Saturday 30 June 2018

fading glory

Dear Sheddists,

when we first moved to Birmingham the Botanical Gardens were one of our very favourite places to visit.  They offered a refuge from the mad busyness of everyday life, a tranquil place in which to draw breath.

Over the years the Botanical Gardens have played a key role in many significant life-events. Our disabled son took early steps to walk on the lawn leading down to the Bandstand, work events were a regular fixture in the Conference Rooms and the Gardens were a place we shared many happy memories with friends as our families grew.

We went back to visit earlier this week and left feeling sad. Everything appeared in a state of neglect and disrepair - borders choked with weeds and unchecked perennials, water-features turned off and drained and the treasured Bandstand with peeling paint.

How sad to witness the fading glory of such an iconic site.











































Tuesday 26 June 2018

dreams and nightmares - no. 110


finding my voice





Dear Sheddists,

my last post was a memorial to my sister, Hilary. This post is about the impact of her death and three other crucial events in my life - the subsequent death of my father aged 48, the birth of our learning disabled son and the birth of our physically and learning disabled grandson.

This post is not intended to be maudlin. I am not feeling sorry for myself, I just wanted to express in photographs something I have long felt to be inexpressible.

Men do not find it easy to talk about difficult things. Our culture tells us men are expected to be the strong ones. So we don't talk about what really matters.  To compound the problem, we are all so busy we fail to stop and listen when someone needs to speak.

So these photographs are about how I have felt over the years. I want to say a very big thank you to those who have helped me find my voice. First and always is my dear wife who has listened, encouraged, challenged and affirmed for so many years. She loves me as I am.

Second are my children (and their partners) who I absolutely adore.

And then there is Zoe, my cousin and sister (figure that one out!), Debbie, my wife's best friend and Kate Green, my photography tutor who has helped me discover so much about how to communicate in pictures.

I could explain the meaning behind the photos that follow, but I won't. I will leave it to you to find your own interpretation.