Ramsbottom

Today I found out that my sister Quayquilter has been blipping since the start of the year. She lives about as far away from me as it is possible to get without crossing water. So this is a photograph of a painting of the Lancashire town where we both grew up and my mother lived much of her life until she moved to be near my sister. This was one of mum's favourite mementoes and came to me when she died a few days before her 90th birthday nearly 3 years ago. It got pretty faded due to the sun and I've given it a little umph with auto-colour to rescue it a little. It represents a period before my time but I remember the level-crossing and just the other side of the signal box was a small temperance bar with all kinds of herbal drinks (saspirella, dandelion and burdock etc) in pot kegs with a tap. The railway line closed down but later re-opened by enthusiasts as a tourist attraction. After mum died we had a get together of the extended family with a few days in Oakenclough (near Bacup) and we scattered her ashes on Holcombe Hill which would give her a nice viewof the town she loved.