All over for another Year

 Most of my acquaintances know that I am not a fan of christmas, so It is no surprise that i am glad to see the back of it.  I don't mind the New Year bit as that is linked in with the Solstice Etc. and  the start of new beginnings.  Well lets hope so anyway.

I have been doing a bit of turning

Pendant made from Zebrano,  About 2 inches across

Bishop (Chess piece)  made from a branch of Copper Beech and has a bottle opener recessed into the base.  it's around 4 - 1/2 inches high and 2 inches acrodd the base.

These are both currently for sale on Folksy.com.  After a month,  I have about 16 or 17 items on that site,  I have sold one small wine bottle coaster....I think I need to hold off booking the cruise.

Well, Happy New Year everyone,  Lets hope we can get back to some form of normality during the course of 2022.

Winter Solstice

 Probably the most 'Looked forward to' day of the year for me.  After today, the days start to stretch out again the nights shorten as we head again to Spring and Summer.

Yule, or Saturnalia has many names, as most of Europe celebrated the Solstice long, long before the Christians stole it. but I won't start ranting about that nonsense just now. Let's just be happy for the start of a new year of seasons.

I have been out for Breakfast this morning,  I regularly meet a couple of friends (Usually on a Wednesday morning, but the Cafe in question is closing after today for the festivities.  It is Clough Head Cafe, on Grane road between Haslingden and Blackburn.  We sit outside, regardless of the weather and have a couple of coffees interspersed with a bacon or sausage butty.  Afterwards I usually walk back towards my friends starting place for a while, then return to my car.

Today it was much colder than usual but we stayed a little longer as we were offered complimentary mince pies and mulled wine - On the house !

Pleasant couple of hours in good company - Happy Solstice to one and all.

Photograph taken from very close to Clough Head, Looking South East towards Scout Moor.

More Storms...

 Well it's only a week or so since the North was battered by storm Arwen, and now we are suffering from storm Barra !

I hadn't thought about Barra for quite a few years.  I have never visited...If you're not sure what I'm wittering about, one of the outer Hebrides Islands off the NW coast of Scotland is called Barra.  It is one of the southernmost islands I think only Mingulay is to the South. 

Many years ago whilst at sea, I sailed with a steward called Barra John.  For the life of me I can't remember his real family name.  It was one of the Mc or Macs but can't bring it to mind.  He was a real character was Barra John.  A typical Western Islander, he was fond of a glass or two of alcafrolics.  One fine morning I was privileged to see him preparing his own breakfast.

Believe it or not He ladelled a portion of Porage  (Notice I have used the scottish spelling here, NOT porridge) into a Pint glass.  He then topped that up with a half pint of Tennants lager, stirred it, and downed it in one.  I only realised that he was a drinker when one day I saw him sober.  Regardless, he never missed his work, was always busy, cheerful and in possession of a great sense of humour.

I believe that when on leave and at home in Barra, he volunteered to work on the Island's airport.  Small aircraft land and take off from the local beach.  I think it was John's job to shoo away the grey seals and move any large bits of driftwood off the "Runway"

GTV ASIALINER  -  The ship, or one of the sister ships I shared with Barra John.