Tuesday 8 July 2008

PP3 part 2









Went for a run along the river before breakfast, glorious, that warm wet smell after a night of rain, ducks and other waterfowl waddling about their business, the fishermen starting to congregate. Met Charles for breakfast and the cooked chirped him up greatly - yog for me!
Headed off to Ironbridge but sadly delayed by some interminable telephone calls. Spitting but not raining heavily so just about managed to film and photograph the narrow gorge, the elegant bridge and the amusing toll sign. Unfortunately there are substantially more trees now than there were in Piper's time let alone Fritter or Robertson whose view we were comparing with Piper's, and the Jackfield Museum view was obscured by huge building works on the river side. Charles bravely tackled the undergrowth in front of the Museum but reported back that the buildings aren't the same colours as in Piper's work and the church had moved itself - artistic licence I guess. there are so many museums in the valley we'd have loved to have visited but I hadn't factored in time unfortunately - and we were already delayed.
And on to New Radnor to interview Sid Burnard, an artist in Driftwood which obviously appeals since my podcast is titled DRFITWOOD (see www.libbyhorner.com and http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=277719748). Charles ate a pork pie en route which purported to have a world-wide reputation but to the expert wasn't much cop. I was finally persuaded to have a coffee at an OK Diner mid afternoon because I was flagging. We arrived unfortunately much later than planned but Sid was absolutely charming, gave us another reviving coffee and then started telling us about his long and varied career and showed us his wonderful driftwood sculptures - it's the birds I like, especially Deirdre made with some burnt wood which appears to replicate her feathers (Sid and Deirdre below). A wonderful enthusiastic good-hearted man. the interview should be launched in August hopefully. Oh, and New Radnor appeared to have some exceptionally old buildings - but it's only Norman whereas Old Radnor is Saxon! Age is, as noted yesterday, relative.
A beautiful drive over to Dongellau, stunning scenery. Arrived about 8pm, dumped our bags in the B&B and rushed into town for much needed sustenance.

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