Owl day, white night
Off to Lewes Garden centre this morning with Lorraine and a hangover to meet First Matie, as Katie had spotted during the week that there would be owls there. I am rather fond of owls. Met First Matie in the carpark and wandered inside the garden centre to find several people with owls, with reinforcements sitting on stumps. I approached a gentleman with a large Indian eagle owl. Before I knew it, I was sporting a leather glove and a large fierce looking owl with captivating orange eyes, and a tufted head. The owner made me touch the owls talons and the pads on its feet, and then the thickness of the glove. An enthusiastic gentleman, he explained that the owl could go through that leather as if it were butter, and could crush cat's heads. After a few minutes I handed it back with a certain relief.
Lorraine, Kate and I all looked at owls and stroked them. Barn owls are particularly downy and lovely to the touch, but have no natural oils in their feathers, so when it rains they get bedraggled. A much needed cup of tea, and fond farewell's to Katie and then into Lewes for a nose about. Lorraine and I lurking in flea market, where I spotted an old German map of four islands including "Garnesay and Jarsay" however as the asking price was exorbitant, avoided it. Lorraine enjoying poking about looking at things, and particularly going into an old fabric and button shop.
An extraordinary evening. Brightonls new White Night Festival was on featuring art and events of all kinds free in the City. There were thousands milling about, and what was especially cool was that a fair proportion of ordinary Brighton folk were doused in fake blood, make-up and dressed as Zombies, Draculas and other denizens of the night. I vowed this time next year I will be doing the same. I fancy a high-foreheaded Frankenstein monster outfit.
We went to see Antigravity, a collaboration between two of Lorraine's ex-neighbours JD (who was helping Dawn to break in last weekend) and the sculptor Steve Geliot. Essentially it was a giant sphere with a rim around it which made it look like a flying saucer. This was hoisted into the blustery night air above the City College car park and images were projected into it from above. Lots of classy slightly bleepy tunes were played by the sound system as an accompaniment. We spoke to JD briefly afterwards who confirmed they had been struggling with the wind. But still rather a magical sight.
Then we walked through the lanes pausing here and there to listen to street musicians, and pop into a gallery which had an installation called Ladybird, which was a cartoon of a lady pleasuring herself with a dildo to the accompaniment of a cartoon tweeting bird. After a couple of minutes of this, and in a reprehensible way, I said "nice tits" to Lorraine as we left the room.
Then to the Pavilion, which was open to the hordes free, and we wandered through the gorgeous interior. In the music room there was some sort of electronic music, and in the sumptuous banqueting hall were Indigo Eye, featuring Lorraine's pal Helen sitting on a rug playing their slightly trippy Indian music --which was entirely appropriate in such an orientalist environment, to the hundreds of visitors as they filed by looking at the be-dragoned and chandeliered splendor.
From there to stand in New Road looking up at a balcony where a variety of singers emerged at a window to sing. Fantastic voices, particularly struck by a woman singing music from Opera, and best of all was someone styling themselves as Le Gateau Chocolat, a large black man dressed as a cloud who sang in a fabulous baritone, his best song a version of Creep by Radiohead. An absolute vision who went down brilliantly with the crowd. This is right by one of Brighton's main streets and he was waving to people in passing buses and so on. Just a fabulous Brighton experience.
Eventually Lorraine and I pushed off home, having had rather a lively day, to the comfort of the gold sofa and Match of the Day. All good.
Below a Barn Owl, Lorraine and First Matie with owls. A glimpse into a flea market office, the flea market and a Skelton Yawngrave shop in Lewes.
Off to Lewes Garden centre this morning with Lorraine and a hangover to meet First Matie, as Katie had spotted during the week that there would be owls there. I am rather fond of owls. Met First Matie in the carpark and wandered inside the garden centre to find several people with owls, with reinforcements sitting on stumps. I approached a gentleman with a large Indian eagle owl. Before I knew it, I was sporting a leather glove and a large fierce looking owl with captivating orange eyes, and a tufted head. The owner made me touch the owls talons and the pads on its feet, and then the thickness of the glove. An enthusiastic gentleman, he explained that the owl could go through that leather as if it were butter, and could crush cat's heads. After a few minutes I handed it back with a certain relief.
Lorraine, Kate and I all looked at owls and stroked them. Barn owls are particularly downy and lovely to the touch, but have no natural oils in their feathers, so when it rains they get bedraggled. A much needed cup of tea, and fond farewell's to Katie and then into Lewes for a nose about. Lorraine and I lurking in flea market, where I spotted an old German map of four islands including "Garnesay and Jarsay" however as the asking price was exorbitant, avoided it. Lorraine enjoying poking about looking at things, and particularly going into an old fabric and button shop.
An extraordinary evening. Brightonls new White Night Festival was on featuring art and events of all kinds free in the City. There were thousands milling about, and what was especially cool was that a fair proportion of ordinary Brighton folk were doused in fake blood, make-up and dressed as Zombies, Draculas and other denizens of the night. I vowed this time next year I will be doing the same. I fancy a high-foreheaded Frankenstein monster outfit.
We went to see Antigravity, a collaboration between two of Lorraine's ex-neighbours JD (who was helping Dawn to break in last weekend) and the sculptor Steve Geliot. Essentially it was a giant sphere with a rim around it which made it look like a flying saucer. This was hoisted into the blustery night air above the City College car park and images were projected into it from above. Lots of classy slightly bleepy tunes were played by the sound system as an accompaniment. We spoke to JD briefly afterwards who confirmed they had been struggling with the wind. But still rather a magical sight.
Then we walked through the lanes pausing here and there to listen to street musicians, and pop into a gallery which had an installation called Ladybird, which was a cartoon of a lady pleasuring herself with a dildo to the accompaniment of a cartoon tweeting bird. After a couple of minutes of this, and in a reprehensible way, I said "nice tits" to Lorraine as we left the room.
Then to the Pavilion, which was open to the hordes free, and we wandered through the gorgeous interior. In the music room there was some sort of electronic music, and in the sumptuous banqueting hall were Indigo Eye, featuring Lorraine's pal Helen sitting on a rug playing their slightly trippy Indian music --which was entirely appropriate in such an orientalist environment, to the hundreds of visitors as they filed by looking at the be-dragoned and chandeliered splendor.
From there to stand in New Road looking up at a balcony where a variety of singers emerged at a window to sing. Fantastic voices, particularly struck by a woman singing music from Opera, and best of all was someone styling themselves as Le Gateau Chocolat, a large black man dressed as a cloud who sang in a fabulous baritone, his best song a version of Creep by Radiohead. An absolute vision who went down brilliantly with the crowd. This is right by one of Brighton's main streets and he was waving to people in passing buses and so on. Just a fabulous Brighton experience.
Eventually Lorraine and I pushed off home, having had rather a lively day, to the comfort of the gold sofa and Match of the Day. All good.
Below a Barn Owl, Lorraine and First Matie with owls. A glimpse into a flea market office, the flea market and a Skelton Yawngrave shop in Lewes.
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