Dave's Blog

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

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...

Hi and welcome to today's blog post called "Getting Back To Normal" After the midsummer madness that takes over North Devon dies down, life returns to its' calmer, relaxed, chilled out state of being.  The beaches become much less populated, the litter mountains disappear, the roads return to being roads instead of pedestrian walkways interspersed with the inconvenient things called cars....... and generally life becomes much better! ©2021 wytchwynd photography Now please don't get me wrong   because I really do appreciate the fact that visitors bring a lot of revenue into the North Devon cash registers - holiday camps, shops, bars, transportation etc.  And this year, more than ever, their return has brought that much welcomed revenue in spades!   But that said, there is always a flip side....... .... this year it has been more noticeable than ever (because of the restrictions placed on travel to foreign parts) - that these increased visitor numbers bring with the...

Hi everyone it's DAve Thank you for joining me on today's blog post.   Today is Wednesday and I really hope that it is less hectic than yesterday.  After a full day at the office and with Alison confined to bed after a very disturbed night I had to go to Barnstaple after work and collect a replacement fridge, because the other one "bit the dust" Photo: "Three Suns"  ©2021 wytchphotog The photograph featured above almost got me into trouble........ I spotted the reflection of the sun in three different places at the same time and because it was an unusual sight I decided to capture the image - well people thought I was "casing the joint" and they threatened to "call the Police" until I explained what I was doing and showed them the image. Because of the water situation at the caravan we checked with Tina about her impending visit at the weekend and her response was a very definite "of course I am coming to our caravan, why wouldn'...

Hi and thank you for joining me on today's blog post. It is Friday and later today I have a Zoom meeting with the fabulous Nicky Pattinson     As soon as that is finished I will be heading off to the caravan for the weekend. ©2010 wytchwynd photography The weekend is a meet up with our friends the Stewarts - them in their caravan and Alison and I in ours.    N o plans* made, it will simply be a weekend of what happens,  happens!  It is, however (because of a really weak internet connection at the site) very likely that I will not be able to get online to keep the blog updated.   If I do get the chance though the blog will be published on time as normal. *talking of plans it is amazing how quickly they can change - such as a phone call within 10 minutes of confirming an appointment to cancel the same appointment"   It is a fact that some people would become very upset by that but quite honestly what is the point? - If something has come u...

Hi it's DAve Well after a really nice weekend the time has come to go back to work but thankfully it is only a four day week. Yesterday  as I was walking up to collect my car from where it had been parked all over the weekend.  I spotted this in a tree - lined avenue in Ilfracombe.  I don't know what other people think but I personally think it is a thing of beauty. ©2021 Wytchwynd Photography I was going to add something else today but for the life of me I cannot remember what it was.  So on that note I am going to say BFN (Bye For Now) and I will be back again soon. Have a great day, Be safe, be careful and above all DON'T PREDICT THE FUTURE - CREATE IT! DAve

 Today is Owen’s birthday (how he managed to get to 19 nobody knows!) and he is well on the way to becoming a fully qualified electrician.  So he will soon be someone who has a career for life. Dawn has gone off to her new job this morning - talk about a baptism of fire!  It’s her first day with a new family and they are going for a walk up to The Cairn and over The Torrs (one of 3 hills that form part of the 3 Peaks Challenge - Best of Luck Dawn! Alison and I had planned a trip to Barnstaple prior to us all getting together at Adey’s for birthday afternoon. As things turned out I had to head over to Kentisbury to collect my Reel to Reel tape deck from a friend’s widow.   On the way home I and many other vehicles were diverted off the main road as a result of an accident on the “coast road”.  That diversion took well over an hour to get through. As a result the get together was relocated to our house and very pleasant it was too plus it meant we were able to see...

Today we decided that we needed to go to PC World, Barnstaple in order to try again to collect Dawn's watch, however, the watch had still not been delivered as had been advised.  It seems that the driver had been running late and as a result he decided that he would give up - so no items were delivered to the store.  That now means she has no idea when the watch will be delivered. After that we decided to head over to Lynmouth and go somewhere for Sunday Lunch.  We selected the Beggars Roost and made our way there, arriving in good time for lunch.  I went to pick up the menus and was horrified to discover the the prices were:- 1 course £17 each, 2 courses £23 each, and the full 3 courses £27 each and all of those prices did not include drinks! So from there we drove to the Hunter's Inn near Heddon's Mouth where we had a wonderful meal and drinks for a much more reasonable £51. Having eaten we took a steady drive back to Ilfracombe via Combe Martin ( the village that ...

Hi and today's post is a sneak preview of the latest poetric cretation.   It has been awarded the name "I Wish I Was A Turtle" for no other reason than that is what it is about! Image: ©2016 Wytchwynd Photography I Wish I Was A Turtle - writ by Me! I wish I was a turtle Just swimming in the sea A friend to all the lady folk Who like the look of me They want to put their arms round me And take a snap or three And then they wander off again 'cos someone mentioned tea When day is done I'd go to rest On some secluded beach And take a lung of fresh sea air That doesn't smell of peach Oh it would be a happy life To live for 80 years Without the need to go to work Did someone mention beer? ©2021 Dave Baxter So, thank you very much for taking the time to read this and I look forward to being back here again very soon. Until then Live a life of Power and Passion, and remember, Don't Predict The Future - CREATE IT! DAve x

  Hi and it is time for today's short Coffee Break & Quotation Continuing our words of wisdom from John Paul deJoria  (co - founder of Paul Mitchell Systems)  "Beingness is what comes out of you !" oooOOOooo email - davethemerlin@mail.com alternative blog - alteredimagecoaching.co.uk

  Hi and it is time for today's short Coffee Break & Quotation Continuing our words of wisdom from John Paul deJoria  (co - founder of Paul Mitchell Systems)  "Successful people do all the things  non - successful people don't want to do !" oooOOOooo email - davethemerlin@mail.com alternative blog - alteredimagecoaching.co.uk

  Hi and it is time for today's short Coffee Break & Quotation Continuing our words of wisdom from John Paul deJoria  (co - founder of Paul Mitchell Systems)  "Sell The Re-order, not just the order !" oooOOOooo email - davethemerlin@mail.com alternative blog - alteredimagecoaching.co.uk

  Hi and it is time for today's short Coffee Break & Quotation Continuing our words of wisdom from John Paul deJoria  (co - founder of Paul Mitchell Systems)  "Forgive Everyone for Every Thing! " oooOOOooo email - davethemerlin@mail.com alternative blog - alteredimagecoaching.co.uk

  Hi and it is time for today's short Coffee Break & Quotation Continuing our words of wisdom from John Paul deJoria  (co - founder of Paul Mitchell Systems)  "If you can't think positively about something Don't do it - LET IT GO!" oooOOOooo email - davethemerlin@mail.com alternative blog - alteredimagecoaching.co.uk

 Hi and it is time for today's short Coffee Break & Quotation Continuing our words of wisdom from John Paul deJoria  (co - founder of Paul Mitchell Systems)  "The hate we carry round us is the hate we should not have! " oooOOOooo email - davethemerlin@mail.com alternative blog - alteredimagecoaching.co.uk

                                                          (©2018 wytchwynd photography)   ....that a ship (or a boat) is never steered from the front, always behind! Have a fantastic day and remember - Don't predict the future......CREATE IT! DAve

Monday was our 46th Wedding Anniversary and so I asked Herself what She would like to do to celebrate the day.  The answer was "let's go to Dartmouth!" It is many years since we went there so I agreed that it would be very nice to do the trip. We drove the 104 miles from Ilfracombe, and when we got to Dartmouth it was mega - busy. and we managed to get a parking space on the quay but it was only for an hour (long enough to get a pasty and a coffee at the place shown above). We then travelled along the coast road to Plymouth (via Modbury) and covered another 30 miles.  Once in Plymouth we stopped at ASDA and had another cup of coffee and purchased some fuel, then we drove back to Ilfracombe (over Dartmoor) which was another 102 miles. So although we covered quite a few miles, it was a good day and it was lovely to spend some "us time".