neck and maxi skirt.

3.  Breton Top

Classic black and white Breton with scalloped bib in the thickest cotton by Joanie.

3.  Vintage Welsh Wool Waistcoat...

...teamed here with vintage velvet.  Never mind Black Friday, it's vintage brown vibes here.

In other news, I've been listening to a lot of podcasts this year.  I'm late to the party, but there are some corkers.  I confess, they've slightly overtaken books for me this year.  I quite like drifting off to sleep at night with a familiar voice in my ear.  

Here are some recommendations:

1.  Miss Me?

Singer/actress Lily Allen and her childhood friend, Broadcaster Miquita Oliver, discuss an agreed topic.  It's an entertaining listen; funny, poignant, thought provoking and outrageous in equal measures and the two communicate in an honest, authentic way that only the oldest friends can.  I swear they forget that the world is listening.

2.  Uncanny

My friend Sarah and I were discussing this at length in the pub on Friday night.  It's all about people's paranormal experiences but is very balanced, with input from sceptics and a team of researchers on each and every case.  Trust me when I say that many of the stories are hair raising and quite often it's the sceptics' rational explanations that seem the most implausible.

3.  Where There's a Will There's a Wake.

London actress and comedian Kathy Burke invites a new celebrity guest each week to plan their perfect death from last supper to funeral arrangements and who gets what.  I recently listened to the Danny Dyer episode.  Danny Dyer is a foul mouthed cockney actor, who can also be incredibly funny.  He was very clear in his instructions which was to be buried "stark b*!!**k naked, but for a pair of pink cowboy boots."  

So here's a question for you.  What would you like to be buried in?

Last week, we also caught the opening night of Fontaines DC's UK Romance Tour in Wolverhampton.  If you're unfamiliar with the band, they are an Irish post punk band formed in Dublin in 2014.  Grian Chatten, the lead singer, is a poet and in my humble opinion, Shane MacGowan's natural successor.  He's a different character to Shane, but an amazing lyricist.  We feel lucky to have seen them at Wolverhampton Civic, a relatively intimate venue.  Their next tour, I suspect, will be an arena tour.

Here he is in action; a darkly poetic soul.

Talking of darkly poetic, I'll leave you with my latest photos from the garden.  I'll probably be loitering here for a while, given that our car is now a write off thanks to a disagreement with a service station pothole close to Manchester.  See you soon!

Fern fronds

Decaying leaves

Mahonia berries

First Snow

Surprise!  Snow was in the forecast, but we weren't expecting it as far south as the Midlands.  This is the first time we've had snow in November since 2010, but after weeks of gloom, I was happy that something was happening!  

I grabbed my camera, layered up, laced up my boots and headed into the garden and beyond.

Hydrangea is the gift that keeps on giving; beautiful in every season and especially now, with its transitioning blooms encrusted with ice crystals.

Further up the garden, the pine needles were glistening and bejewelled.

With Christmas closing in, the holly was on point.

Through the garden gate, the dying foliage clung to life under the virgin snow.  I didn't see another soul; the silence only broken by the muffled sounds of my footsteps and chunks of snow falling onto the ground around me (and a little down the back of my neck), disturbed by racing squirrels and landing birds.

I headed up onto the ridge.  Usually, by the time the snow arrives, it's January and the leaves have long since lost their autumn colours, leaving behind smudgy pathways blackened by mud and decay.  Today it looked magical!   

I barely noticed the cold.  Nature's awesome.  These photos were taken less than 3 minutes' walk from my garden gate and to seemingly have it all to myself made me feel very thankful and helped soften the blow of being forced to cancel plans to meet up with a friend today. 

On the way back down, I paused to capture the snow falling against suburban backdrops.

Leaving you with a short highlights video.  Stay cosy!  

First Snow of 2024

This Woman's Work

Maybe it's living on the fringes or in the shade of woodland for much of my life that makes me so drawn to it.  It's always a source of inspiration.  It's grounding; carrying with it the soothing sounds of rustling leaves, hooting owls, chattering squirrels - and has its own very particular smell.  I'd know it blindfolded.

If there were any doubt that we're now firmly in Autumn, our woodland garden has transformed into a haven for those otherwordly beings - fungi.  Here's an oak leaf nestling inside one.

The fairies were nowhere to be found, but I will persevere.

Look at these appropriately spooky beasts, otherwise known as Wrinkled Club Fungus, often found in scattered groups among mossy woodland footpaths - or at the top of our garden.  They take on distinctly ghostly forms.

Talking of strange things, my humble little 2022 woodland photoshoot inspired by all things 1980s and the TV show Stranger Things, got published in a magazine this week.  It's online and in print which is very exciting! 

Seeing my work in print has made my week.  It's always lovely to receive any kind of publicity, but there's really no substitute for leafing through the pages of a magazine.  I do often miss life before the internet and really appreciate the time, dedication and cost of getting a magazine off the ground in our online culture.

It received quite the spread and even featured our 70s V8 Rover P6.

Rewinding to earlier this summer, I ventured to Kinver Edge with Ania, a model friend I've collaborated with on a couple of occasions.  For some reason, this shoot didn't make it into my blog.  So I'll remedy that now by sharing a few of my favourites.  

I wanted to an ethereal vibe, so we opted for natural make up, undone hair and a ruffled white dress to give movement and pop against the green and earthy landscape colours.

We were hoping for shafts of sunlight, but in the event, whilst the day was exceptionally hot, the white blanket clouds stubbornly refused to part company.  I got a little bit experimental with this shot and created my own sun spots in the edit.

The Petal Bar, a gorgeous florist in the market town of Bridgnorth in Shropshire, created a flower crown from eucalyptus and other green foliage.  The eucalyptus aroma filled the air in our home for weeks afterwards.

Despite our early morning visit, we still managed to bump into someone I know, walking her dog.  Typical!  We chatted briefly whilst Ania was touching up her make-up, although she surprisingly didn't bat an eyelid at our activities.  I either give off crazy lady vibes or woodland nymph photo shoots are ten a penny!

With time on our side, I tried out an old photographer's trick of placing crinkled cellophane over the lens.  The jury's out on this one.

We also played around with props; Ania living out her princess fantasy.  For some reason, I felt this image looked better desaturated.

The Rowan trees were plentiful and covered in berries.  For this one, I used a gold reflector, which gave Ania extra glow.

Blair Witch vibes.

Time to hit the forest floor!  

I liked the leaf debris stuck to Ania's arm.  We decided to leave it... communing with nature.

The crown reappeared.

There may have been some leaf throwing.

Finally, a moment of calm and some forest bathing.

But let's not forget, Halloween is almost upon us.  I've been cramming in nightly episodes of the podcast Uncanny (truly spine tingling).  

It's my favourite time of year and I usually create some kind of self portrait to mark the occasion.  Has it really been two years since the Pumpkin Bride?  The late 1960s vintage dress purchased by its original owner for a garden party and never worn was sold to me for a song and definitely deserved to be seen.

So what will this Halloween deliver?  Suggestions on a postcard please.

Alienation

I've photographed a fair few events and weddings this year.  I've noticed that my nature photography - my first love - has been somewhat lacking in recent months.  There are a number of reasons for this; taking a break from the screen and digital photography, but mainly, my personal need to try new things and experiment.  Still, inspiration didn't come calling and a project didn't spring to mind.  

A few days ago, I was checking emails and noticed a pen on the desk with a topper from a long, long time ago and a galaxy far, far away.  Well, not quite Star Wars, but a little alien featured in the 70s/80s instant potato mash adverts.  This pen topper has survived Gareth's school days and stayed with us all of this time.  I decided he might make a compliant companion for a fun and quirky photo project.  I immediately set about seeking out alien looking environments - all within the boundary of our property.  

So, without further ado, meet Zebe.  Here he is, chilling in his garden.

Topping up the blue...even aliens sunbathe.

Eek!  He spotted me!  Fear not, he's friendly.  No probing took place.

In reflective mood.

I thought he might be mercurial, but I couldn't have been more wrong.  We've become firm friends.

As you might imagine, Zebe is well travelled.  He's a frequent visitor to Earth's satellite...

...and Mars, his home.  

But after all of those air miles, he's earned a rest.

Even though he can use his antennae to pick up any music he likes, Zebe still appreciates a retro radio listening session.  Here he is enjoying Fontaines DC on FM.

He also joined me on a trip to Ashwood Nurseries...driving his beat up but forever reliable old earthly vehicle, the VW Golf...

...and enjoyed the familiarity some of the more exotic looking plants offered him.

Peekaboo!  He's started to get the hang of this modelling lark.

Fancy seeing you here!

Hitching a ride on a giant ladybird.

Yellow is definitely his colour!

Zebe felt very at home here.

Not so comfortable.  Even aliens get probed from time to time.

After a busy day, Zebe returned home as it was techno night at his local nightclub.   I'll let you into a secret.  Aliens don't sleep.

Have I lost my mind?  You decide.