Dave's Blog

                                         Making The Tea!                                                     (an exercise in Strategy) Hi It's DAve Apologies for my recent absence but family matters took over and I did not have the opportunity to write a blog post last week. Anyway I am now back again and here is this week's offering from the sometimes warped mind of Your's Truly! As a Personal Development Coach I am often asked about Goal Setting so here is my approach to that very subject:- All too often we set goals but very rarely do we create a plan of how we aim to achieve that goal. Having given the matter some thought I have defined a process and that involves "Starting At The End!" Yes, I know that seems mad, but how can you get to where you are g...

                  Upturning The         Status          Quo Hi and thank you for joining me for this week's blog post "Upturning The Status Quo! So let me begin this post by defining what "Status Quo" really means (and no it is not just the name of a highly successful band!) The dictionary definition of Status Quo is as follows "The existing state of affairs, especially regarding social of political issues"  "The way things are now!" In my role as a Personal Development coach I consider it my duty to challenge my clients' status quo - because if they do not change they will continue to remain exactly where they are!  That equates to my clients and I having exactly the same conversation a year from now!  Should that happen it would mean that I had been a crap coach! So that said, let me ask you a question...... "When was the last time you did something for the first time?" I woul...

  Hi, yesterday I had intended to catch up with these posts but as sometimes happens in my world towards the end of last week I had computer issues and they affected everything I was doing (including building and launching last week's Cauldron FM radio show) and until the issues are fully resolved I did not dare do anything creative. The situation was really embarrassing because the weekend was Samhain (one of the biggest events in the Pagan calendar) and we had some great music lined up and a special "Crystal of The Month" segment and it all fell over. Anyway we seem to have most of the issues under control but the computer was out of action all morning, so I am currently building a replacement show. The primary image on the page was taken at 8am this morning as I was heading out of the house to travel to the office.  It had begun to rain and then suddenly things changed the sun began to shine through the rain and this presented itself to me. I am always in awe of rainbo...

Hi and welcome to today's post on my blog Over the years I have taken many photographs that have been shown in publications ranging from local newspapers, to galleries, books to magazines. Some of my favourite assignments were to produce the cover photos for a New Age / Ecological magazine called "Connect North Devon" and the relaunch issue in 2017. If anyone is interested I am still available to take on projects such as this - to see examples of more of my work please visit my photography website that you can find at  https://moonshadowmedia.wixsite.com/photographyportfolio Thank you for reading Be safe, be careful and above all remember Don’t Predict The Future - CREATE It ! DAve x

  Hi and welcome to today’s blog We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new handle. Nobody will know how “disconcerting” it has been, let alone embarrassing to have lady visitors to the caravan unable to properly close the bathroom door if using the toilet. However, I have been categorically assured that the replacement is on its’ way via the Royal Mail. But the cynic in me warns “don’t hold your breath!” We shall see! Thank you for reading Be safe, be careful and above all remember Don’t Predict The Future - CREATE It ! DAve x

It is surprising what shows up in a Car Park! Photographed by Dave Baxter 01/10/21 oooOOOooo Thank you for reading this post and check back again soon   If you want to email me -  Click Here! Have a fantastic day, be safe, be careful and above all remember - Don't predict the future - CREATE IT!

The Story Continues… We are now coming more up-to-date – as I said at the end of the last part I had set up CauldronFM   The station was created to provide a resource for those who followed a Pagan path both nationally and internationally, and also to be the platform for music created by Pagan artists. The shows also contained articles and discussions that were of interest to a Pagan audience. The establishing of this service proved popular, and soon it had att racted enquiries from fellow Pagans with regard to them joining the station as presenters. One of the potential candidates was a lady from America who goes by the name of Raven Moonshadow. At the time she was co-presenting a podcast called Pagan Moonbeams which was a service designed to introduce young people to the Pagan tradition The podcast had been running for some time and Raven was seeking a new challenge.  I auditioned her (merely a formality) and she joined the team. Raven and I worked together and she is a hig...

So having completed our fact-finding mission Dave and I submitted our findings to the Council, but (to cut a long story short) the project was curtailed because Dave had accepted a promotion and that meant he had to move to another local authority. This effectively brought an end to the plans as far as we were concerned and I returned to working with music and musicians, and dreaming of someday having a radio presence. Eventually I moved to Devon  (where I still live) - a move that proved to be very worthwhile. I retrained and reskilled and became qualified as a life coach but I also set up an artist management business and predominantly began working with bands.  For one particular band I put together a major 6 week tour (something that they had never done before) and took them to have 3 tracks recorded in a professional studio (owned at the time by 10cc's touring keyboard player Steve)  During this tour I became acquainted with a number of local radio presenters that re...

Hi and thank you for joining me on today's blog post coming from a very dull and overcast top of the hill here in Ilfracombe.   The sky all around is grey and there is a modest breeze blowing.  I cannot see the Bristol Channel today - something that is normally visible from my office window. Last night I had a wonderful "catch up" with Marc over a couple of drinks at The Thatched Inn - it seemed very odd going to a pub to have a drink for the first time in many, many months.  It also seemed weird having to sit outside and order the drinks through a serving hatch. But, I detract from the main topic of today's post - the controversial subject of a lady called "Verity" "Verity" is a sculpture created by the artist Damien Hirst and this piece has been on loan to the town but that loan period is sadly* coming to an end. During this time she has been a major talking point and whether or not you like her, she has brought a large number of visitors to Ilfr...

Hi today is a crisp late summer day here in North Devon and I have been out and about – it feels like autumn is just around the corner. My car has now been serviced and MOT need and the bill will arrive with me soon. So today I feel that I want to give you just a little insight regarding some of the work I do…… One of my earliest productions (Musical Director) I am a therapist, life coach and musician on my own account  But professionally.... . For many years I have been involved in the entertainment industry – playing in bands, broadcasting, and for the past 20 years or so I have been a senior member of a team in a company that provides theatrical drapes and backdrops plus lighting effects to the World’s entertainment industry Working with this company has enabled me to experience places that I could only dream off as a child and meeting people that I have only been able to admire from afar. However I still remember the words that my Dad said to me when I was a teenager and I had ...

Hi and welcome to the third part of this series of insights into my life that was leading to:- how I became and still am a broadcaster (and more) It has been an interesting journey for me and filled with WoW moments all along the way. So when we left the story last time I promised a bit of a wow moment so here goes….. Dave Wycherley and I were tasked by Halton Borough Council to investigate how they could help the up-and-coming musicians of Widnes and Runcorn.  After some research we identified that around the county several local authorities had provided Rehearsal space (the old church/the citadel) but others had gone a stage further and had provided recording facilities. So we just had to go and investigate! The first place we went to was a “studio“ near Ormskirk – sadly this was a great example of how not to build a recording studio – it was basically a rehearsal space – and even that was definitely lacking. It was located in the heart of an industrial estate without any form of...

Welcome to today’s post I have 1st to apologise for missing yesterday’s (thanks to a rather upset tummy) Because of this we were unable to go to the caravan and sadly had to disappoint the friends we were supposed to be meeting there. That said today I feel a lot more like my normal self and have just come back from a walk around the pier and harbour in the sunshine. It is surprising that there is a high number of people around – the car parks are full, boats appear to be fully laden as they make their way out into the open ocean (or channel) The water is really calm and a beautiful shade of blue. The shops and restaurants along the harbour side appear to be doing a brisk trade as are the gift shops and all along the harbour you lungs are filled with the heady mix of sea air and the aroma of Fish and Chips.      oooOOOooo Thanks for being there and thank you for reading this post! Please check back again on Monday for the next update Have a great day, be safe be careful a...

Good Morning and Merrie Meet Welcome to today's blog! "Flat Calm - next stop America"  It is a beautiful, blue sky day and as you can see in the photo the sea is a wonderful Flat Calm. It is at times like this when living in North Devon has significant plus points that come into play. The crowds have diminished, the roads are much quieter and safer and we are able to enjoy the late Summer Sunshine in comfort. This weekend is #3 with friends and the caravans, it is also "hopefully" the last one we will spend with a leaking shower unit. If I am lucky, I might get some time to write a few forward posts for the blogs, get some lyrics on paper for the latest album I want to record PLUS get some more photographs up on the Moor. BUT THEN AGAIN -  I may do none of those things and just CHILL! We will have to see. Anyway - whatever you choose to do with your weekend make it a great one and enjoy oooOOOooo Thanks for being there and thank you for reading this post! Please...

Hi and welcome to my Personal Blog At 7.30am this morning I was on a mission!   Image - ©2021 wytchwynd photography We had run out of black rubbish bags and the alarming way we generate rubbish chez nous means that this was a far from satisfactory situation. So whilst I was wandering the streets making my way to the local Premier store that proudly proclaims that it is open at 7.30am every morning, there we the normal people exercising both themselves and their pampered pooches BUT there were NO BLACK BAGS anywhere because the early morning shop was CLOSED! But, what I did come across was the stunning sight of the Landmark Theatre bathed in the most beautiful morning sunlight and standing against a stunning backdrop of grey clouds interspersed with patches of blue sky.   I was so in awe of the sight I just had to take the photograph for this blog. ......and what of the black bags? A friendly neighbour just happened to have a spare one and saved the day! oooOOOooo Tha...