The sun came out - optimism works

Well, the sun did come out to play - Ruskin's optimism did work. I wandered back through the amazing wintergarden for few more photos in quite different light. Little did I know what a treat I was in for - Gillian got home and suggested we go the the Yorkshire Sculpture Park - a place I had visited some 10 years ago, but in very different weather - it had been a winter day - grey and raining. Filled with enthusiasm and anticipation at the thought of seeing the work of Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth et al in the space it was meant to be was to be a special experience - this was specially so as I had just seen the exhibition at the Graves Gallery.

As Gillian negotiated the traffic, I was absorbed by the green Yorkshire countryside, stone walls and cottages as we sped towards Wakefield. To my great delight there were hardly any people there - the grass was green, the sky was blue and the light was perfect ... sheep dotted the landscape, some taking shelter under stands of magnificent English Oak ... and then, there they were in all their magnificence - powerful statuesque images of bronze, some seemingly lolling about as if they were always there, others towering over in sentinel postures. Some of the sculptures lie in front of the tall yew hedge that borders the park and needless to say the Yorkshire weather and light turned on a light show to delight my photographic eye. We wandered for a couple of hours through the rolling landscape past the old Breton Hall to an Andy Goldsworthy installation - well, it looked like a dry stone sheep pen to me! neverthless it was beautiful in structure and form.

An added interest was the temporary exhibition by British Artist Peter Randall-Page. His pre-occupation with the natural world means that he has studied the organic form of nature and located it as central to his sculpting practice. I found his work quite powerful too as it evoked a feeling of being caught in the natural rhythms or patterns of nature - something between chaos and order - a sort of dynamic tension. Loved it.

Yesterday evening I was introduced to yet another culinary sensation - this time the provincial french cuisine of Jean Paul at Ceres. Bread, olives and feta - followed by Breast of duck l'orange, vegetables and Potaoes au Gratin ...finished off with the best flambed banana crepes I have tasted - of course the french Burgundy was suitably magnificent too. We then made our way to Gillian's local - the Union Pub for a couple of single malt whiskies and a catch up with some of her friends. Judith who travels and paints with Gillian, her partner Gordon - a retired civil servant - who now mountaineers and David Westby a sculptor who with his partner Leonie have renovated an Olive property in Ostina, Puglia in Italy. (their project has been on Grand Designs). A very enteraining evening - exchanges of travel stories, art, 'old times' - and for me the most interesting was talking to David about the renaissance of their property and their art school. I have been convinced that I need to go there myself and check it out - well, you know where my next holiday may be!

Sadly this morning it was time to say farewell again - one of the joys of true friendship is the way that years can be instantly rendered obsolete when friends meet again, I really felt that we had had such a short time - but managed to fit in so much depth and quality into the time available - Gillian put me on the Trans Pennine Express and as I headed towards Stockport near Manchester - I was once again captivated by the coutryside of the Peak District. Rolling green pastures, criss-crossed by drystone walls, small stone villages of cream Yorkshire stone - bales of silage glistening in the sunshine, sheep grazing on what must be a continuous feast of lush grass ...

The train pulled in to Stockport at 12.53 and it was very special to see Anne and Kathy at the platform. Once again, it seemed like yesterday ... a very needed cup of tea at their lovely home in Church Lane, Marple - beautiful aesthetics, perfect lunch ... it's good to see them again. This afternoon we went for a wander down Chadkirke Chapel Trail - a leafy path bordered by a stream around the perimeter of what once very long ago (5th century) was land cultivated by the Celts - posssibly before the Romans were in England. Till 1977, the property had been a centre for cotton bleaching industry. The chapel was small and simple but exquiste in its own way - we wandered through the walled garden, stopped to smell the roses and avoid the bees who had strayed from their hive.... through the forest of sycamore, sessile and english oak, birch, ash, chestnut, beech ... past lazing cows, bumblebees, hedgerows -butterflies down to the river and back to the car ...

I'm now - really starting to relax, and feel like I'm on holidays. Plenty of photos but sorry folks - still cannot upload them - watch this space.

By the results of the Cats last two matches - it looks like I will have to return to encourage them back to some winning ways???

Love Lariane xx