The Inkwell

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Brick Red

Peel Building, University of Salford drawn up in Painter Essentials by Inky, from photograph - example of red brick building

Salford 28th August 2019

#cyw #brickred #salford

I remember those streets,

the houses and walls

constructed from something

from down in the ground

Fired earth formed into an oblong

and fashioned into spaces

places, to cook, wash, read, and rest

for those living there – the best

And they were Not all uniform –

not all the same shade

some hidden round airbricks

the ones that just made grade

But from down the road

Their colours stood proud

as this orange / brick red

sang through northern streets loud

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The spendthrift

#fowc #spendthrift

1st June 2019

A cautionary acrostic by inky

spending money like there’s no tomorrow

paying out for things he really doesn’t need

expensive clothes and fancy jewellery , worn on

nights out, where he and his entourage

dance the night away under bright coloured lights

the champagne gets poured by the magnum

he parties and gambles till dawn

reality bites in the morning – when his bar bill needs paying

it’s only then will he return to reality

for food needs to be bought –

there’s nothing in the fridge

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mystery ii

Salford 30th March 2019

#freedomofexpression #iscriblr #mystery

a response to iscriblrs wonderful mystery challenge…enjoy.

A strange thing happened the other night

Under the cover of dark

Something with a sweet tooth paid us a call

He snook into the kitchen, without giving us a fright

And sitting down at my birthday cake, he did park

Having eaten his slice, he went out the door

Lighting up the kitchen , as he passed by the walls

And leaving a trail of cake crumbs on the floor

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Intruders

Salford, 21st December 2018

Melanie looked at the living room carpet

Enveloped by four soggy footprints

Local law enforcement scoured the area, but

Terrible thing was … they couldn’t find the culprits

Even the footprints outside could be found , it’s like they

Disappeared in the snow ❄️

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Candle

Sunday 2nd December 2018

#advent #candle #christmas

Creating light out of darkness

A sign of new things to come

Now that advent is underway each

Decorated candle will be

Lit bringing light to the house and as

Each candle is lit, Christmas comes closer

Three Purple And One Pink As A Catholic Symbol

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Old friends

Salford, 14th November 2018

Memories of a mate, brought back in an instant

A blast from the past, delivered with a click

Noted – you’ve not talked for a while

Changes in address do that

Hoping – they remember your name

Expectations raised as they recognise your face

Someone should have said – its the passing of time

Talk about the old days, in a familiar place

Engaging about others

Round a table with Tea and cake

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Charlie

Who am I, life’s Charlie Brown ?

For she catches my eye, and I’ve fallen down

Tongue tied with her beauty, so close at hand

Even though the words in the head I’d planned

a wonderful sight, with a beautiful mind

sometimes she’s harsh, but on the whole she is kind

Catching me out with those dark brown eyes

Occasional glances catch me by surprise

Heart rising by a beat when she’s so near

No more than friends, to me that is clear

Talking shop on the backyard, sharing an occasional smile

With the girl with the red hair, I want to stay awhile

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Plain sight

E6A941EC-F51D-4C4F-9303-F7E098631A9C

#octpowrimo #hidden #dragons

the mighty dragons didn’t disappear,

reality is…they took a different form

each knight giving up their quest of vanquish as

every dragon decided to rest among the greens

Seen hiding in the forests, or swimming in the depths

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Poppies

Wave – On display outside Imperial War Museum North , Manchester (p) Brian F Kirkham Sept 2018

Red poppies are flowing down the top of the earth shard of IWM North

Each poppy was created to remember those who fell in the war to end all wars

Memorial to the host of soldiers who went to the front

Expecting to be home by Christmas

Men not only from the home nations,

But the commonwealth and allies from Europe too

Regiments who met and fought on a field in flanders

As part of the first world war centenary, this artwork is a

Noted reminder, of those who went away to fight and

Came to rest in a foreign field

Each one remembered in the symbol of the poppy

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Back behind the Bridge

Location : BASIC Clicks Base, Portacabin, Brain & Spinal Injury Centre, Salford

Date : 14th July 2017

Camera : Sony DSC-H300 (No Tripod Required)

We’ve been playing with Objects and Backdrops today – and the toy cars!

Continuing on from last week we set up our shots on the stations before taking the shots with our camera

Using the clips from old magazines and the toy cars produced some really good shots and saved us the cost of location (Hee Hee!)

I revisited this picture from the last session. Using the pencils as “Pointers”. I hadn’t spotted this till after taking the pic, but I created a “Sunrise” effect by marking them out.

As well as the lego men, Graham, one of the group brought in some railway model men

this allowed the group to be a bit more adventurous with our photos….

and here’s a couple when I got home 🙂 Created along the same principles – studio a bit more rustic than that of BASIC Clicks…but objects and subject matter stayed the same (Astronomy book provided a little colour!)

Riding across jupiter — Riding across Jupiter!

If you’ve got any favourites – feel free to let me know!

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Visiting Duxford

Monday 5th June 2017

Venue : Imperial War Museum Duxford, Cambridge

An early morning start at IWM North on Monday, as we met up with fellow volunteers and staff from the other branches at IWM Duxford for Volunteers week.

We travelled south through the Midlands on our journey, stopping off on some familiar services on the M6 and M1… the route usually adopted when I visit my relatives there. It was a bit rainy on the way there, but I was looking forward to visiting Duxford. Due to that branch holding most of the museums Aircraft Collection

We arrived at Duxford’s Entrance around about noon, and then after a short repast, we all entered the main hall, where the chairman of the imperial war museum welcomed us all and the ceremonies for the volunteer awards commenced.

I received my award for “Developing in a Role” from the chairman – and heard my Vollie Manager deliver a wonderful (more than a ) few words on why i’d won it!

How I started as a guide, then doing object handling and family history….

I did whisper at one point….”Ta boss! you can stop now….!!!” (sic)

After the awards ceremony, we took a look around the hangar and the various activities on display, this included seeing how concorde dipped its nose, to sending messages by morse code – to walking on board a Lancaster bomber. I enjoyed walking round the RAF Fleet, and got a really good view of the planes from the top deck of the gallery.

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Flight

IWM Duxford , Cambridge, 5/6/2017

For a brief moment today,

looking around the hangar in Cambridge

I got to see the marvels of flight first hand

Great planes – from early pioneers to new planes and even spaceflight

Hoped to see something special – and I wasn’t disappointed

Tomorrow – i’ll take a look at what I captured

Cenotaph

Salford 10th November 2019

Carved into hewn stone

each name mentioned someone who never came home

now remembered for their actions

on those fateful campaigns

the list of names shines in the sun

as the sun shines on each of their names

poppies resting at the foot of the memorial as

held silence is observed, in respectful remembrance

Youth

#FOWC #YOUTH

You’re only as young as you feel, they say

Of course, you get older each day

Unless of course, you apply

Those lotions, potions, perfumes and aftershaves

Holding on to the fountain of youth ? Hardly

Rush hour III

The trees are bending

moving to a western tune

played by coming wind

rolling autumn leaves

around tarmac cul-de-sacs

to the alley’s end

follow the brown leaves

and you find them piled up high

by a pelican

some decide to rest

whilst others run the gauntlet

towards the river

final resting spot ?

answer to question – unclear

floating down river

Chestnut

#CYW #Chestnut

6th November 2019

Coming from two trees that hold its name

Horse and Sweet varieties exist

Each Autumn kids can be found playing games with conkers

Sweet fare created from the conkers sibling

Tartlets and pies and they’re even used at the Christmas table

Note however – you can’t eat the conker

Unless of course – you happen to be a squirrel

Though its easier if you find one – to plant it for a new tree.

Fireworks

Fifth of November,

is the day remembered, When

royalists decided to have an

exciting time under the palace of

westminster

of course, their plan went

really wrong, as they were caught by men with

keys to the cellar – where the gunpowder was kept

so instead of the palace burning – the royalists lost their heads!

Volume

#Fowc #Volume

Versatile listeners of music

Often like turning this up to

Listening to the sound of the

Umpah band over the

Magical Wireless

Ears appreciating the brass and drums

Breakfast time

#poetry #salford #docks #geese #swans #ducks #breakfast

Ducks and Geese on Salford Quays — feathered friends on Salford Quays

What attracts our feathered friends

to the dock on a sunday morning

you would think they’d be happy

simply swimming over the surface

of the calm waters of the canal

Could it be the man from the council

Spreading sensational delights

on their favourite meeting spot ?

Ivory

#Fowc #Ivory

Elephant, Chester Zoo : Image captured and painted by the author

An acrostic in response to fandangos one word challenge by Inky.

It’s found in various jungles,

very few animals don’t have it

often found in the mouth you see

really the hunters shouldn’t go after it – they would

yell the trees down if the animals went after theirs

Basket

#fowc #basket

behind each little basket on Halloween night

a little munchkin , male or female, in a

spooky costume, and as the treats

keep on coming this receptacle

eventually fills all the way to the top

toffees, sweets and chocolates for spooky visitors

Cerulean

#CYW #Colour #Ocean #Blue #Octpowrimo

It’s that colour you see far off

when you’re sat on the beach

looking at the horizon

and you’re looking at the water far away

Could it be that colour that

entered the sky when the

roundness of the sun

ups and leaves the sky

leaving it darker with only

earths moon in the sky to provide

a light on the ground below ?

new moons shine on this colours curtain