Author Archives: deansdiva

A language more universal than words

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sunset tree

Picture by Gilly Walker

Want to do much more with your camera or smartphone than just take selfies and holiday snaps?

Then you’ll want to hear what this week’s guest Gilly Walker has to say about the exciting possibilities photography offers both as a form of self expression and as a meditative or mindful practice…

Photography is a language more universal than words – Minor White

Fine art photographer, philosopher, writer and lover of nature Gilly will be joining the Girls Around Town in the studio to talk about a more thoughtful, intuitive approach to taking pictures, one that is often called contemplative or inner path photography.

“I like to photograph things not for what they are but for what else they are,” says Gilly, paraphrasing one of America’s greatest photographers, Minor White.

“I like the dreamy, the ambiguous, the moody, the spontaneous, the colourful and the symbolic, and I like to find these in very ordinary places where they often go unnoticed. I don’t own much gear and I’m not very interested in the equipment – the technology is a means to an end and while I do think that much is gained from knowing how to use it, ultimately the power of an image comes from the photographer’s ability to see freshly and clearly.”

Tune in or listen online between 10am and 12 noon on Sunday to find out more about mindfulness in photography, how Gilly discovered her photographic voice and how she helps others to do so too in her workshops, creative photo walks and personal tuition.

There might even be time to ask her to share her sonnet on the theme of chocolate, a love story that’s pretty universal too!

Food for thought

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bread and cheese

With Melton Mowbray’s Artisan Cheese Fair under a fortnight away and Real Bread Week coming up in May,  what else would the Girls Around Town be talking about next weekend but bread and cheese?!

A match made in heaven some would say, especially with British Sandwich Week taking place next month too – and no doubt guests Matthew O’Callaghan and Rhiannon Abbott would agree…

Matthew will be joining June, Tina and Sue in the first hour of the show with news of the Artisan Cheese Fair, which takes place on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 April. Up to 80 cheese makers, some of whom produce the UK’s rarest cheeses, are expected to attend, with a packed programme of talks, tastings and demonstrations on offer from 10am to 4pm each day.

He’ll be sharing the results of this year’s Artisan Cheese Awards, together with details of what else visitors can expect to see, try and buy – wine, cakes, beer, chutneys and of course Melton Mowbray’s famous Pork Pie to name just a few!

In the second hour, Rhiannon will be on the line from The Epsom Bakehouse to talk about how she turned a life-long passion for home baking into a business.

Find out what a Bread Angel is, what makes ‘real’ bread so different from the everyday loaves sold in supermarkets and how you can try making your own using the free, easy recipes shared on her website.

Tune in or listen online between 10am and 12 noon next Sunday. And in the meantime, here’s a little food for thought – British consumers munch their way through over 11.5 billion sandwiches a year which, if they were laid end to end, would go around the world about 44 times…

Social butterflies spread their wings

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butterfly

Free pampering treatments, home-made cakes and an opportunity to make new friends – what’s not to like about a group offering all this and more to women living in and around Newark?

Whether you want to enjoy a facial or a massage, try a craft activity or just relax and chat for an hour or so, you’ll find a warm welcome at the twice-monthly meetings of Butterflies run by Alive Newark.

There’s even a dedicated play area for babies and toddlers, where busy mums can get together for cake and a cuppa while the little ones have some fun of their own nearby!

Coordinator Penny Gault and volunteer Lois Unwin will be talking to June, Tina and Sue next Sunday morning about why, where and when Butterflies began. And how it’s since spread its wings to come to Newark…

If you’re new to the area, feeling lonely or just want to try something different, tune in or listen online between 10am and 12 noon, when Penny and Lois join the  Girls Around Town to explain how this new social group could be just what you’re looking for.

And don’t forget to make a note of their next meeting, from 1pm to 2.30pm on Tuesday 18 April…