Leaving the group of twenty-somethings to their mating ritual, I passed a place called Black Jack’s Point and continued on in glorious sunshine until a brick structure caught my eye. With my curious nature taking hold, I left the path to investigate. A short distance away, on the shore amongst the stones, rocks and replantings, standing taller than my six foot frame were some very carefully made brick sculptures. They remind me of the kind of artwork that could be found in an open air gallery or something. Just then a train rattled past me on the tracks that were not too far away. Letting my imagine go, I then wondered whether they had been made a homeless hobo who had a name like Diamond Joe James, T-Bone Jack, or Railway Butch who had spent his life riding the train boxcars up and down the line from Dunedin City to Port Chalmbers. The kind of person that folk singers like Woody Guthrie or Ramblin Jack Elliott would sing about in the 1950’s. Just then, I was shaken from my daydream when I tripped over a branch that had been hiding in plain sight, I stumbled forward a few metres, before regaining my balance with the aid of the bank. Ensuring I had all my belongings and that my feet weren’t wet, I decided to leave these sculptures for others to enjoy and returned to the path. John's Blog https://blog.caswellimages.com/ The latest print price guide: https://bit.ly/3oLw9OI
It wasn’t long after leaving Black Jack’s Point and the stone sculptures that I once again left the path, this time for the main road. I had wanted to see the repainting of some old signage that had been done on the side of a building some years ago. I had, of course, driven past this spot many times however it’s hard to fully take things in when you’re driving. Since I was on foot, it seemed an ideal opportunity. The building used to be an old corner store which featured an outside wall advertising brands whose signs were all over Otago at the time, brands like Tiger Tea, Lane's Bottled Sunshine and Ward's Ice Cream. The repainting had been completed by Dunedin artist Ricky Drew in 2017 so it had only taken me five years to stop and properly appreciate it, but at last I could say I had. My mind is now satisfied. John's Blog https://blog.caswellimages.com/ The latest print price guide: https://bit.ly/3oLw9OI
I can’t remember ever seeing anyone upset while riding a horse. Whenever I see people riding horses they seem to be having the time of their life, unless you count jockeys who have just fallen off and they look in agonising pain. Which, to be fair, they probably are! Since we are on the subject of horses, did you know that the Police Offences Act of 1928 made it an offence to allow a mare to be mated within sight of a public road, church, railway station or wharf? This was the same act that meant you weren’t able to beat a carpet or fly a kite if it annoyed others. It was also illegal to wear felt or slippers as a disguise at night. However, the best part of the 1928 Police Offences Act is that they use the terms rogues, vagabonds and incorrigible. All words we should bring back into our daily vocabulary. Other words I would also add to this list include hootananny, hornswoggle cockalorum and tittynope. John's Blog https://blog.caswellimages.com/ The latest print price guide: https://bit.ly/3oLw9OI
