I know I mentioned something last year about the mine workings round here being devoid of any significant quantities of machinery but that there was enough to suggest that the sites were not cleared when the mines closed.

I can’t remember whether it was me or someone commenting on the pic who said much of the stuff probably ended up in gardens or being burned. At the time I had no idea that this ancient pulley from a bygone age – and almost certainly a mine I’d say, would be standing on our doorstep as ornamentation when we moved to our new home!

The wood is completely rotten and riddled with woodworm but you’d be surprised how much this thing weighs – I’d say around three or four pounds, though I was not brave enough to put it on my cooking scales!

After many, many months with no studio and no real facilities for shooting in the evenings (we’d probably have been OK if we’d moved at the end of winter instead of the end of summer), this is my first full-on studio shot for four months – the last was on my Mum’s birthday in early September.

I’ve had to relearn how to get the lighting at the level I want and how to control my background so it doesn’t invade and control the shot! I am, therefore, given the fact that there is nothing but pure cotton wool between my ears, pretty chuffed at the way this has turned out. I’m not so sure I’m thrilled with the debris left on my velvet background though!!!

As I said, there is bucketloads of this stuff in our garden so not all of the crap our predecessor left was crap if you get my drift!

I have been unable to ascertain so far the reason for the building of our new home, too late as it is for a mine worker’s cottage but I have the vision in my mind of some long-ago inhabitant walking the hills and picking this up to bring home. His booty, our pleasure!

Last year I was fretting and worrying about the Philly Flower Show and what to tell those good folks.