Well……the heatwave is finally about to break and a week of thunder storms and torrential rain are due to hit us. To be honest, I could do with some rain, as could the garden, and I do enjoy watching really dramatic weather.
I’m glad it will be pouring down tomorrow at the rescue as it’s become unbearably hot there, and hard physical work in chronic heat is horrible….I kid you not, the sweat has been dripping off my fringe and into my eyes….and running creepily down my spine! Too much information there, I know……
I think the inmates at the rescue have had enough too, everywhere you look animals are lolling about languidly…..they almost look drugged! And on top of the heat we are madly busy with baby birds and hedgehogs simply pouring through the doors.
So….as I sit here on the last swelteringly hot day, I thought I’d share a few of the summer sizzlers I’ve enjoyed this last week.
Hubs and I cycled to Crosby beach through the forests and dunes on a wonderful new cycle track that was built last year, it only takes twenty minutes and we enjoy a delicious picnic once we get there. Dotted along the beach are two hundred life sized iron men which I find especially eerie and lonesome in wilder weather, they look incredible when huge waves are crashing around them.
Each figure weighs 650 kilos and they are made from casts of the artist, Antony Gormley’s, body. They all stare out to sea and are all at different stages of rising from the sand. The work is seen as a poetic response to the individual sentiments associated with emigration….sadness at leaving but hopeful of a new future in another place, hence the title of the work, Another Place.
The beach was almost deserted when we went in the late afternoon, I think the heat had driven most people away so we got to enjoy the Iron men all by ourselves.
If anyone would like to find out more about the Iron men, please see my previous post.
Summer is the time for celebrations, festivals, fetes and fairs and Liverpool is just full of them at the moment. All last week, Liverpool has been celebrating Brazilica…and the celebrations ended in a fantastic annual parade, which is now the largest in the U.K.
I was in awe of the dancers who shook their tail feathers for over three hours in the sweltering heat, and kept beaming smiles on their faces.
Performers came from all across the U.K.
I danced my little cotton socks off from the sidelines.
And I swear I could hear the drums ringing in my ears for hours afterwards…..BRILLIANT it was!!!
And of course we had to go around a few bars in Liverpool afterwards……several long cold beers were urgently called for. This is the courtyard in a lovely old pub called The Hole in the Wall….one of my favourite pubs.
Then, on Sunday, a food fair came to our village…..
And the jams, pickles and cheese were to DIE for!
Along with these beautiful little rescue donkeys. I cannot describe how silky soft they were….I lost time stroking their gentle little heads….
And it was wonderful to see the delightful rescued greyhounds promoting the Greyhound Rescue….a marvelous charity who hopefully made a few bob on the day….a MOST deserving cause!!!
So…here’s hoping you’re enjoying your very own Summer sizzlers…..I’m off storm watching as the skies are already darkening…..so….no cleaning today…..smashin’.
Ahhh Janet, come for a weekend and be my quest, I’ll take you to see the Iron men and on a few good walks! xxxx
Good morning Dina…what a fabulous post. I absolutely love the Iron men on the beach, and hope one day to visit there myself. Yes, there is a very eerie quality about them…..but absolutely mesmerising.
Loved the images of the festival and pub courtyard…village food fair…..so much to take in.
Ah the heat….I lived in it for many years, and do not enjoy it one bit. 80 degrees is about the most I can stand….and so like you and all the animals in the shelter, I was very glad when it broke.
Wishing you more wonderful summer days:)xxxxx
Looks like you have been having a FAB time – great piccies – those scantily clad ladies didn’t leave much to the imagination did they! Poor old animals – I know how they feel – this heat is so draining isn’t it. Not sure about the Iron Men – they look a little spooky to me – I certainly wouldn’t like to meet up with one after dark. Ha!
Thanks Elaine, I must say I’m having a great summer, so much better than last years eh?
The heat is draining, we’re simply not used to it. Now we have torrential rain and thunder storms which have freshened it up a little and given the garden a much needed drink.
Lol….the Iron men do look creepy in the dark.xxxx
What a splendid parade, and those Iron men are most interesting.
I enjoyed the donkeys, and those greyhounds, they do make good family pets.
Thanks Dessie, summer is a great time for enjoying outing and fetes. Yes, greyhounds are such wonderful gentle, loyal dogs.xxxx
An interesting mix of sizzlers. Hope you get a break from the heat soon. The weather has cooled here and I am beginning to think we will have an early fall.
I really like the rather forlorn looking iron men. There is something whimsical and even mysterious about the way they look out to see.
The parade looks like fun and that big pot of food is making me hungry. Time for breakfast I think.
Thanks Jennifer, we now have sunshine, torrential rain and thunder storms, very odd for us.
There is something rather haunting about the Iron men, especially in the winter.xxxx
Thanks for visiting Noeleen, the Iron men are a real curiosity aren’t they?xxxx
I definitely will click the post on your iron men – I’m intrigued.
This was interesting. Love the little handful of life pic 🙂
Oh no those poor hedgehogs, you are getting so many too by the sounds of it.
You’ve certainly been having some fun! I really want to go to Crosby to see those figures, look fascinating. I love those food fairs looking forward to the Huddersfield one in a couple of weeks, its really popular.
Thanks Annie…..the hedgehogs have bred really late this year so we’re only just getting the first casualties of the year but they are pouring in in droves. We have a good success rate with hogs though so that little guy should be fine!
Oh I love food fairs….they seem to be the new big thing don’t they!xxxx
It’s funny you should mention the Iron men in the waves….lots of visitors really thought people were drowning themselves, they are very eerie in the mist and at dusk!
I could stroke donkeys forever, one of these days I know I’ll end up rescuing one, hubs is standing firm though…..lol
How lovely that you are having milder weather, it can be too hot sometimes can’t it and watering the garden takes forever! Thanks Nikki xxxx
I can’t imagine hours of dancing in sweltering heat! But those serene images of the Iron Men are very cool indeed. I had a pop over to read your post from last year and loved the images you took then, too. So pensive. I wonder if anyone was worried about these “people” out in the waves before they realized these were part of an art installation!
The donkeys look so sweet. I’m sure they loved your undivided attentions!
Hurray for cooler weather! We have had a most unusual July with a few very light showers here and there and temps only in the 80s (F) rather than the usual glowering 90s.
So you’re all sweltering up there too ! It’s so tiring when the weather is hot. I have been sleeping downstairs since the weekend because I just couldn’t sleep with the heat of the upstairs bedrooms. It is great to see your festivals. I love them too. That’s what summer is all about. What a huge paella. I cold eat that all to myself LOL :))
Greyhounds are my favourite dogs too. So elegant.
I hope it cools down for you soon as all those poor animals (and humans) at the rescue will appreciate it.
Another interesting and lovely post of life in the north west. xxx
The weather is so muggy at night Kegs…I just lie on top of the covers and roast away! And it seems to be forecast for another month….what a contrast to last year!
Hahahahahaha…I wanted to eat that paella in one sitting too!!!
Yes, it’s deffo a thumbs up for the greyhounds!!! Thanks Kegs.xxxx
lovely post and I love that the dancers are there shaking their booty in all shapes and sizes and as you say… so liberating and wonderful!
Lots of energy and life in this post and love the pics of the beaches and think it must be weird to swim underwater amongst the drowned iron men….. So strange to think of them having fishes swimming round them and then for them to be above and out of water. Think they are a wonderful concept though ponder uneasily on their dominance in the beach scape etc… mmm… lots to think about eh! xxx
Thanks Arose…..the dancers really got me moving…..such energy! Oh to be young eh?
It’s funny about the Iron men, lots of women got really freaked out when the were first installed as they thought they were men stalking them…..y’know….I’ve never thought about what it would be like to swim with the submerged Iron men….probably because I can’t swim! I think the arguments will rage about them for a long time…I have got used to them now and do love them in wild weather….it seems to demonstrate how helpless we are aginst the forces of nature. xxxx
Wow, that food!! Yum yum. Fabulous post, I could almost sense the vibrance of it all. x
Lol….thanks Suzy.xxxx
Thanks Shimon, the dancers were great to watch, they were having a ball
Ahh…yes….the Iron men caused many an argument when the council bought them at great expense.
At first I hated them as I loved the beach the way it was and couldn’t understand why anyone would dot a bunch of figures across it, but I suppose I’ve just got used to them now and ironically, when the tide completely covers them each day it almost seems to me that the work is merely demonstrating the force and the power of nature compared to us.
I do agree about how mankind has stamped it’s mark in the remotest places…..xxxx
This is a marvelous post. What Images! I agree with you, the smile on the dancers is most impressive. But those Iron Men certainly give me much thought. I do love art. But how about a length of beach with just the possibility of giving our homage to nature? So rare to be able to look at this world without the imprint of man… All the same, the post was very positive. Wishing you more moderate weather soon.
LOVE all these photos, except for the poor little hedgehog, but I know he’s in very good hands. 🙂 Summer festivals are so lively, aren’t they? The iron men are so intriguing; love those photos especially, Snow Bird. Thanks for all the colors and stories and please know I’m toasting with you with a long cool brew of my own! 🙂
Thanks Kitty……we have a great success rate with hedgehogs, even the tiny ones, so I’m confident that little guy will be back in the wild once we get it to 800 grams.
I do love the energy of summer festivals, there always seems to be so much going on at this time of the year.
Ooooooh…..now I wonder what kind of a long cool brew you’re enjoying….I’m toasting you right back!!! xxxx
Greyhounds are so under-rated as family pets.
Those girls were suitably oiled up and under-dressed for the weather, no wonder they were smiling.
Gormleys figures are fantastic to see in pictures. I have fallen out of love with windmills, they are intruding everywhere.
xx
I couldn’t agree more about greyhounds, they are such docile loyal dogs.
Lol….yes, the girls certainly were under- dressed and they seemed to have a great time, they reallt interacted with the audience.
I must say, wind farms are springing up everywhere and I’ve heard there are arguments now about how efficent they actually are as they cost so much to build…..Thanks Menhir.xxxx
I love all your summer sizzlers! I’ve never seen the Iron Men for real, but from your photos they look very forlorn or melancholy. Do they stare right into the sunset? I love the dancers – what fabulous, carnival weather they had! And the donkeys and the grey hounds are wonderful, I hope the dogs find the good homes they deserve (and the donkeys, too, if they’re looking for new homes) The little hedgehog is gorgeous!
Thanks Wendy, the Iron men do stare into the sunset and they are very meloncholy, especially as they slowly drown each day when the tide comes in.
Those wonderful donkeys and greyhounds have all found homes which is lovely.
We have lots of tiny hedgehogs coming in at the moment, some are hardly weaned so we have to feed them with goats milk. xxxx
How very odd!!! The link still goes back to your post though…..how can that happen?xxxx
By the Way…..Just noticed my name is spelt incorrectly on your blog…
Also No Profile Pic…… 🙄 ;)xx
Great! Fantastic post, D! Festive Fun…..in the Sun!!! Gorgeous!
Love those Brazilian Dancers….Fab….
Thanks for sharing…. Hugs! :)xx
Thanks Bushka….the dancers were so entertaining, I really admire their stamina!xxxx
The Brazilica fest was SO fun, I loved how all the women wore the costumes no matter their shape or size – very liberating. I love the pic of the iron men too! xx
It certainly was FUN!!! I noticed you dancing your socks off too!!!
It is great when women stop obsessing over how thin they have to be isn’t it.xxxx
Shake your tail feathers girl!!!! ~x~
Lol….I sure did shake ’em!!! And probably lost half a stone……xxxx
Are you sure that is Liverpool and not Rio? Or perhaps Barcelona, with that delicious-looking paella?
Lol….At times Liverpool could be anywhere, it’s so multi-cultural. xxxx
What was wrong with the little hedgehog? Dehydration?
It was dehydrated but most of them are when they come in, it was found wandering around in the daylight which is always a sign that something is wrong. The hogs are six weeks late breeding this year and are only just starting to come in. We’ve had eight in one week. The problem now will be the second litter in the Autumn, that one will be late too and those hogs won’t have time to reach 800grams and hibernate. xxxx
Yes, their names are on their nosebands, that’s Harry and Maggie. I too have a real love for donkeys, adorable little creatures they are.
I bet you’ll be glad of a drop of rain too, it’s so hard trying to keep everything watered isn’t it?
How lovely that you know someone who rescues greyhounds, they really are gentle, timid little dogs.
Thanks Flighty.xxxx
Hot and humid here, with some showers and cooler forcast for later in the week. Working in the rescue centre must be hard going when it’s like this so well done.
I’ve always liked donkeys and this pair look lovely. Is that their names, Harry and Mary(?), on the nosebands.
I used to know someone who always had two rescue greyhounds, lovely dogs.
A most enjoyable post and terrific pictures. xx