Photo Blog Post - Comic Relief

I’ve run out of written words this week so I thought I’d somewhat appropriately do a photo blog post for a change. It gives me the opportunity to shout about another one of my local heroes, photographer John Steel. I’ve known John since 2015. We met when I was playing at a wedding fayre in the village, and we’ve collaborated on several projects since. Working with giant John is always a pleasure. His photos are vivacious with a generous dash of fun and he captures rare moments, emotions and personalities. His style is unique, imaginative and artistic - if you like pretty posed portraits, then he’s probably not for you. If you like poetic, poignant, memorable (I ran out of p-words) images, he’s your man. Think brides jumping out of windows, newlyweds bouncing around on space hoppers, men sipping tea up a hill, and even a harpist with her harp on a boggy moor, and you’re there. Despite his stature, he’s discreet and professional, and he offers a personalised service to suit your requirements. Talk to him about skateboards and offer him a brew (milk, no sugar) and you’ll make him a very happy man. His creative work is fabulous and you can check it out by clicking on these buttons:

I asked John if he’d take a few photos of the goings on at Sainsbury’s on Red Nose Day and he was willing to help out. Let me know what you think of the results:

Manager Gina

Using her mobile as a microphone, and Grant from Wedding Fayres Yorkshire making a live video recording of the incredible pie eating contest

Pie face

Manager Ryan

Those lovely Sainsbury’s Local ladies

With an unsuspecting customer

Bizarre and slightly surreal

You don’t see this kind of action every day at your local shop

Just one more wafer thin squirt of cream…

Selling scratch cards for a good cause

Well aisle be

Sainsbury’s Local Holmfirth sure know how to give a warm welcome

The final tot up in my fundraising box was £107!

Thanks to everyone who came to support. You’re the stars!!

Life on Tour - week 2, Hull

I had a fantastic time in Hull and it certainly wasn’t dull. I love combining pleasure with business, even more so when it involves being near water. After a cold rainy start on Thursday and a smooth drive past Goole towers, Friday was glorious. Waking a bit later than usual meant rescheduling my intended trip to Withernsea beach. I settled instead for a bright brisk jolly welly yomp around Humber Bridge Country Park to dust off the cobwebs from travelling and quite an intense performance of Tosca on Thursday evening.

Park art

Smile with your eyes

I always arrive early for a performance, especially at a new venue. I haven’t played at Hull New Theatre for at least fifteen years so I didn’t know what to expect. I couldn’t even find where to unload my harp so I called for assistance. Chris Ladds deserves a medal and is one of the many unsung heroes of Opera North. He’s the orchestral operations manager. I know he’s only a quick call away when I need to get my harp in, and he invariably has useful advice about parking and other inside information. Chris has quite a challenging job in that he has to satisfy the rehearsal and performance needs of sixty or so musicians, no mean feat when we want to do our jobs to the best of our ability.

Olde and new

The pub near the theatre. The modern building is Hull History Centre

Each pit presents a different set of problems and as I learnt, the Hull pit is no exception. The only position available for me was in front of the doors, at the business end of four horns. With a half hour seating rehearsal, a tentative panoply of options and scarcely enough time to settle in, I didn’t realise how loud it would get. I had earplugs and fingers for the louder moments and I was provided a screen. However, my main problems were my distance from refreshingly passionate and expressive Dutch conductor Antony Hermus, and having a much reduced sightline to him as I was on a lower level than the bulk of the orchestra. I played two short sections in the rehearsal, insufficient time to work out that it would be a difficult position and do something about it. It was an edgy performance and I was glad to have my Pilates mat with me and a bathtub to iron out the creases. I felt no guilt whatsoever at indulging in my hotel room pop up spa the following morning.

Room with a view

These days I tend choose quiet hotels with a bit of greenery whenever possible and Hull was no exception. Hessle is a hassle free fifteen minute drive from the city centre and a generous stone’s throw from the iconic Humber Bridge and its Country Park. I was in room 101 with bridge and tree views as well as wildlife.

Unexpected avians

Peacock plethora in the hotel gardens

Golden gateway

San Francisco? Nope, Hessle

Using my time wisely on tour can be tricky. Playing isn’t an option as my instrument can’t easily be moved from the pit and I feel uncomfortable about practising when there are technical rehearsals in the theatre. My harping wouldn’t be a welcome accompaniment. For this part of the tour I decided to get physical in the morning, so I got a brisk walk under my belt on Friday and a long Pilates session on Saturday. It seemed to work as I felt quite calm. Meditation is daily and non negotiable and helps with learning to manage anxiety.

Precarious

Sliding tree

On Saturday I met up with Patti from the wardrobe department. One of a set of triplets with an older sister, she’s a beautiful bohemian Basque woman from Bilbao and she lights up the corridor as she breezes by. She’s very passionate about her work and I could sense that after a year of living on the road without a base, she’s ready to settle down to pursue a stable job. She says touring and freelancing is very exciting but difficult and tiring at the same time.

Patti

Creative, quirky and funny

We met at Trinity Market over coffee and cannoli and chewed the fat freely. Quite literally in my case after Patti returned to her digs to do her own laundry. I brought enough healthy home cooked food for the first two days meaning I’d earned a bit of a Saturday splurge. I don’t often eat out and when I do I try to choose something I wouldn’t make at home. I went the whole hog, plumping for meltingly tender pork belly, black pudding, smoked egg yolk and sauerkraut coleslaw on flatbread with a side of chips. I didn’t eat the bread - double carbs?!! Within twenty minutes the somniferous food took effect and I headed to my car for my siesta.

Filthy

Saturday special treat

I love that warm open expressive freedom innate to many Mediterraneans and southern Europeans and I miss it from the time I spent in France. I feel uncomfortable around people with stiff upper lips and Patti and I were in agreement that we Brits can be difficult to decipher. Why can’t we just say what we mean? Why do we feel the need to sugar coat everything?

Running out of time and steam from our express conversation, I earmarked the Maritime Museum and the docks for my next visit to Hull. I love ports - the atmosphere and aromas there are intoxicating, a sweet vivid reminder of unforgettable childhood trips with my Dad when he worked on the ships.

The beauty of the beach

without having to get in my car and drive

After an emotional performance of Tosca, my get out was swift and smooth thanks again to Chris’s willingness to protect my harp from the sudden strong gusts of wind. Llwyd welcomed me home with open paws, well, open packets of food strewn across the doormat actually. It’s her favourite expression of protest at being left home alone other than getting herself temporarily rehomed.

Next week is Nottingham and it often snows on this leg of the tour at this time of year, so I’m having my winter tyres put on next week just to be on the safe side. I’m braced for what the season heralds. And I still haven’t met elusive Welsh truck driver Huw - is he hiding from me? Maybe next week at the Lowry…

Structure

Looks like a sci-fi elephant

Of Roaring Dragons and Screaming Cats

August Bank Holiday

Souvenir de Cymru

How come Yorkshire supermarkets don't proudly boast roses on their carrier bags?

I played for a lovely wedding on Friday at Rotherham Golf Club.  It was good to have a busy day as August has been quiet on the work front.  Not great for my wallet, but I've felt the seasonal warmth of a manageably sociable phase and absorbed some cultural and natural delights.  I didn't feel very happy with how I sounded on Friday though.  Everything felt a bit rusty and I wasn't playing on all cylinders by my standards despite a decent amount of practice.  The first thing I noticed was my sound.  It's amazing how quickly those calluses go.  I felt a bit low that evening and decided to recalibrate this weekend starting by putting pen to paper to draw up a schedule for myself and a list of repertoire to be learnt in the coming weeks and months.  That immediately helped me feel calmer.

Proof

There's now some manuscript and a notebook in there

Then I started the seemingly mammoth task of decluttering my practice room and sorting out several piles of sheet music.  It took some time and I didn't do it all in one go as practice was my priority, but now I have one large empty drawer and all my solo, chamber, wedding and teaching music is in order again.  Just the orchestral pile to tackle when I find a spare hour.

Soon

It will resume its function as an armchair

I can't believe the effect this had on my work - I'm more focused than I have been for ages and more able to make sense of the huge jumble of notes I must decipher in quite a short time.  August has flown.  I have some interesting and exciting challenges coming up, and it's likely I will be letting this blog slip temporarily as I meet some deadlines.

The change in weather has got me thinking about how long I can maintain my attic office - it gets pretty chilly up there, so I've already checked my spare room which I used as an office before I started doing absolutely everything in my kitchen about five years ago.  It's nice in there and it has a good view and is cosy in more ways than one, so I'm going to have to keep a handle on any accumulation of clutter.  It feels so much healthier to use different rooms for their actual purpose.  Here I am, typing in the kitchen.  Up I go. 

Bank Holiday Monday view

A bit dark and not enough blue sky for my liking

At 9.45 on Bank Holiday Monday morning I plunged feet first into the pool.  Classes are very popular and if you don't get in quick, they get booked up.  I got a last minute space just after midnight on Sunday night.  I had a lot of energy and worked hard and I felt vitalised afterwards.  There's something about starting my week with physical activity that feels very exciting.  That's going to be a keeper in the coming months as the nights draw in and the urge to leave the cosy comfort of home dwindles with the dying daylight.  The physical warmth I felt after my exertion lasted a long time too.  I chatted with a lady as we were waiting to jump in and couldn't believe it when she told me her age.  She looked fifteen years younger.  She'd make a great focal point for an advertising campaign.  If that's what Aquafit and Yoga do for you, I'm in.

I'm not ashamed to admit I'm back on the hard stuff since the middle of last week.  I'm talking about coffee, obviously.  I lasted ten virtuous sleepy detox days.  Then I got fed up with feeling low and lethargic.  I had a cup of full strength fully caffeinated amber nectar and bounced around with joyous energy, my speech twice as fast and brain on full throttle.  I had another cup later that day and felt the same bubbly buoyant boost.  It didn't affect my sleep and neither did I feel any anxiety, so that's me for the time being - two daily cups.  I've also started monitoring my water intake which was ridiculously low, and have already felt the accompanying benefits of better focus and concentration, not to mention well hydrated skin.  One of my greatest concerns was not being able to go to the loo.  SOZ, TMI, LOL.   It feels hard when you've got a full day teaching or rehearsing to put your hand up and ask to go to the little girl's room, never mind driving.  I don't want to be stopping every twenty minutes to go to the bathroom.  I'd never get to my destination.

My diet is generally very balanced apart from a couple of moments' weakness around sugar.  Was it last week I had an almond milk chocolate bar?  What possessed me?  What made me buy that when I know the only thing that does the trick is 72% cocoa or above?  All I could taste was sugar and I just wanted more afterwards.  Very clever that.  It was a popular nut bar, the usual peanuts replaced with my favourite kernel and that piqued my curiosity.  I couldn't resist it.

Hardly a glut of figs

I'm almost out of stock.  Not sure if coffee and figs make for a natural pairing 

Winter has a certain charm with its log fires and frosty snow scenes but I'm more a fan of Spring and Summer.  I know we're at the wrong end of the year when I see fresh figs in my fridge.  There they sit on the shelf, begging me to eighth them up after dinner or slice them into slivers for my breakfast bowl.  I love their pre-Autumnal fruitiness, their delicate seedy pop in my mouth and the divinely luscious purpleness of their plush flesh.  Breakfast has almost become my favourite mealtime.  It's quite an intricate refined affair by now with the addition of linseeds and poppy seeds which give an attractive dark blue tinge of colour, and a buckwheat based cereal with toasty coconut.  It's a big bowl of delicious goodness that gets my tastebuds going in the morning and keeps my energy levels on an even keel and my hunger at bay for up to six hours.  

Beware of the cat

The face she should have made when measuring up to her rival

Action sequence

Recuperating on the sofa

I was just finishing off my practice this evening when I heard a loud banging at my back door followed by blood curdling caterwauling.  I dropped everything and dashed out.  I knew it was Llwyd.  

At ease

She was still in the same position this morning

We were both shaken when I let her in.  There are two neighbourhood cats that pick on her, the arrogant black and white one two doors down and a new cat on the block, a big grey tabby.  They're both twice her size and considerably younger.  She used to be able to hold her own, chasing off big brutal contenders from her territory, but nowadays she needs a bit of support which I'm delighted to offer.  I liken her scuffles to my Mum having a to-do with someone in their twenties.  There's not much competition.  Life's not fair and sometimes the only option is to hiss, roar and get your claws out.

Holiday Snaps 2

UFO

Blissful late evening stroll

It's the second full day of my break in North Wales and I'm having a fabulous time.  The weather was fairly poor yesterday but it didn't dampen my spirits.  My day started with a long stroll on the beach which was quite brisk to combat the cool August morning chill.  I spotted some fine specimens.

Jelly cake

Fascinating transparency

Tranquillity

Spot the heron, oystercatchers too

Beach life

Wobbly alien

I got back to base camp where we did a group Qigong session which helped me feel calm, stretchy and centred.  As with all the best breaks, my trip revolved around food and I could get used to not having to think about what meal to prepare next (well, maybe not that one), washing dishes and where to eat out.  Yes, I ate out and it was a real feast in terms of flavour, quality and service.

A snooze became a 2.5 hour deep sleep and after a slightly grumpy reawakening, my mood lifted as we hit the sights of Conwy where I succumbed to all sorts of holiday temptations.  Chocolatier Baravelli's was like walking into a miniature chocolate wonderland.  A shrine to the magnificent cocoa bean, I had to limit myself to the most intriguing sounding flavour combinations with their mind boggling array of truffles, amongst them mango and black onion, and black olive and rosemary, both of which won my vote.  I got away with some 100% chocolate which I can't wait to try, and the roughly textured shards of dark chocolate bark with ground coffee was earthy with just a hint of caffeine so my deep slumber was undisturbed last night. 

Baravelli Truffles

Works of art - mango and black onion, violet cream, lavender cream, geranium cream, black olive and rosemary

Next up was Isaac Simeon, artisan patissier extraordinaire.  Disappointed that I wanted to photograph him at the end of the day, his shelves depleted and eyelids heavy, I might have to return again this morning to buy a loaf or three just to keep us both happy.  He'd been up since 4 and, running his business single handed while his wife and business partner lovingly fulfils her maternal calling, he is clearly a man with a lot on his plate.

Isaac Simeon

with a small selection of his edible masterpieces.  If I worked here, I would have eaten the profits

I limited myself to three small exquisite concoctions to be shared and sampled with decaf coffee later and I felt relieved his bread had sold out, probably quite some time earlier.  Shutting shop at 5pm, his final ports of call were a couple of restaurants to deposit some of his fine wares.  Originally from Spain, his eyes ablaze with passion, I think he's going to be very busy again after his annual leave.  His patisserie beautifully boasts flavour profiles that are defined with expert clarity and it's so very moreish.  I've never seen or tasted meringues like his - not overly sweet, the amalgam of light-as-you -like buttery melting pastry, airy peaks of floaty foamy meringue, and mouth tingling zingy curd that almost made me pull my citrus face had me in raptures.

Cosmopolitan

Alluring shop front

Having seen the delightful name displayed throughout Conwy, my next visit was to Parisella's ice cream parlour.  My friend was heavily engrossed in books at the library and I was getting a bit peckish.  I had resisted temptation, walking past the busy shop with ease first time so as not to be late for our meeting.  Even my ploy to find a cashpoint was foiled in my attempts to miss last orders.  I was glad I could only fit two of their umpteen varieties, both imaginative and familiar, into my dark brown wafer cone and gladder still that my friend had the decency not to take my photo as we walked along the harbour past the crab and lobster pots.  In my haste to escape the crowded parlour, I forgot to pick up the handful of serviettes I needed to preserve my dignity.  I couldn't have cared less with my chocolate and pistachio moustache and beard and sticky chocolate smeared right hand.  I even managed to dribble some on the bottom of my jeans.  The pistachio was outstanding, dotted with precious small green nuggets, and it wasn't in the same ballpark as even the most prestigious supermarket brands.  Cone envy soon had passers by asking where I'd sourced my cool comforting bounty.

Scene from the Middle Ages

A bevy of swans

A brief brew at base camp before we finally decided on our dinner destination on a Friday night in peak season led to a new discovery, East in Llandudno.  Tucked away near the station opposite a tattoo parlour, it was a real find.  All our food needs were catered for with grace and ease and our myriad questions answered with gentle authority.  I'm clueless when it comes to ordering oriental food so I was delighted that my companions were well schooled.   The only thing I had to decide was whether to have soup and which one to have.  A Cantonese restaurant with a twist of Japanese, the menu was varied and intriguing.  It was packed before 7pm, a good litmus test for the quality of what we experienced.  The bold flavours were put together with an expert lightness of touch, and the freshness of their produce made for a very satisfying evening.  My personal favourites were the beef sizzler with black bean sauce and the sea bass.

Captive audience

Noh Japanese theatre masks at East restaurant

Back at HQ again, after a brief and slightly ridiculous dressing up session, my heart continued to sink as it was decided that we would watch telly.  More a fan of conversation and board games, I was swiftly drawn in with utter fascination as I watched what must be one of the most loving touching tributes from a daughter to her parents I've witnessed.  The fruit of ten years' loving labour, the short film she made is a painstakingly heart wrought reenactment of my friend's parents' days of youth, including their wedding day.  Every tiny prop and minuscule personage had been hand crafted from an imaginative selection of materials, then photographed, and assembled with stop animation before being edited and embellished by the addition of a soundtrack.  Most of this labour of love took place in the kitchen of a flat in Manchester.  I've known my friend since we were so high and I marvelled with nostalgia as I remembered people and places from what almost feels like a past life.  I felt a bit embarrassed as I recognised my own playing as part of the track.  Honoured to be included in such a personal dedication, I feel privileged to be gifted some seriously talented creative people in my life.

Gorgeous gorse

and so many heather hues

This evening I head off to see my Mum before normal service resumes next week.  Have I missed my harps and music?  I've hardly had time to think about them and the more I think about them, the more I look forward to my binge next week.  It's going to be a very busy, challenging, interesting few months and I'm feeling focused and ready - bring it on.

Beautiful

dark dahlia

Polar opposite

blooming beautiful dahlia

The blues

Result!

I know why baking has become so important to me recently.  It's all about the process and my love of it and it's a great stress reliever.  It all starts with the idea.  Then the planning and shopping for ingredients.  Next is preparation and assembly.  And finally, here is the end result of yesterday's endeavours:

Ta daaaa!  Ambery perfection.

About half way through the cooking time, the aroma wafting through my kitchen was tantalisingly irresistible.  Cooking satisfies my senses and I'm not sure why I let baking slip over the past year.  At one time I used to bake every Sunday.  It demands time and effort for sure.  Since I lived with a French family in Lyon, all I had to think about was the harp and my studies - I didn't have to do the cleaning, cooking and gardening and worry about paying the bills.  Towards the end of my studies, before I got my job in Cape Town, I was practicing for 6-7 hours a day - good times!!  In Lyon, cooking was like breathing.  My legendary teacher Germaine was another fine cook and gourmand and her passion for food was on a par with her passion for music and for life.  After my four years studying in Manchester and becoming independent and able to take care of myself, or so I thought, moving to France was a real eye opener.  How green I was!  I thought I knew how to play the harp and how to cook - I had a lot to learn!   I remember clearly learning to separate eggs and the fascination I felt at discovering you could beat them into a foamy amalgamation to be incorporated into all sorts of culinary delights.

There is an air of nostalgia about my baking - I have been using this foolproof recipe for over 20 years and it's a crowd pleaser.  I love how it has only 4 ingredients.  I enjoyed 2 pieces yesterday and it felt a whole lot better than trashy chocolate...

Stiff snowy peaks - "battre les blancs en neige"

In the tin

Out of the oven

Mmmmmm

Putting myself out there

I had a lovely busy relaxing day yesterday and this morning my batteries feel recharged again.  Good job as I have a long to do list to set me up for next week's busyness.  

As I take stock this morning ahead of my harp week, I still can't quite believe my success or failure as a harpist depends on my networking skills and my ability to appear high up on search engines!  My new website has been up and running for 9 months or so (so it's already old I suppose) and it's only this week that I started appearing in the godmother of all search engines.  I am guessing that's down to blogging?  So I'm going to keep going with that as I do like to express myself through the written word.  

I don't like game playing and often that's what this business feels like.  In my research I noticed several harpists whose names came up first.  At the risk of sounding unprofessional, I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole.  Yet they have keenly honed marketing skills and I can see how easy it would be to fall for them.  Unless people meet me, hear me and see me play, I don't think I stand a chance.

I have decided I'm not willing to pay to play at wedding fairs for the time being.  Considering my wedding and background music fees and following my experience at recent fairs, the return just isn't worth it at the moment and, truth be told, I feel slightly resentful about paying to go to work on top of travelling time and expenses.  I always get positive reactions from prospective clients and suppliers when I play at fairs, so come on organisers - invite your skilled and highly trained musicians to give your fair a touch of class with beautiful live music, and maybe even consider paying their travelling costs!  I feel comfortable that my prices are fair and affordable for the high quality level of service I offer - if you book me you get 100% (probably more actually!) and I only do one wedding a day - I would self-destruct if I did more than one job!  I'm happy to invest in my business if it leads to more harp work for me, and that's a challenge.  It's about knowing my worth, keeping my integrity and sticking to my guns, and eventually the right doors will open if they're meant to.

I am now comfortably nestled in my attic as I type this post, and yesterday I heard a cuckoo in the woods nearby.  As I looked up just now, a duck flew busily overhead.  After a draining week, I faithfully did my Pilates last night and finally my exercise routine is paying off.  I felt stronger in my core and legs for the first time ever.  Being in this space again and imagining my bathtub under the stars fills me with excitement and hope, and I plan to resume my blissful bedroom project before I need a stair lift!!!  Right, I'm off to bake a cake.  It's my French landlady's recipe and is the most amazing cake - it's like eating a cloud...

The inspiring view from my writing desk .  Yes, 5 Velux windows in my customary spirit of generosity and abundance (7 would've been a REALLY good number...)