The longest Christmas holiday in the last 2000 years seems to have passed in a frozen flash. Lawson Park remained frozen solid throughout, the mice have eaten an errant clementine - losing 3 of their number to the traps but the horde surged on, the deer have eaten all the purple kale and all the tropical fish have died due to the failure of their tank heater. All in all a little light death and destruction but nothing momentous. 

The builders are back with promises of mid March finish dates, although it does seem unlikely, the one official opening is booked for 10th July so seems like plenty of leeway.

 

 

Posted by Adam Sutherland on 05/01/09 at 13:56 : 0 Comments

www.landshare.net is a great idea! With allotment waiting lists massively over-subscribed and people right across the country keener than ever to grow their own fruit and veg, the aim for Landshare is to become a UK wide initiative to make British land more productive and fresh local produce more accessible to all. Mr Fearnley-Whittingstall is supporting it (I wonder if he's sharing his land...!) and it looks to launch early next year. You can register online for updates, as someone who has 'spare' land or is looking for it. Grizedale's Local Food Initiative (currently developing in Coniston) certainly could link-in...

 

Posted by Dorian Moore on 05/12/08 at 18:08
Originally posted at www.lawsonpark.org/blog/1684

Guestroom present their proposals for the Lawson Park and Coniston libraries - live. This really is them presenting their plans and ideas so may not be very radio orientated, more of a fly on the wall broadcast. 

Sad to say this weeks broadcast has been cancelled, could say it was due to heavy snow, but sadly rather more mundane reasons keep us from you - the train is late. 

Posted by Adam Sutherland on 28/11/08 at 07:09 : 0 Comments

Topics: 'guestroom' 'library'

I saw this lovely notice in a local shop today - Titian is alive and well and working in our village.

Posted by Karen Guthrie on 26/11/08 at 20:18 : 0 Comments

Topics: 'drystone walling' 'Old Masters'

I recently received this image of the Migratory Dairy School, the only known photo, a Ruskin inspired idea executed by the reliable Cannon Rawnsley to huge success. The school took eduction to the people, in this case teaching farmers how to farm diary cows and produce butter. The school, centred on a caravan and tent, set up for 10 day periods in small villages in Cumbria and helped many farmers out of economic straights during the 1890 recession, anyone for butter. 

Posted by Adam Sutherland on 25/11/08 at 14:18

Topics: 'diary' 'migratory' 'rawnsley' 'rural' 'Ruskin' 'school'

 

Keen Grizedale blog fans will remember that our builders found a letter from a teenage Sean Garner from 1984 secreted in the wall of Lawson Park from the days when it wasa hostel for Scousers.

Well our message in bottle type response has now come back to reveal that Sean is alive and well with 5 children working his own IT business (him that is not the

children). 

 

 

 

Sent: 15 November 2008 14:01

To: alistair, Grizedale Arts

Subject: RE: [lawsonpark.org] Contact

Hi there Alistair,

 

For me, those days at the Park are a distant memory; but what the

experience did do was bring a rag-tag set of young lads; whom didn't

know each other; together. ...

The only name I remember is Karl Walsh; in fact I recently got

in contact with Karl via FaceBook of all things! Looking a another

social website, Friendsreunited, you will actually see old pictures of

your Park uploaded by a few ex-Riversdale students, if you ever get the

chance may be worth having a look!

For me, it was a great place; I really enjoyed the stay. That said,

nothing changes as only recently a newly formed team of managers of

which I'm apart did a short team building spell in the Brecken Beacons;

again that simple formula works at bringing people together.

When I left Riversdale I had a change of career direction, heading for

the IT industry as opposed to my original path of Merchant sailor.

Entering at the right time, I have enjoyed continual success ever since

and bounced around the planet on business. Now I have my own team of

people whom manage complex and secure networks on a global scale.

However, my true success is in my long standing relationship with my

wife of 18yrs Catherine whom I've known since school and our 5 children!

Guess that's me in a nutshell, a far cry for that over keen individual

whom spelling was obviously a big issue at the time! But did the Park

have any effect; I think so as that short week during my informative

years prepared me for a life time of forming relationships with people

under various circumstances.

Thanks for the invite, I'll let you know if I'm due up there or if I can

justify a team visit to see how they cope in the pitch black :)

Kindest Regards,

Sean

 

Posted by Dorian Moore on 24/11/08 at 12:01
Originally posted at www.lawsonpark.org/blog/1676

Farmyard radio is delighted to be welcoming Peter Hodgson talking about his life and works. Peter is a leather worker and artist based in Ambleside, his work has been the cornerstone of the Honesty stall and is currently represented at the myvillages village kiosk at the GSK season at the Royal Academy   

http://www.hidehornambleside.co.uk

Posted by Adam Sutherland on 19/11/08 at 14:31

Topics: 'GSK' 'Honesty Stall' 'Peter Hodgson' 'Royal Academy' 'Village Kiosk'

Adam on his own in the office, in a week of increasing building problems. It promises a lengthy blues moan over a disco soundtrack about buildings - actually that sounds fine

Posted by Adam Sutherland on 14/11/08 at 14:39 : 0 Comments

Topics: 'disco' 'moan' 'records' 'soul'

The usual team back in the yard for a change, plenty to talk about even if most of it is off record so to speak, just between the 2 of us - web radio - where that can really be true.

Appropro (spelling debate in the office) of nothing, well i ve just been looking at it, check this blog for farmyard chic http://greenhousevt.blogspot.com

Posted by Adam Sutherland on 07/11/08 at 15:53 : 0 Comments

Pondering over the future possibilities for the Coniston Institute I thought this might work....

http://blip.tv/file/1308945

 

Posted by Alistair Hudson on 06/11/08 at 17:37