More Art Works Discovered

Since returning home, I have discovered that the Podule I climbed on was not just any old sculpture but was a work of art that had been lovingly created by an artist called Jan Niedojadlo and was called Shipley Wreck, It had been commissioned by the Shipley Art Gallery in 2005 for the exhibition 'Under and Over the Sea' in celebration of the 200th year of the 'Battle of Trafalgar'

If you liked it and would like to see more of Jan Niedojadlo's podules they can be found at http://www.podules.org. Inspired by his creations I went searching for other artistic works.

It suddenly seemed that everywhere I went there were all sorts of other exciting art works to look at. Gold Humps covered in CDs; Super size sand castles; various picture exhibitions and many other things.

The next piece of art I discovered to climb upon was a bit more or a spiky problem as it was a Cacti in a field of Cactus but fortunately I found a bit which was not too sharp.


From my vantage point on the Cacti I was able to watch the world go by and scan the crowd for anyone interesting to talk to, but more of that later.

Love Gio xxxxx

Podules

I had read in my programme guide that there would be podules about the site. I wondered what these were and then I found out on my travels that these are pieces of art work that not only can you look at but you can climb inside as well. Here is the first one I discovered


Unfortunately it was already full of humans so I decided as I am just a small bear that it would probably be safer for me to have a climb outside instead.

It was so good for climbing (even for a novice like me) that I had to rush back to the tent to tell George and Yorkie to have a go as regular readers will know that they have done a lot of climbing this year.

Love Gio xxx

Its Not All Talks and Music

It's not all just talks and music here at Greenbelt, it's art in all its shapes sizes and forms, and as you wander the site you don't know what you are going to discover next. There are a number of installations about the place. This one is called Kiss the Sun.



I don't think my legs would be strong enough to get the bicycle to fly and think I would have to enlist the strong legs of Blue Bear to pedal fast enough to achieve take-off. Do you think he would be able to do it?

Love Gio xxxx

We Didn't Get Speared!!

Our first evening went in a bit of a whirlwind, we started of listening to Brian McLaren talking about the Church unfortunately there was a problem with the electricity and so Brian had to talk using a megaphone.


After that we watched a great mime act and then went into a Yurt for some world music and then to main stage where Bris and I (Gio), danced enthusiastically to Michael Franti and Spearhead (but we didn't get speared - except by the music).




Love Gio, Bris and the Greenbelt Crew xxxx

The Programme is Vast!!!

As soon as the kettle was on, we sat down to study the Greenbelt programme. There is just so much in it that we didn't know where to start. We decided that it was definitely something that would take at least two cups to work out what we wanted to see.


For the first night we decided we wanted to sample a bit of everything, a talk, some drama, and some music. The first in a Yurt and then at the main stage. On the way Yorkie said he was hungry so we had to stop at Johnny Baghdad's to sample some of his finest felafels.

More later

Love the Greenbelt Crew xxxxx

We Have Arrived

Gio and Bris are very excited, as along with Randolph, Benji, George, Yorkie, Chelmer, Rocco, and Rosa they have safely arrived at Cheltenham for Greenbelt.  For Gio its his very first time.  We drove here in pouring rain, but our prayers have been answered and we were able to put up our tent in the dry.

 

After the tent was erected the next job was to put up the Bear flag, so our friends Travelling Moose and T5 Wilber would be able to find us (p.s. which they did!)

 

We then stopped for a well earned cuppa and a pasty for lunch.  It was a good job we had this late though, as there is so much happening this evening, we reckon it's going to be very late before we get a chance to eat again.

 

We'll tell you more soon.

 

Love from Gio, Bris and the Greenbelt Crew xxxxx

Sunny Sunday

Being a gardening bear, I live and breathe gardens. When I'm not busy in my own garden, I like to spend my spare time visiting other people's gardens. The Open Gardens scheme is therefore perfect for me. I can indulge in my hobby of poking round gardens while at the same time helping raise money for charity.


The other days some friends of mine had their garden open to raise money for one of our local churches. Henry and I agreed to do a spell of gate duty, welcoming visitors and taking some money off them. It was a boiling hot day and we broiled in the sun, but we were kept well supplied with cups of tea which did, as is often claimed for tea, help to cool us down.

Very close to our ticket booth was a white elephant stall, which had some fascinating items for sale, ranging from a circular saw (which we kept well clear of) to a tank containing stuffed mink and best of all a venerable Austrian goat, sporting finest lederhosen and a wonderful goatee beard.


Our new friend was for sale on the stall. We assured him this was not an indignity, and that a decent price tag was necessary to ensure he went to the right new home i.e. one who really wanted him and would treat him as a valuable addition to their household. We promised him that we would vet all potential new owners and ensure they were worthy of such a fine goat.

Fortunately a fine family soon came along, and with our responsibilities to goatee discharged, and our spell of gate duty at an end, it was time to go into the 2 open gardens to explore.

We'll share our experiences with you next time.

Lots of love Tommy & Henry xxx

On With the Show

We hope you're all word perfect now after your singing practice!

One of the things we particularly liked about the Kilworth House Theatre was that the cast weren't tucked away out of sight in dressing rooms, but could be seen lurking about in the fresh air. The same was true of the props. Simply strolling from the car park to the seating area, you would pass by the props and have the opportunity to get up close and personal with them ...


... as you can see we did with Ali Hakkim's pedlar's cart (have you spotted us?) We bears are by nature curious, and like to investigate things we see which are out of the ordinary. In this respect we differ from humans who we notice are trained to conformity and wouldn't dare to stop and touch, let alone clamber aboard. Sometimes we notice that we embarrass our minders - we don't really understand why.

The interval came all to soon, yet provided another chance to get hands on. We had fun riding the ice cream bike round the site touting for business, and earned ourselves free ice creams in return. We were very happy.


We thoroughly recommend this theatre as a great venue with some very talented performers. Sadly, as there's been a delay in us posting this item, the run of Oklahoma has now finished, so you can't pop along to see it. There will be another great show next year though - perhaps we'll see you there.

Lots of love, George, Yorkie and all at Bears Unlimited xxx

We're Doin' Fine, Oklahoma!

Within a few days of returning from our Lake District adventure we were off again. Like our Lakes trip, this was also a visit to familar and much loved territory, as it was a visit to the home of the Midlands Branch.

We were there to help a Midlands Branch minder celebrate a special birthday - her 65th. We all gathered outdoors for a lovely birthday tea with lots of scrumptious goodies, then it was off over the border to Leicestershire for a special treat. We all had tickets for a show at the rather wonderful Kilworth House Theatre which is a real architectural gem. It's an outdoor theatre for over 500, set in a beautiful wooded glade.


As you can see from our photo as well as having a visually stunning canopy over the stage, it is quite a luxurious outdoor theatre. The seats are padded, the audience are can stay dry if it rains, and special holders for smaller bears, of the George & Yorkie size, are also provided, as we demonstrate in our next picture.


If the stage set didn't give away what we went to see, the title of today's post should. Yes, we went to see Oklahoma which has a fine story with some even finer music. No sooner had the show started than we were singing along (good job we were on the back row). So that you can join in too and to put you in the mood for our next post which continues this tale, we're providing the words to our favourite song from the show .... so please join in and sing along with us (we're all singing already).



Lots of love George, Yorkie & all at Bears Unlimited xxx

Tommy's Garden Spot

While my Bears Unlimited friends have been gallivanting round the country having adventures in the Lake District and on the waterways, I've been hard at work in the garden. I wouldn't want you to think I'm complaining though, as nothing makes me happier than being out in my garden, and I am the gardening bear after all. I do admit though, I do like sitting in the garden with a cup of tea, admiring the results of my work, as well as doing the actual gardening work.


This year I grew a whole load of butternut squashes and cucumbers from seed, as well as my usual beans, tomatoes and courgettes. Here I am, a few months ago, planting my seeds and talking to them to encourage them to grow. The cucumbers claim to be burpless so there will be no excuses for uncouth behaviour from any of my B.U. friends. The squash plants are growing rampantly and spreading everywhere, but no signs of any squashes yet - paws crossed though.

Two veggies which I can reply on to do well in our garden, are potatoes and broad beans. Both have been extra prolific this year and we have so many potatoes, Chef Oakley is burning the midnight oil, studying his recipe books and surfing the net to find new and exciting things to do with potatoes.


I've had so many broad beans for shelling that I've had to rope in all of the Norfolk branch to help, and visitors. Fortunately we had a lovely sunny evening when we picked a big crop and we all sat outside drinking tea while we podded.


We were handling such industrial quantities of beans that we had to have a wheelbarrow to take away all the empty pods - for composting of course.

I'm having quite an easy time of it now as all this rain means that I don't have to do any watering. It does result in lots of weeds though, some bigger than me!

Lots of love, Tommy xxx

Wot No Microwave?!

We hope you enjoyed playing spot the difference. Those of you who did, may have spotted the difference in the colour of the sky between the 2 photos.

It would certainly be true to say that we had a mixed bag of weather during this recent holiday. The week started off lovely and sunny, then it got very windy and then, in the middle of the week, the showers started.

The rather dark sky in this year's Tarn Hows picture was a sign that it was about to rain ... very heavily. Before we had completed our circuit of the Tarn, the heavens opened and we got very wet.


Back at camp Randolph (the hot water bottle reindeer) and Beddy Bear Benji knew they could provide just what was needed to dry us out and warm us up. The kettle was filled ready to be boiled to fill Randolph's bottle, but where was the microwave needed for Benji's sun bathing session, to warm him up so he could in turn warm others?

As you can see the guys had a good hunt round the camp kitchen, but on finding no microwave, declared themselves spectacularly unimpressed with its facilities, hence the glum faces.

Never mind Benji it's the thought that counts, and it was supposed to be a holiday for you anyway.

Lots of love the Bears Unlimited campers xxx

A Sense of Deja Vu?

We like to keep our readers entertained, so today we've got a little competition for you (the prize is a pint of Wherry to anyone who comes to visit us with the right answers).

We'd like you to spot the difference between the following 2 pictures ...


and ...


... although now we look at them they're quite as similar as they are supposed to be!We thought we were staging the same shot, but the memory fades over 9 months.

Hopefully all our readers are regular readers, which means you should have seen the first picture before, and 9 months gives you a bit of a clue.

Yes, Woolly, Yorkie and myself were at this lovely Tarn Hows viewpoint last year, when we passed through on the Cumbria Way. We told you how Woolly thought Tarn Hows grass the finest tasting in the Lake District. We therefore couldn't have a trip to the Southern Lakes without a Tarn Hows visit to allow Woolly to eat his fill of his favourite grass. The fact that Patrick had never been there before provided an excellent excuse for the visit and a repeat photo opportunity, not that we needed an excuse, as it is a very fine walk there and back from Torver.

Lots of love, Woolly, George, Yorkie & Patrick xxx

Church Attendance Not of Our Usual Kind!

The rest of the week whizzed by in a bit of a blur and as always when you're enjoying yourself, we found the days passed all too quickly.

Some might say that the reason for the 'blur' was that we'd been spending too much time in a newly re-discovered pub. We hadn't been to the Torver Church House Inn for a few years, even though it was only 10 minutes walk away. It's changed hands since we were last in, and is now a real gem of a pub with a very friendly welcome, fantastic food and a well-kept pint of beer. Definitely worthy of an entry in both the Good Beer Guide for Bears and the Friendly Planet Guide.


We've two particular recommendations: the Hawkshead Bitter, which we're relishing in our picture, and the minted pea soup which was simply out of this world (the creme brulee was pretty amazing too).

While we did stroll down to this pub most evenings we think it would be unfair to say we spent too much time there. We value our outdoor activities far too much to risk waking up with a sore head, and we know the importance of a good night's sleep in preparation for an adventurous day.

So, moderation in all things is our motto!

Lots of love, the Bears Unlimited campers xxx

In the Footsteps of Chris Bonnington

The next day Chelmer took Rocco and Patrick sailing. In true Swallows and Amazons style they sailed down to Wild Cat island and put ashore for a barbecue. Yorkie and I thought it was a bit windy for sailing, and we didn't fancy getting wet, so we thought we'd resume a sport we first tried out earlier this year in Ireland.


Do you remember us tackling a cliff face not far from the Giants Causeway? This time we went climbing in the Lake District's Duddon Valley. This climb might not have taken us quite so high, but it was a much more vertical ascent. There was no way we could do much leaning into the rock face on this climb.

Once again we were free climbing with no ropes. This might seem foolhardy (and we wouldn't advise anyone to try this at home) but you must remember that bears have special 'sure grip' paws and we alway follow the 3 points of contact at any one time rule.

Despite no ropes, we did have a secret weapon which gave us a helping paw. You might see what it was if you look very closely at our close up photo.


The stripey thing that is holding Yorkie safe and looks a bit like a tarantula leg, is actually our minder's gorilla pod flexible camera tripod. You've got to admit that bears never suffer from a lack of ingenuity. Who else would have thought of using a camera tripod as a climbing aid?

Lots of love the Bears Unlimited free climbers xxx

Standing on Top of the World

After my two adventurous interludes, the rest of the day settled down into the pleasant pattern I would expect from a day's hillwalking. We challenged our bodies (but not too much) with some good climbs, we marvelled at the stupendous views, enjoyed good conversation and soaked up the sun.


We were enjoying ourselves so much that it was almost too soon when we arrived at the Old Man summit. As you can see from the blue skies in our photo, the weather was simply perfect and we could see for simply miles, not just Lake Coniston but right across Morecombe Bay.

This was Patrick's first Lakeland fell and he declared it as fine as anything in Ireland which pleased me no end, as I really wanted him to fall in love with the land of my birth.


As we sat on the summit we really enjoyed watching people struggling up the last steep stretch of the tourist route. I never use this route as it's steep, eroded and uninteresting. I much prefer the ascent we took via Levers Water, the Prison Band and Swirl How especially as it gives a fine ridge walk.

Talking of fine ridge walks, we all thought it too soon to head down, so continued on our way to the Walna Scar Road via Dow Crags, Buck Pike and Brown Pike. We hardly saw anyone on this leg of the walk and enjoyed a wonderful sense of freedom and well-being. That's the effect walking has on you.

Once back in Coniston we ended our day out in one of the finest ways possible: with a pint of Bluebird in the Coniston Black Bull. The other chaps said I had really earned mine and I couldn't help but agree.

Lots of love Woolly, Patrick, George & Yorkie xxx

Woolly's Great Adventure Continues

I thought I'd pick up my tale myself as I don't often get a chance to Blog. As Fred's Mum correctly stated in her recent comment, us Lakeland sheep are a hardy breed, and I didn't really know what all the fuss and concern was all about. It's nice to know I've got friends who care but, I'd only really been for a swim, albeit with a rather unorthodox way of entering the water.

And so, it took me no time at all to recover from my adventure. I spied out the path ahead and led the way forward: keeping moving was the best way to get dry anyway.


Patrick, George & Yorkie kept an eye on me to check I wasn't suffering from any delayed concussion or similar, but I wasn't. However, when they proposed a mid morning cheese scone stop, I thought it was a great idea as, having suffered a bit of a shock, I needed to keep my blood sugar levels up.


I was about to take my first bite, when a big black dog came bounding up. Naturally I assumed he was after my scone so tried to move to protect it. Boy did I get a shock (my second of the day don't forget) when all of the cheese scones were ignored and the dog's target turned out to be myself. The dog took me in his jaws and lifted me off the rock. I was too stunned to do anything more than offer a distressed bleat. Fortunately George, Yorkie and Patrick responded with lightening reactions. Patrick reached for the dog's collar and George took a flying leap and landed astride the dog's neck, from where he could reach over and prise me from his jaws.

Fortunately the dog was acting on retriever instincts and was simply retrieving me, rather than helping himself to an easy meal. He was therefore carrying me with a soft mouth and I wasn't hurt at all.

And so I had my second miraculous escape of the day. Once again though, I wasn't prepared to recreate the experience for the benefit of the camera. Can you blame me? It was a pity we didn't have Black Doggy with us, so he could speak dog, and tell that over enthusiastic animal that he should leave sheep well alone or risk getting shot!

Lots of love Woolly, George, Yorkie and Patrick xxx