tagged by timsuzi: my 7 things are
1. i speak russian - kinda
2. i'm not a troll, really, no, i'm not
3. i have northern vowels
4. i was part of a student occupation of Lancaster University senate house in the 1990s - it lasted 5 days, and we were protesting about a very large hike in student rents
5. i can sail
6. i didn't pay my Poll Tax
7. my least favourite food is egg custard
mr.trolly and i saw them last night at UEA. they were fab.
this is very strange indeed, and worth watching even if you do not have sound. i had the distinct impression that this was somehow one 'universal' woman, which i have never experienced before when looking at art.
what i also got from this was a distinctly male impression of woman; coquettish, subservient (demure), objectified...or am i being unreasonable?
infatuation: The action of infatuating, or condition of being infatuated; a making or becoming fatuous; possession with extravagant folly; an extravagantly foolish or unreasoning passion.
secretive: Of persons, their feelings, habits, etc.: Addicted or inclined to secrecy; reticent; not frank or open.
OED 2007
image copyright of trolly.
the image shows Morecambe Bay fisherman, Ian McClure with a basket of cockles. the fishery is highly labour intensive, as cockles have to be collected by hand and cannot be dredged for. Ian is standing with the tools he uses: the 'jumbo' is basically a plank of wood with wooden handles, and this is rocked backwards and forwards to bring the cockles to the surface. the 'craam' or short rake, is used to help gather the cockles. the cockles are then sieved to ensure that only ones of the correct size are harvested. it is extremely tiring work, often done with permanently wet and cold hands, and in dangerous conditions.
in 2004, 23 Chinese men and women were drowned when working this fishery. there is a memorial site, which was set up to help raise money for the victims' surviving families at Ghosts.
late nineteenth century image of cockle fishing, note the group is mainly made up of women.
shrimp trawl, Morecambe Bay mid 1990s
two shrimp trawls hooked up to a tractor (in far distance at top, right-hand corner of image)
brown shrimps being boiled in out-house
cooked brown shrimps being sorted
i used to write freelance for Fishing News in the 1990s, i was sorting through papers yesterday, and came across these images, which i'd like to share. the photos show Flookburgh fisherman, Ian McClure, a very experienced fisherman who works in Morecambe Bay.
i was lucky enough to accompany him, one beautiful morning at the crack of dawn. he showed me how to catch shrimps, and not fall off the back of the tractor. it was quite simply fantastic. real food, locally produced, carefully managed, sustainable.
all images copyright trolly.
this is music of my childhood.
the music is by the Irish composer Turlough O'Carolan, or Carolan, arranged and played by Mark Harmer. i came to it via the music of Pentangle, and more particularly, John Renbourn, (see especially The Hermit).
this is a very strange time for me.
i've been
trying on possible alternative careers for size and wondering what might be.
