Hartlepool Headland

In search of threes
Looking out to the platform
Waiting for the train
Poster detail- the good old days!

For those of you who think I spend my life languishing in the Algarve sunshine, here’s a look at Restlessjo’s everyday world.  Let’s start at the railway station, shall we?

A blue sky day!
But what’s on the horizon?
Another platform being towed into place

If the weather’s good, I don’t need to travel far.  Many of my shots are taken on Hartlepool Headland.  There are always boats, or some form of activity.  Now we have a fleet of windmills out at sea.  Look closely at the middle photo.

Can you see the pier in the far distance?
Here it is, much closer
And now, very close!

The promenade wraps around Old Hartlepool, as the Headland used to be known.  A brisk walk along it will surely blow the cobwebs away.  In the distance, signs of former industry.

The Fish Sands- well known in Hartlepool
On the town wall
And looking through it!

The town wall is probably the nicest part of the Headland, and certainly the warmest.  These were taken on a warm but strangely foggy day last Summer.  The fog disappeared as rapidly as it came.

Not such a bad old place, is it?  This is my entry for the Weekly Photo Challenge.  Did I tell my story in threes?

Six word Saturday

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Today I’ve chosen a Header Photo

And it has a nautical theme

With a nautical theme, you may notice.

Those offshore windmills will be turning

Those offshore windmills will definitely be turning today

Because it's a bright and breezy day

Because it’s bright and breezy (you could substitute the word “cold”)

One of these days I'll take you on the "Monkey trail"

One of these weeks I’ll take you on the “Monkey trail”

More properly known as the "Headland Story Trail"

More properly known as the “Headland Story Trail”

But it's a little cold for lingering today

But not today- it’s a little cold for lingering.

Much more suited to the marina

And much more suited to the calm of the marina

Maybe you remember that last week my Header was a plain, bold black?  During the week I’ve tinkered about a bit and come to a few conclusions.  In the main, I’m happy with the plain Header, because I usually start my post with a photo, and there’s more impact this way.  But for a post like this, where I start with a logo, I think a photo looks better.

This generates its own problems, because the writing on the Header is white, and I cannot change the colour unless I pay to customise it.  So, I need to use a fairly dark toned photo for the writing to show up.  This limits my choice a little, but I’ve enjoyed playing with the Headers, and I expect you’ll be seeing more.  I’ll have to change it with each post or it won’t match, and if you visit another of my posts after this one, that won’t match either! (for anyone missing my old Town Wall header photo, it’s now consigned to my Flickr photos, in the sidebar)

Next week, the problem of Menus and Categories.  Do many of you use them?  If not, how do you go about finding posts?

As often happens, I’m using my Six word Saturday in a slightly unconventional way.  But it’s interesting, isn’t it?  Well, I hope you think so.  Cate at Show My Face will have lots of variations on the theme, so don’t forget to click on the link or the logo to join in.

Black and white photo challenge : Neighbourhood
Hartlepool marina

Hartlepool marina

I didn’t really expect to take part in Sonel’s Black and White photo challenge again this week.  Then I saw the subject matter and just couldn’t resist having a little play around.

I have an awful lot of shots of my neighbourhood, so the real challenge was in finding out which ones might best convert to black and white.  I find I have a preference for sepia.  How about you?

I love the hunched shadow at the rails on this photo.

I love the hunched shadow at the rails on this photo.

The sky on this particular day was practically black already!

The sky on this particular day was practically black already!

How wild and angry does this look?

How wild and angry does this look? The houses are huddled against it!

I can watch the sea leaping the pier all day

I can watch the sea trying to leap the pier all day.

But this is undoubtedly one of my favourite shots from Hartleppol Headland.

But this is undoubtedly one of my favourite shots from Hartlepool Headland.

Thanks again, Sonel, for getting me to look at my world a little differently.  I rather like what I see.  This challenge business is a little addictive, isn’t it?  I’ve seen some wonderful entries already.  Come with me to Sonel’s Corner and take a look.  How about these for a start?

http://geriatrixfotogallerie.wordpress.com/2013/06/26/black-and-white-weekly-photo-challengeneighbourhood/

http://travelwithintent.com/2013/06/26/el-born-barcelona/

http://marantophotography.wordpress.com/2013/06/25/a-beautiful-spot-in-the-neighborhood/

http://bopaula.wordpress.com/2013/06/25/black-white-photo-challenge-neighbourhood/

http://weliveinaflat.wordpress.com/2013/06/25/abandoned-but-for-the-sun-and-moon-above/

http://shareandconnect.wordpress.com/2013/06/25/black-and-white-weekly-photo-challenge-neighbourhood/

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Six word Saturday

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How to dance a jig doll!

Sssh, whisper it, but I think we may just have turned the corner into Spring?  Yesterday I spotted a hint of pink blossom in the trees, and the curves of crocuses throughout the town were valiantly trying not to shiver.  I was still caught in a shower of sleet midweek, but I’ve also been out, striding along clifftops and beaches under wonderfully breezy blue skies.  Want a quick look?

The beach at Hartlepool Headland and derelict pier in the background

The beach at Hartlepool Headland, with derelict pier in the background

The retreating tide

The retreating tide

Approaching the pier

Approaching the pier

My sea monster

My sea monster

The dunes back of the beach

The dunes back of the beach

The habitat of the dunes

The habitat of the dunes

The good old days

The good old days of Crimdon Dene, resort?

The caravan park that remains

The caravan park that remains

Not a good place to throw the stick for your dog

Not a good place to throw the stick for your dog

And home, over the stream

And home, over the stream

Highlight of my week?  Dancing a jig doll!  It was totally unexpected.  At my first ever visit to our local branch of the U3A, the entertainment was a lovely couple, Ron and Pat Keady.  With Ron on guitar and vocals, Pat demonstrated her versatility and love of Appalachian music and dance forms.  The Auto Harp (or dulcimer) was unfamiliar to me, but I recognised the Jew’s Harp and spoons, of course.  When the paddle and the jig dolls appeared, I was enthralled.  Even more so when they were passed around for the audience to try.  Bashing away at the paddle, I thought I did a very creditable version of “Jambalaya”- for a beginner!

What fun!  I think I’m putting one on my Christmas list.  If you have absolutely no idea what I’m talking about, the YouTube video links below will demonstrate.  You will love the dog! (second clip)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzNEgMNV8UM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwuRfGDOrsY

Don’t forget to visit Cate at Show My Face this sunny Saturday, and share your week.  Hope it was a good one?  Click on the button for my previous 6WS’s.

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Exhilarated!
The breakwater

The breakwater

The sea was boiling today!  One of those “wrap up warm, good to be alive” days.  It was my final walk with the group before we split up for the Christmas hols, and we stayed local, on Hartlepool’s Headland.

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It was all just an excuse to have coffee and scones at Mary Rowntree’s Victorian Tearooms.  Wonderful to be inside, out of the cold, in this beautifully restored former church.

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This is just a quick thank you post to all who offered me advice and encouragement   when I was in despair at the weekend.  As you can see, the photo crisis is resolved, and I’m now hastening to put our Christmas tree up, finish the shopping, and catch up with all your blogs. (you know very well that it won’t be in that order!)

See you soon!

Six word Saturday

A hodge podge of a week!

In a week where the finals of the tennis in Rome were rained off and had to be played on Monday, my week was out of sinc from the word go.  Two of my passions collided and I left my walking group to their own devices and hovered near the TV.  Happy to say that Rafa won, so it was worthwhile!  It was a grey day anyway.  (I know I’m sad, but a passion is a passion)

Heat then wrapped around our blessed isle and on Wednesday, after t’ai chi, I met a lady friend, thinking we’d have a lovely walk on our Headland beach.  Well, we did, but it was enveloped in thick fog!  Normally it looks like this:

 

But not today.  Sadly I didn’t have my camera- sometimes it seems rude to be snapping away when you are enjoying someone else’s company.  I wished I had though because I would have loved to capture the eeriness of the lonesome sailboats wending their way out of the harbour.

More than that, I could have shown you the great conversion job that’s been done to the chapel, now Mary Rowntree’s Victorian Tearooms.  The project had lots of council opposition and had been ongoing for years.  The result is fabulous. Have a  look at http://www.stanlaundon.com/heruteu.html  It has some wonderful photos of Old Hartlepool and if you look down the left hand sidebar there is just one shot of Mary Rowntree’s.  If you click on it to enlarge you’ll get some idea of the place.

Thursday, as some of you know, I was Nordic walking and riding a steam train in North Yorkshire.  I couldn’t wait to write this post :  https://restlessjo.wordpress.com/2012/05/25/steams-up-in-north-yorkshire/ but here are a few extra shots if you don’t have time to read it.

Grosmont village

“The Green Knight” steams in!

All aboard!

Oops, silly me! You get the picture, anyway.

And finally, the picnic spot

I guess that’s worn everybody out with my week!  As usual I’m saying thank you to Cate of Show My Face for coming up with the idea of Six word Saturday, though I know I abuse it.  She’d love you to join in.  The details are in the link and in the banner at the top of the page.  Thanks for reading, and please, if you have the stamina, come back next week.