Panic!

It's been a curious week of unexpected connections, conversations, sights and sounds, underpinned in some shape or form by panic.

I was recently contacted by Ania, the model/actress featured in my recent pin up shoot with a request to step in as behind the scenes/stills photographer for a short film she is producing, titled The Third Visit. 

Hopefully I'll be able to share more in time, as the film is to be submitted to a number of film festivals this year.  But for now, I can tell you that on the sunny Saturday that was 30th March (Easter Saturday), the final scenes to be shot for the 30 minute film were a dream sequence/picnic in the park and a traumatic car crash.

The weather was a great relief after a week of incessant rain and the small crew comprising make-up team, three actors, Sarah, the director, Cam, the cameraman (easy to remember) and myself assembled in the car park of a local nature reserve.

Improvisation is common on film sets, including make-up.  Without the luxury of a studio for final touch ups, a car boot and bright sunlight did the job.  But not too bright, you understand. 

We trudged up the hill to a quiet spot and set up the picnic scene.

Filming takes forever.  There are often multiple takes, waiting for clouds to pass, deflecting harsh sunlight, checking of footage and pauses for hair readjustments and make up retouches.  

The child star of the day had no acting experience or lines and so it was a long morning for him, but with quiet encouragement from Mom...

...food and jollity...

...and a kick about, he relaxed into it and proved to be a little superstar!

After the director called "Cut" on the picnic scene, over an hour of make-up ensued to transfer the fresh faced Ania and Don into this gruesome twosome!

A quiet, but gritty urban location was selected for the aftermath of the car crash.  The warped humour derived from the sight of Ania driving into position in apparent need of urgent medical attention was not lost on any of us.

Harriet, one of the make-up team, doubled up as special effects operator, hiding out of sight of the camera in order to release a steady stream of smoke into the car... and there was much deliberation over the eventual position of Don's head on the dashboard.  

Some final touch ups (wounds need to stay fresh) and finally, we were ready to go.

In breaks in between filming, I asked Don to give me his best used car salesman pose.  What do you think?  Would you buy a used car from this man?

Filming of this scene went smoothly and before long, it was a wrap!

Thanks all for a great day!  I'll be sharing details of those involved at the end of this post.

Another weekend and another atypical day.  Remember our recent adventuring over Kinver and that glimpse of Drakelow tunnels?  Well, last Saturday was the date of our booked tour.  For those of you unfamiliar with the tunnel complex, you can read more here:  Winter Peach Photography: Tunnel Vision   But if you're short on time, the tunnel complex was built initially for use as a shadow factory during the second World War and later repurposed as a nuclear bunker during the Cold War.

The new Drakelow Tunnels Museum operators have grand plans for this site.  However, photographs were strictly forbidden during our tour.  The reason given for this was that a large proportion of the tunnel complex is utilised as a bonded warehouse for wine storage and the company heading up that particular enterprise, are extremely security conscious. But, the rebel in me could not resist a few sneaky iphone snaps when the tour guides' backs were turned.  What harm could they possibly do?

The tunnels were blasted into the hillside and the copious tonnes of spoils deposited in and around the site of the former village of Drakelow.  The sandstone walls are lime washed and you can still see the scars of the machinery used during the tunnelling process.

All good nuclear bunkers need power...

...and should the worst happen and panic sets in, a decontamination area is a must!

The tour really was excellent value for money.  I could tell you all about it, but I really think you should go and see for yourselves.  Tickets aren't cheap but the tour is approximately 2 hours' long and the guides are good humoured (ours was Mike) and extremely knowledgeable.  

You'll see a mock-up of a factory, offices, a medical facility and a particularly eerie Cold War era canteen (formerly a theatre during WW2 frequented by the likes of George Formby).  

If you do decide to go, be warned.  Advance booking is essential. Further information can be found here.  Drakelow Tunnels (drakelow-tunnels.co.uk)

Our top tips? Wear sturdy footwear and lots of layers.  It is very cold and damp in the tunnels.  We emerged, hands almost blue with cold, like moles blinking in the sunlight, amazed to discover that the mercury had climbed to a staggering 19 degrees while we were dithering below ground.

Even though the weather remains unpredictable, the garden is definitely getting on with the business of Spring - so far with minimal intervention from me.  

The tulips and primroses are flowering.

The robins and blackbirds are nest building in the garden.  The robin is exploiting the upside down umbrella that is our burgeoning Gunnera Manicata, eating up all of the fat ball remnants that the squirrels drop as they make their hasty getaways.

Plus, Noah, Lotte's former nemesis, has made friends with us.  Well, sort of.  He's very vocal and will now stop for some fuss whenever he's passing through our garden.  He did bite Gareth the other day, after tricking him into touching his belly, but that was a schoolboy error.  I'm not falling for that!  He always looks startled, but is a bit of a bruiser and very vocal!

Our final panic themed excursion was last night's gig at Wolverhampton Civic.  On the bill?  Johnny Marr (legendary guitarist, aka Johnny F**kin Marr, formerly of The Smiths and "Panic" fame) and Gaz Coombes (former frontman for Supergrass).  

I'd clocked this gig some months ago, but had planned a photo shoot on the day and couldn't commit.  However, the shoot was ill feted and fell through.  Storm Kathleen would have put paid to it in any event.  I therefore decided to see if we could get tickets last week.  We were in luck and I honestly couldn't have asked for a better way to spend a Sunday night. 

Wolverhampton Civic Hall is only a short drive away for us and is, in my humble opinion, the best music venue in the West Midlands.   We were excited to see Gaz Coombes, but were only vaguely familiar with Johnny Marr's solo stuff and wondered just how many hits from his days with The Smiths he would perform.  We weren't disappointed.  Both are supremely talented artists, but Johnny Marr blew us away.  He struck the perfect balance between new material, songs from his solo back catalogue and Smiths classics.  Everyone was singing along.  The atmosphere was electric, even if he did have to - in his words - "...be the vibe police" and reprimand one inebriated and "gnarly" audience member.  

Sadly, my big girl camera wasn't allowed, so I only took my iphone.  I had an interesting conversation with an Instagram follower Ken (a seasoned photographer) who tried his level best to help me secure a precious camera pass (including forwarding Johnny Marr's record company details and suggesting he would have asked Billy Bragg for help "...but he's in America at the moment.")  In reality, it was just too late in the day.  But he did give me some great tips moving forward. Thanks Ken!

So forgive the grainy images. I did my very best, holding the camera high in the gaps between the thick-necked six footers standing in front of me and trying to maintain some level of focus.

Gaz Coombes

Johnny Marr

As we suspected, we came away with that definite feeling that we had witnessed something very special.  As much as I would like to leave you with a clip of his Johnny's performance of Panic, I somehow managed to fumble with my settings and film it at a speed that makes Johnny sound like the spawn of Satan. 

So instead, I'll leave you with his performance from last night, uploaded to YouTube by someone with both a better position and filming expertise!

Johnny Marr. Panic. Live @ The Halls Wolverhampton. 7/04/24 (youtube.com)

*******

The Third Visit Film credits:

Writer/Director:  Sarah France

Cameras:  Cameron Sheldon

Actors:  Ania Cummins and partner, Don

Lead HMUA:  Kacey Comarsh

MUA:  Bella Whitlam

Harriet Smith

Tunnel Vision

Hello!  I'm checking in after another self imposed period of absence from the screen.  Eyes and screens are not great bedfellows and eye strain is a recurring problem for me, my phone being the biggest culprit.  Talk about 21st century problems!

We are living in dark times and there are times when I'm finding it hard to find the light.  Photography continues to push me to do so.  Here's the moon glimpsed through our roof window, criss crossed by thorns and slightly soft focus rosehips.  I'm slightly irritated by that, but quite like the overall magic of the scene.

I appreciate the escape that Blogland offers, but there are some things that just shouldn't be left unsaid.  All life is precious and every single one that is cut short by war or malevolence is a tragedy.  The world's problems are numerous, widespread and currently feel insurmountable.  Yet in this turbulent world plagued by violence, intolerance and corruption, Alexei Navalny was one soul who offered a glimmer of hope, albeit in the dim and distant future. 

Incomprehensibly, he's no longer with us....yet another light that has gone out.  If you've never seen the Oscar winning documentary "Navalny" you really should.  It's inspiring stuff and his bravery clearly knew no bounds.  After viewing what I could of his funeral yesterday on YouTube, I felt moved enough to immortalise him in this revolutionary-style poster, alongside his chosen final message.

February has been one of the wettest on record, so our walks have been few and far between.  I've realised that dampness has a huge impact on how cold I feel.  Crisp, dry air, even when the thermometer is hovering around zero, is much more comfortable than 7 or 8 degrees in damp conditions.  

That said, we continue to discover new places on our doorstep.  Regular readers will know that Kinver Edge, the National Trust managed area, is a beloved local beauty spot of ours.  In amongst the 600 acres of land, are hidden places of intrigue and last weekend, we ventured to the perimeter and beyond and stumbled across another one - a Grade II listed monument - hidden deep in dense woodland. 

It bears the following inscription: 

"This pillar commemorates 

That devoted man Richard Baxter

Minister of the Old Church.

Kidderminster about the year 1650

And whose unwearied labours

Were so greatly blessed to that

Town and neighbourhood.

Read his Saints everlasting rest

And call to the converted."

The pillar monument, erected circa 1850, stands tall, but nonetheless is somewhat dwarfed by the surrounding trees.

Now, I'd never heard of this Richard Baxter, so after a little research, I discovered that Baxter was a Nonconformist Puritan minister, theologian, poet and hymn writer (he had a lot going on!) 

His ministry in nearby Kidderminster was controversial because Baxter's strong views on justification and sanctification, with their emphasis on faithfulness and repentance, were unusual.

Baxter was elected as minster by the people of Kidderminster after being invited to deliver a sermon.  He was twenty six.  He had a long and eventful career, dogged by persecution in one form or another. 

He was ejected from the Church of England after the 1662 Act of Uniformity.  However, he became one of the most influential leaders of the Nonconformists in the 1600s, partly because of his prolific theological writings, partly because of his prosecutions and his time in prison for various faith related offences.  

You can read about his turbulent life and divisive theological views here:-

Richard Baxter - Wikipedia

Just a stone's throw away from the monument, is the Drakelow Tunnel complex, a former underground military complex covering 26,500 square metres with a total length of 5.6 km.  They were originally built as a Second World War Shadow Factory and were developed during the Cold War to be a fall back government centre.

British shadow factories were the result of the Shadow Scheme, a plan devised in 1935 and developed by the British Government in the build up to World War II to try to meet the urgent need for more aircraft using technology transfer from the motor industry to implement additional manufacturing capacity.  The term "shadow" might suggest secrecy, but in reality it was a reference to a protected environment staffed by motor industry employees of all skill levels working alongside (in the shadow of) their own similar motor industry operations.

The Drakelow Tunnels Museum is now open after spending a number of years in private ownership.  Inexplicably, we never got around to visiting before the complex (the largest underground tunnel complex in the UK) closed in the 1990s and I was unaware until recently that it had in fact reopened after a painstaking transformation into a family friendly Cold War Museum.  I've dropped them an email to plan our very first visit!

Given that the echoes of this dark chapter of our history are reverberating loudly now in 2024, I'll leave you with some positivity.

First up...a beautiful sunrise captured last week.  Our house sits on the fringes of the West Midlands conurbation.  In one direction, we have a fairly urban skyline as evidenced by this photo.  In the opposite direction, we have woodland and countryside stretching all the way to Wales.

The low lying mist and pale pink sunrise makes everything look beautiful!

In the garden, Squirrel Nutkins is up to his usual antics, robbing great chunks of fat balls from the disgruntled robins and blackbirds.

As much as I can't stand the rain, we witnessed some beautiful cloud formations over Walton Hill (another local beauty spot with incredible panoramic views over town and country).

Today, I scored these apparently unused M&S hiking boots from a charity shop for £7.00 and am choosing to ignore the teen's cruel "Ronald MacDonald shoes" comparison.  

Whilst it might not feel like Spring right now (snow fell on high ground last night), nature definitely received the memo.

But the big news in these parts, is that last week, Staffordshire County Council served a notice on the owners of The Crooked House (Britain's Wonkiest Pub), to rebuild it within 3 years, exactly as it was before the arson attack and unlawful destruction.  Regular readers will recall that we were outraged last August when yet another piece of local heritage was laid to waste, allegedly by individuals motivated by financial gain.

You can read my post written in the aftermath here:- Winter Peach Photography: A Very Crooked Tale

The campaign group have plans for an event on the anniversary of its demolition, which include inviting along the band originally booked to play on the eve of its destruction - Gasoline and Matches.  Yes, really!

There's a way to go yet, but it's definitely seen as a little victory and a big step towards the pub making a return!

See you soon!

One Spring Day

Everyone is waiting for Spring to arrive.  The signs are there; splashes of colour are rising above cold and sodden earth and we've had hints of the changing of the seasons on the breeze, but rain has been plentiful and still, the frosts persist.  The tree pictured above appears tormented, stripped of life and reaching for the light.

I've had my annual battle with Lotte's dreadlocks which manage to conceal themselves successfully in her winter coat until they are the size of ping pong balls.  We're getting there.  She's feeling "summer ready" now and was happy enough to pose in front of the mirror for me.

Last night offered some promise in the shape of a beautiful Pink April Moon...

...and, as Good Friday dawned, in these parts the weather was very good; no wind, wall to wall blue skies and the mercury reaching a very pleasant 14.5 degrees.  After a chilly start, I put some washing on and headed into the garden to take some cheery Easter photos using some novelty chocolates before they disappear for good.

Things quickly took a sinister turn....run, rabbit, run!

That's better.

Spring's small pleasures include being able to peg washing out on the line and have it dry, leaving behind an outdoor scent that's impossible to replicate.

Here's the bamboo as glimpsed through my hot pink honeycomb blanket hanging out to dry this morning.

After lunch we headed out over the hills for some exercise, stopping only to capture the blossom..

 ...blue sky (Gareth shedding his jacket at the top and tossing it into the air)...

...and Greater Starwort growing on the grass verges.

Still not convinced Spring is here?  Well this particular mother and son, happily posing in the sunshine on our descent, will tell you otherwise.  Renewal and rebirth.  Spring has arrived!

We have a weekend of bark chip path formation and entertaining in store and hopefully more of the same from the weather gods.  Happy Easter!