The 365th Day

Day 365

22 May 2010

It has been a beautiful sunny day, today. Not a cloud in the sky. I knew it was going to be a busy day in the town, because at 10am today there was a steady procession of cars heading into the town. Weekenders, locals, day-trippers. People paving the streets. A trickle of people in and out of the various shops. The aromas of coffee, mixed with seaweed, and chips and vinegar. A town alive with comforting familiarity, the vibrancy of a sea-side town that makes my heart sing and my soul dance to the constant, but subtle changes during the year. So much goes on in this small town, and yet it remains as it has been for as long as I can remember.

Swanage is a unique town. It has a life all of its own. It has survived deep scars from the Second World War, snowstorms, floods, the infamous 1987 hurricane, recessions, to name but a few threats over the years. It was the first example of recycling, thanks to George Burt; it is one of the most popular towns to come to visit on a school trip, and most people I knew before I moved back here knew the town either because of this, or because they have holidayed here. I have never met anyone who has said they disliked the town, but I have met many who have said they wished they could live here. It is a big playground for children; an ideal opportunity for improving fitness (being that it is so hilly), and for exploring either in the waters, on the hills, or in the boutique shops. The children here are delivered a superb standard of education, with a beautiful, idyllic backdrop with which to learn and develop. Don't think that I'm blind to the negative things in this town, but do believe me when I say that I know that life isn't all beach trips after school, or fetes and carnivals, festivals and fireworks. But I don't think that I'd rather be anywhere else in the world than right here with my family, and my friends, in the town I love...and never thought I'd return to, all those years ago as I left for university, when I vowed never to come back here!

Thank you to everyone who has read this blog over the year. I have enjoyed doing it, and I know that some of the photos haven't always been my best, but it's been tricky at times to combine two children with everyday life, work, home, social and the odd curveball into the equation. I intend to post here periodically, but am a bit relieved not to have to come up with something to photograph every day!

Victorian Swanage continues over the weekend.

My daughter offered to make me my breakfast, this morning, for the first time. So cute!

Coffee?

Day 364

21 May 2010

I did some photography work for The Purbeck Deli, today. Here is a sample, showing some lovely coffee beans. I love the aroma of coffee, but I'm not a great fan of the drink. I am a decaf soya latte girl (because I really know how to enjoy myself...), but if I drink caffeinated coffee I get jumpy and restless. Once I had an espresso and I needed to go and lie down for a bit, because I got dizzy and started having palpitations!

Victorian Swanage

Day 363

20 May 2010

Swanage is celebrating the Victorian era, this week, as a tribute to the 125th anniversary of the departure of the first steam train to leave Swanage railway station. Children from St.Mary's first school dressed in Victorian clothes and got to ride on the train. Bill Trite, mayor of Swanage, was also there to join in the fun.

Choo! Choo!

You can probably tell that I prefer photographing people, rather than trains.

Bikers

Day 362

19 May 2010

I went down to the quay, this evening, for a wander, and saw these motorcyclists chatting by monkey beach. I love hearing the noise of the bikes coming in and out of the town. It reminds me of my pillion days where we'd take a trip down to Swanage and mooch about, take it all in, then head back home again. I was always bloody uncomfortable on the back of the bike, as the seats aren't really designed with comfort in mind; gripping on for dear life gave me arm-ache; and I'd often fall asleep on the back of the bike. Once I woke up as we came to a halt on the M3 services. I don't know how I didn't fall off...must have been my husband's smooth riding that soothed me into a slumber!

This sculpture is on the quayside and I often use her as a landmark when I'm on a run!

Sailing

Day 361

18 May 2010

Swanage Bay was peppered with learner sailors, tonight, so I took some photos of them. Here is one of them. It looks like fun!

Monday Pub Lunch in the Sun

Day 360

17 May 2010

The weather has turned into the most beautiful day, today. I went for a run this morning, the first in a couple of weeks, and I felt so much better for it. I wish I had the time to do it every day!

At lunchtime we met some friends at the Square and Compass for a pint of ale and a pasty. We sat in the sun and enjoyed ourselves. Bliss!

Unwelcome

Day 359

16 May 2010

Swanage has a considerable number of second homes. People from other parts of the country who like to come on holiday here, have bought up a significant number of properties. Building contractors have bought up land in the area, and built "luxury apartments" to sell at inflated prices. I went out for a walk today and as I walked past one of these big buildings, I saw that there were only 5 cars parked in the private car park for the 20 or 30 flats. Either there were some remarkably conscientious, green people who don't need transportation living there, or the flats were empty because the owners were at their normal residence, somewhere else.

There is bad feeling about second home owners. These people are partly responsible (as is the popular public opinion) who raise the property prices beyond realistic and attainable for the average would-be property owner in the area. There are a lot of flats and "luxury" (what is so luxurious about them, I wonder?) homes which are built and aimed at the more affluent individual, and very little land devoted to affordable, realistically-priced homes for local people.

One could argue, on the other hand, that the second-home owners help to keep Swanage alive. Trades and businesses in the area benefit from weekenders and families coming down throughout the year, which is a different town to the one I grew up in, 20 years ago, where the town hibernated in Winter and many shops would shut in October and not open again until after Easter. Events like the Blues Festivals, folk festival and the Jazz festival also bring in great numbers of visitors which keep the B&B's, restaurants, and touristy shops busy and the second homes rented out.

Purbeck District Council have developed a core strategy aimed at maintaining and improving the area and looking at the issue of affordable housing. This is a welcome option (apart from those who don't want to see Purbeck land being used to build housing on - in my opinion an unrealistic idealogy in today's society), because this will bring in younger people with professional and vocational qualifications which will serve the community in many ways, and allow Purbeck to increase in vibrancy and opportunity. If these people aren't encouraged into the area (and there are many families who would love to live around here for a better quality of life and better work-life balance), then the town will suffer in the future. One thing that it is considered certain would affect the town deeply is the Purbeck Review of schools.

Tomorrow the Community Overview Committee (COC) meet at County Hall in Dorchester, to hear the views of headteachers, governors, parents, politicians and the public, with regards to the Purbeck Schools' Review. It is hoped that at the very least, DCC will carry out and Economic Impact Assessment in Swanage in order to find out how the town will fare if it lost all secondary education. People must realise that it is not just those with children who will be affected. If education in Purbeck was reshuffled the way Dorset County Council want it, families would not want to live here, and the area would be in danger of becoming a second-home haven. Or it could be set back those 20 years to the way it was.

Swan Lake

Day 358

15 May 2010

I took my daughter to see Swan Lake at The Mowlem, this afternoon. 

 She was captivated by the ballet production from start to finish, and on the way home, she practised the movements she'd seen on the stage. Perfect motivation for her! We really enjoyed the production by the Vienna Festival Ballet. They gave a beautiful performance. My daughter gave me her interpretation, but especially liked watching Prince Siegfried dancing in his birthday suit! Oh, the things children say...!!

Nothing To Show

Day 357
14 May 2010

Again, due to personal circumstances, I wasn't able to take photos, today. It's been a very hard week!

Pegs and pebbles: The Minds of Children

Day 356

13 May 2010

This is how my children think: A bucket filled with pebbles, collected from the beach, and then some pegs put on the top of them. Why? Who knows?! But I like the fact that they think differently.

Broken...

Day 355

12 May 2010

...but can it be repaired?

Another photo which I'm very unhappy with, but which, due to personal circumstances, has meant that I haven't been able to get out and about with the camera.

A Bad Day

Day 354

11 May 2010

I didn't manage a photo for today, because there has been a lot going on and family takes priority. I'm annoyed about this, but I can't do anything about it!

Bluebells

Day 353

10 May 2010

It's been a tricky day, for me, today. I've been very pushed for time. There are bluebells everywhere, at the moment, and they look gorgeous amongst the greens and around the trees, and this photo doesn't really do this plant justice.

I'm Not Really A Train Person...

Day 352

09 May 2010

It was the diesel weekend on the Swanage Railway.

That's about as much as I can explain, because I don't know any more than that! But there were a lot of enthusiasts snapping away happily at this train.

Pirate Birthday Party Treasure Hunt

Day 351

08 May 2010

Today we went to a 5th birthday party. It was brilliant fun for the kids, as they found clues to where each treasure box lay in various parts of Durlston. They really got into it, becoming eagerly competitive with eachother, ignoring the fact that they each got the same thing and that there was no overall winner!
We had a great day, thankyou Cat and Jim!

DING! DING! Round Two?

Day 350

07 May 2010

Well, here we are, then. Dorset South is suddenly a grubby blue. Sorry, Jim!

  Gordon Brown is desperately yet defiantly offering to share the booty; Cameron is the schoolboy trying to reach the sweetshop counter to get the prized lollipop out of the jar; and Clegg is suddenly the most popular boy in the playground that all the other kids want him to be friends with.

What will happen, next?

Election Day

Day 349

06 May 2010

We went to the polls, today, and cast our votes. I don't want Richard Grosvenor Plunkett-Erlne-Erle (I'm just an ordinary Dorset man with a mansion and a 7,000 acres garden, yah?) Drax to win the Dorset South seat. He isn't of the ordinary world. He doesn't have a clue what real life is all about. He certainly has no idea about the Purbeck community, mostly because he never comes here (until last week when his billboard land rover turned up in the town and he went on a meet and greet in the street), so why on earth would anyone want him in our seat? Conversely, Jim Knight has made many visits to Swanage, has actively campaigned on issues in the town, and been listening to the residents. Ros Kayes has also been involved and active in the schools campaigns, and other issues in Purbeck.

I am writing this retrospectively, so really this isn't a "live" blog submission. But it is how I felt yesterday, and even more so how I feel today.

Grumph...

Freedom of Choice

Day 348

05 May 2010

This is not my original choice of image, but it was all I was able to do, today, due to some setbacks from yesterday. All is fine again, now, but it's been a tricky day!

What I intended to depict was the freedom we have to vote without fear of corruption or loss of life, without being bullied into voting for a dictatorship Government, and with the right to freedom of choice. Think about Countries where democracy is a dream, and where dictatorship dominates over the individual. 

Previous generations of men and women have fought to give us our freedom.

Please vote tomorrow.

Sun Rise

Day 347

04 May 2010

Today I was up at the crack of sparrows. I took this photo - very quickly - on my way out of Swanage. Without going into detail, I had to be in Southampton by 7.30 this morning. It was a challenging day, filled with promise. All went well.

Choo-Choo!

Day 346

03 May 2010

There was a chilly Easterly (so I was told) wind today, so the hats and warm coats made a re-appearance. We went up to "tokenworld", as our friend's little boy nicknamed it, and the kids had a ride on the train. It's been a relaxing bank holiday.

Dangling the carrot

Day 345

02 May 2010

The house needed a tidy-up. There were toys everywhere. It was decided that dressing up was a good way of getting the job done. It worked! I make no excuses for this poor photo, though - it's terrible!

Saxon-Viking battle

Day 344

01 May 2010

We went to Corfe castle to watch the battle re-enactment taking place. There was a village scene within The Keep; and there was an exciting atmosphere. There were arrows and stones being thrown. A chance for grown men to behave like kids!

chocolate pots

Day 343

30 April 2010

We had friends over for dinner, this evening. We did a course each. Starters were lovely spinach and feta parcels woth houmous and pitta; followed by baked cod; and my contribution was a Jamie oliver recipe for chocolate pots. We all ate very well, the food was delicious!

beach

Day 342

29 April 2010

After school we went to the beach with some friends. The weather had been overcast all day but brightened up when we got to the beach!

chocolate face

Day 341

28 April 2010

My son had a soya chocolate yoghurt, today. He really enjoyed it. as you can see!

flora

Day 340

27 April 2010

I was pushed for time, today, but this flower caught my eye so I thought I'd take a picture of it.

recyling?

Day 339

26 April 2010

I took this today as I passed a bin by the beach. I am frustrated by our recycling. I want more for recycling and less for landfill, but our council does not take plastics or food/veg for composting. At the moment we give our compostable stuff yo our neighbours who have an allotment, but what I'd like to see is our compostable material collected by the council and then resold at a good price back to the locals to use on their allotment/flowerbeds, Why can this not happen, when in lots of other boroughs it does?

Sunday

Day 338

25 April 2010

Last night our friends came to stay. It was wonderful to see them and catch up with them after a very long time of having not seen them.They left at lunchtime, and a little (too late) later I took the kids to check out the classic car rally. By the time we got there, all that was left was a mini mog, a broken down jag, and an Anglia. I was pushed for time so I hurriedly snapped at the mog before heading home.

Wedding Job

Day 337

24 April 2010

I had a photography job, today, photographing a wedding. It was a beautiful ceremony, and beautiful weather. The party was gorgeous, too. I did some formal shots, but most of them were informal, reportage-style. Just my thing!

Now I have a lot of photos to go through. It'll be fun!

St George's Day

Day 336

23 April 2010

I chopped a lovely rosy red apple up, to form the England flag. Clearly I have far too much time on my hands!

Happy St. George's Day!

Job

Day 335

22 April 2010

I was asked to take some photos of Vernon Lodge, which is a family-friendly B&B in Swanage. It was fun to head around the house and take pictures, and it's a lovely home.

Flora

Day 334

21 April 2010

I've been busy, today, so I haven't had time to think of photography.

This is partly down to the fact that I've been distributing petitions to various shops in the town. The petition asks people to sign if they agree that Dorset County Council should halt their plans to change the education system from a three-tier, to a two-tier system, forcing closure of the middle schools in Purbeck. Many people in Purbeck are against the option to change to two-tier, because there is a lack of funding available to provide an acceptable standard of education. There are also concerns that the council failed to carry out an Economic Impact Assessment, which will provide information on how Swanage would be affected if the middle school was to close. If you're interested in finding out more, visit http://www.educationswanage.co.uk/.

If you see the petition whilst you're out and about, and agree with the above, please sign it!

Market Day

Day 333

20 April 2010

It was market day, today. I walked around to see what was on offer, for the first time this season. I bought a few books for the kids. I am often amazed by the standards of young children's storybooks, because they are so beautifully written and illustrated. I frequently read to my children with a similar enthralled suspense to theirs. We recently discovered the thrill of reading Pippi Longstocking, which still holds its own despite being written 60-something years ago by a Swedish author; but the Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe left my daughter enchanted, much like myself, who hadn't read it for years, let alone watched the film. Reading was always a pleasure for me as a child, and I'd spend countless hours curled up with a book, engrossed in another world. Nowadays, at the moment, children's literature is all I do read, but I will get back to those evenings of being curled up with a good book. I can't wait!