An urban Irwell oasis

I know some places which are in the city but away from it all, such as a little stretch of the River Irwell away from apartment blocks and building sites, traffic fumes and chewing gum, fag ends and fast food litter, where you see herons rather than cranes...

"F" is for Fabulous Talking Statues- Abe Lincoln

Taking part in ABC Wednesday where we reach the letter "F". Abraham Lincoln has a statue and a square named after him. From yesterday many statues in Manchester and London come to life and talk to you. 

I have been so excited about this innovative artistic venture and spent breakfast time this morning nattering with Abe- conversation was a bit one way but I was intrigued to hear his message to the cotton workers of Lancashire. 

Fantastic talking statues, I want to visit and hear them all! I'll have one year to do so...

Back to Abe's statue and I have seen some grainy video footage of the unveiling in 1919. There was also an interesting Guardian article about the origins of the statue and the northern States' connections with Lancashire cotton mills. 

Coffee at the Oak Street Cafe @ManchesterCraft

The Oak Street Cafe in the heart of the ever-wonderful Manchester Craft and Design Centre. A nice temperature on hot summer days and always a good place to pause while deciding which of the wonderful creative works to buy.

Monday Mural: moustache man #OuthouseMcr

A current Outhouse Manchester mural in the Northern Quarter. Brightens up even a mild but grey summer's day with its splashes of psychedelia.

Start your week with a Monday Mural.

Pick of the salvage at Pickmere

Yesterday we spent a happy afternoon in Pickmere at the Cheshire Decorative Home and Salvage Show (it's also on today, Sunday 17th) There was a wide range of items on sale from stone statues to art deco furniture; upcycled decoupage trays to metal troughs; French wardrobes to English handcrafted wooden benches; expensive classic furniture and cheap and cheerful oddities.

Refreshments such as Pimms, ice cream and artisan pizza, could be had under canvas and was also sold by two vintage VW camper vans. The salvage show is on again today, so pop along if you have an eye for stylish home and garden vintage or the style to re-use what once was consigned as unwanted.

Weekend in black and white: South King Street

South King Street, Manchester, 7.25 a.m. Before the rush. Snapped with a phone.

Taking part in the Weekend in Black and White.

Skywatch Friday: bye bye Bertha

Skywatch Friday will (I hope) this week be featuring lots of supermoon photos and the affects of the aftermath of Hurricane Bertha. Bertha blew through the north-west this week and although not too destructive, and fewer floods than elsewhere in the UK, she certainly curtailed the hot summer we'd enjoyed up until then. Hopefully normal sunshine will resume next week...

Beside the seaside...Bay Crossing cafe

The Bay Crossing cafe, established in 2007 at Halt Bank on the Lancashire coast. 

#ABCWednesday : "E" is for Emerge: creative goods on Brazennose Street

 Taking part in ABC Wednesday where my "E" is for the Emerge shop on Brazennose Street sells a wondrous range of creative goods. Artists and innovators take the unwanted and ordinary and upcycle them into new creations; from 1960s' furniture given a modern twist to old radios and trays turned into robots- which may not talk but sure become taking pieces...

Nie Zhengji's lunch

I visited two interesting exhibitions at Manchester's Chinese Cultural Centre last week.

There is living space for their resident artist, where the selected artist works, lives, sleeps and creates during their residency- a nice idea. The current incumbent is Nie Zhengji whose artwork includes lunch, as above. His Urban Farmers exhibition is on until the end of August. Running until 7 September is Spanish artist Jorge Mañes Rubio's A journey through the Yangtze River’s transformation.

Taking part in Our World Tuesday.