Showing posts with label Artisans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Artisans. Show all posts

Friday 2 September 2011

House

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This is one of several houses around here designed in the William Morris 'Arts & Crafts' style and built around 1900, give or take ten years either way. Morris was one of those well to do middle class socialists that arose during the nineteenth century.  Adrift from the really poor he did aspire to create a more egalitarian, liberal, society while also developing his own art which showed up in textiles, writing and poetry. 'Arts & Crafts' basic idea was the promotion of the individual craftsman as opposed to the increasing use of machinery. This of course led to the finished high quality product being very expensive, and well out of the reach of the lower classes, and the middle classes also preferred the cheaper mass produced textiles, wallpaper and fabrics. Buildings such as this also show much in the way of craftsmanship, although as there are several like this about I am not sure how much the builders merely followed a mass produced plan!  Surprisingly I have noticed this building is not on the 'listed buildings' site either. Maybe they are not worth that much to the listing people?  Mind you one sold for around £400,000 recently, but not to me!




Somewhat typically the last day of Summer was overcast by white clouds accompanied by low temperatures. The first day of Autumn yesterday saw the clouds lift and the sun reappear. Today I strolled out wearing my disgusting old fleece jacket and found the air very warm indeed. High above the half naked young males attempting to impress the half naked young females soared the seagulls as they whirled about vulture like, slowly making their way the the estuary around fifteen miles away.  There they spend the night, on the water I suppose, before returning with the dawn to live off the land. I wonder if they do this the right way? I realise that my little camera could not get any closer to them, and they may be found as little dots near the bottom of the picture, but it is difficult to focus when some sixteen year old nymph is sunbathing nearby.


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Thursday 31 March 2011

Thursday

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As I crossed the bleak expanse that is Sainsburys car park I discovered yet more music in my head. This was another extension to the sounds that fill the mind as I wake, and that it appears is a phenomenon that we all endure at some time. Maybe we only just notice it in early mornings? I realised that what our friend Dan on his excellent blog has discovered is now called 'Earworm,' is also reflected in the pace at which we live our lives. I realised that rushing through the streets, as I was at lunchtime today, the music that appears in my head is also of quick pace. Sadly today was once again some banal music that probably rose to fame during one of those Eurovision Song Contests, an event I always attempt to avoid. When I saunter along slowly the music corresponds to my snails pace also, although at that speed I can recognise this and attempt to do something about it. Quite who the DJ supplying the music is or where in my massive brain the size of a planet he resides I cannot say. I am reminded by some that Pluto is a planet, what can they mean? 
There is a space in our minds that constantly requires to be filled. If we are concentrating on a subject we do not notice this.  For instance as I write the BBC is playing behind me yet when concentrating on this I do not notice what is being said. However if there was complete silence each time I stopped typing I reckon something, probably a tune, would make itself known soon enough. Usually I have classical music in the background, and I only notice some of it, if voices are heard I miss what is being said until I stop concentrating, if what I do can be called 'concentrating.'  You will have noticed that painters and decorators, builders and other 'artisans' always have a radio to listen to. More than this you will note they always listen to the worst music station on the dial, and naturally the volume is turned up to the highest level, yet they will probably not notice what has just been played if asked!


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