That rainbow view

That view again... glorified with a rainbow.

Has to be some symbol of hope on a day like today.....

That view again

You know, that view that I pass every morning on my way to work and that I often stop to photograph. It was looking interesting, with dark storm clouds over Salts Mill and bright sunshine in the foreground. Some of the geese have taken to sleeping in the loading bay of the old British Waterways brick building, just under that big canopy. It must be a bit warmer and sheltered from the wind. For more views of 'that view', click the 'that view' label, below!

Dark satanic mills?

Another iPhone shot, of THAT view (click label below for others), taken on my way home from work. I took the photo because I loved the sky and the reflected lights but in the finished image I like the graininess that the iPhone has rendered. It adds extra moodiness.

And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountains green?
And was the holy lamb of God
On England's pleasant pastures seen?

And did the Countenance Divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here,
Among these dark satanic mills?

'Jerusalem' (words from a poem by William Blake, set to music by Sir Hubert Parry) has become a British anthem and one of the best loved of patriotic songs, played notably on the Last Night of the Proms.

Oh, what a beautiful morning

Even on my way to work, a morning like this fills me with joy. I love the feeling in the air when it's crisp and fresh and yet the sun is shining with a promise of the warmth to come. Often, early in the morning, the canal surface is very still and mirror-like too. The wind tends to pick up as the day goes on so you don't get the lovely reflections later. This is another quick iPhone snap but the quality is reasonable.

And yes, it's 'that view' again - seen in so many guises on my blog. Click the label for a few more.

Through rose-coloured specs

I couldn't resist taking this view again.  I've taken it so many times before (click 'That View' label below to see the others) but this morning it looked so lovely. It was a cold, frosty, very still morning and the rising sun was just catching Salts Mill, giving it a really rosy glow. I really like the way that at certain times of year it illuminates the mill and leaves the rest in shadow. There was not a ripple of wind on the canal either. It was a quick photo on my phone on my way to work but once again the iPhone does a creditable job, enhanced a bit by the 'Snapseed' app.

Murky

Another canal scene, this one taken on the way to work yesterday morning. Autumn... season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.  We had the mist, though things don't feel especially mellow or fruitful this year to me, yet.  It's rare to see a canal boat on the move at 8.00 am (holidaymakers usually get up and going rather later than that) so I was very lucky that this one loomed up out of the fog just as I had my iPhone out.  And yes, it's THAT view again... click the label below for more photos taken from more or less this spot.  I am always surprised how different it can look in different conditions.

That view again...

Regular readers of my blog will recognise this view as I have shown it several times before.  It's another of the lovely vistas that I am treated to on my commute to work.  I'm fascinated by how this scene changes throughout the year and according to the different weathers and lights.  This week it has been bright in the early sunshine and the reflections are very crisp in the still waters of the canal.  I have been especially noticing the three chimneys - all different.  (The one furthest away is Salts Mill).

To see other pictures taken at more or less the same spot please click the label 'that view' below.

This is one for Weekend Reflections.  To see the other entries in the theme please click here.

Moonstruck

(Best viewed large)
I find it odd that I am so drawn to this view of Salts Wharf with Salts Mill in the distance.  It's hardly the most beautiful view in the world, yet somehow it enthralls me.  I see it most days, as my habitual walk to work takes me over the canal bridge from which it is taken.  That means I get to see it in all weathers and all seasons.  I suppose that's one of the reasons I am so fascinated - different lighting and different weather conditions radically affect the way the scene looks.  Yesterday I was passing just before the sun rose above the surrounding hills.  It was light but not fully so and, as you can see here, the sun was catching Salts Mill in the background before it touched the buildings in the foreground.  As an added bonus, there was a full moon still visible and reflected in the water.  A crisp, cold morning gave a crisp, cold image.

Those of you who are awake (!) will recognise the view as the one I entered into the Yorkshire Landscapes Competition.  I still haven't heard the results of that (they seem to be taking ages over the final judging).  I will of course let you know if and when I hear anything.  If you want to see my other photos of this view please click 'that view' in the labels.

From the canal bridge

Well the snow wins today, as its back again! It was sheet ice yesterday - quite a challenge to get to work - and then it snowed again. Boo!

This picture was taken last week at one of my favourite spots, looking west along the Leeds-Liverpool canal towards Salts Mill (see its chimney in the far distance). (Isn't it great when someone in a red jacket walks into shot at just the right time?) I really like seeing how the scene changes with the light, the weather and the seasons. To compare, see my posts of 9 December and 26 November.

The black shed contraption on the left is where they used to load goods from the mill onto canal boats. That mill is derelict and becoming steadily more overgrown with weeds and even trees sprouting through the brickwork. It has been 'for sale' for years but I can't see anyone wanting to buy it. It's a rather ugly red-brick building with none of the charm of the older stone-built Victorian mills and it is in a very dilapidated condition.

Red sky in the morning...

A couple of weeks ago (November 26) I posted a photo I took one day on my way to work, of the early morning sunlight on the mills. It was a picture that lots of people seemed to like; the light was glorious that day. Out of interest I thought I'd post another photo taken from the same spot at about the same time in the morning, last week. It looks quite different in the dawn light. The sun was just rising and casting a pinkish hue in the sky; the moon still visible as you can see. Still a peaceful scene, with not a breath of wind to disturb the reflections in the canal.

There is an old saying: 'Red sky at night, shepherds' delight; red sky in the morning, shepherds' warning' - or sailors', depending how close to the sea you happen to be. It foretells the day's weather - but even if it heralds bad weather, a red sky always looks attractive to me.

As I took this photograph, a young lad on his way to school stopped and looked expectantly over the canal bridge, thinking, I suppose, that I was finding something really interesting to snap! I said, "It's just the pink sky, you don't see it like this very often..." and he grinned and said, most sincerely, "Yes, it's gorgeous!" before going on his way. A small encounter that really made my day!

Morning light

At this time of year the early morning light can be fabulous (at least, when it's not raining, which it often is)....Though as I write that I am thinking, hmm, maybe it's fabulous all the year round - except that I don't often see it. It's just at this time of year that the arrival of daylight coincides with me walking to work. Anyway, one particular morning recently I took this photo of some of the old buildings by the Leeds-Liverpool canal, with Salts Mill and its chimney in the background. The sky was full of quite stormy clouds but the low sun found its way through, giving this real glow to the stonework. There is often a boat moored in this spot, as it is one of the designated overnight moorings - and that just adds to the charm.