The Hepworth, Wakefield.

We went to see the newly-opened Hepworth gallery in Wakefield. Impressive building and landscaping. Enjoyed looking round the exhibits which were mainly sculpture, some paintings including a Mondriaan and a small Turner watercolour. Plenty of activities for families including a gallery quiz and trail and workshops to make badges, masks and junk sculpture. Great park and ride service operating from Westgate railway station.

The Upper Mill, James Pyman 2011.

The Family of Man, Barbara Hepworth. 1970

Just visible, the Chantry Chapel over the bridge.

The Black Cloud, Heather and Ivan Morison.

The weir on the river Calder.

Taken from inside the gallery looking out onto the weir.

Culture Vulture

We found this awesome shop in Leeds today called Culture Vulture selling all kinds of funky bags, jewellery and home stuff...loving it!

look at the awesome till covered in Lego!

Lucky, waving Chinese cats!

http://www.culture-vulture.co.uk/

Strawberry flowers

John's strawbobs are looking healthy, hoping we'll get some nice fruits this year.

New notebook.

Well you can never have too many notebooks...right?! This one caught my eye with its colourful cover design of poppies and birds, just need to get scribbling now...

Rhubarb!

I finally picked the monstrous Rhubarb stalks yesterday...ended up with two huge bags which are now sitting smugly in the freezer awaiting their deployment over the winter. It's amazing how gigantic the leaves grow....full of hidey holes for the evil snails!

Bee.

When we returned from our last holiday I found this poor, dead bee on the kitchen floor. It must have become trapped inside the house and starved to death...so sad.

I wrote this a couple of years ago.

Oh to be a bumblebee!

 With his golden stripes

-how many was it? Three?

I couldn't see as he

bumbled past!

Buff-tailed humble, 

ponderous pollinator.

Such an endearing creature;

so docile and gentle.

He flies fuzzily on lustrous,

filigree wings. Weaving

through heavenly,

herbacious borders;

wallows among pollen-laden

stamens.

Intoxicated with high octane

elixir, his faceted gossamers 

vibrate puffs of sweet powder.

A furry form festooned in a

magical potency as his

buzz-forage mission accomplished.

Beautiful bumblebee.

Running up that hill.

With the realisation that the bikini is only 8 weeks away...(yikes!) I thought I'd better get a grip and start taking this running thing a bit more serious! Thought I'd show you where I was this evening...running up a big hill! (Well mostly running, only a little walking..and I'm not fibbing.. honest!)

Queen of Hearts.

Always a favourite here...they might last a little longer than usual as the chief Knave is away!

Goosey Goosey

Gorgeous geese on the river at Sowerby Bridge..beautiful furry goslings!

You can just about make out the 3 eggs in the nest in the top right corner..apparently mink that live along the river had attacked some of the goslings earlier this week so the goose has relaid.

White poppy, Forget-me-not.

Beautiful tissue paper petals they look just as if they've been crumpled.

Blah blah blah shoes!

Cool new shoes! (for my daughter!)

Ricci's Place.

Great new restaurant in Halifax, Ricci's Place. http://riccis-place.co.uk/

Cool atmosphere, attentive pleasant staff and really good food served imaginatively. Highly recommended..booking essential. ...will definitely go back..well I rebooked for lunch. 9/10.

Situated in a tastefully refurbed old council building in Crossley Street, Halifax.  Room at the Top was filmed in the same street in 1959.

Exciting daily specials and locally sourced ingredients..quality produce cooked sympathetically and imaginatively.

Nice wine.

Spanish tapas starter for one....enough to share...wonderful bread basket too.

Melt in the mouth tempura prawns with sweet chilli dip and deep fried spinach.

Good quality steak and hand cut chips served in a little pail.

Wood pigeon and parmesan risotto. Delicious!

Chocolate and Orange creme brulee.

Chocolate tart and chocolate ice cream.

Machiatto.