A Work in Progress

That’s this post, really. We’ve been away all week, discovering Shropshire with friends who’ve moved there. Getting to know this county and its landscapes, its industrial history, its towns and villages is a work in progress for us. But it’s left me only with time to throw together a quick response to Ann-Christine’s Lens Artists Challenge: Work in Progress.

We’re all Works in Progress – all our lives. But children especially so. Fierce concentration here, and enjoyment too …

Hard at work with bucket and spade.

Slightly older children can hold their own with adults when it comes to demonstrating proficiency – in this case sheep-handling at Masham Sheep Fair.

Sheep-handlers young and old at Masham Sheep Fair

Over in the city, street art out-numbers sheep. Here are two works in progress: the first in Valencia, Spain, the second near Brick Lane, London.

And finally, two shots from India that I remember well: the house opposite my hotel in Puducherry, whose construction was a work-in-progress from about six, till late… it’s up there as my featured photo … and a metalworker hard at work producing figures inspired by the nearby temple at Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu.

Bronze worker in Kumbakonam

Author: margaret21

I'm retired and live in North Yorkshire, where I walk , write, volunteer and travel as often as I can.

50 thoughts on “A Work in Progress”

  2. Beautiful choices all of these, Margaret. I smiled at the little guy hard at work, spade in hand and a great peaked cap. So much concentration. The photo from India in brilliant colours and the sheep – handlers are just great! Thank you for taking the time to post for the challenge.

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  6. I love your take on work in progress and the really engrossed child with the sand. My grandchildren have been loving the beach in Portugal this week and entertaining themselves with sand! Love the bullock cart and bricks too. Memories of India through this and somehow the colours.

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    1. Yes, I think it’s the colours that take me back to India most effectively. Just a lucky snapshot through a window. That child is my grandson and it’s quite an old photo, but happily, he’s just as curious, just as intense in his interests now that he’s eight.

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  7. You may have been pushed for time but this is a great response to the brief with a real variety of works in progress! My favourite is the top one from India, although I was puzzled at first seeing it next to a reference to visiting Shropshire 😆

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  8. Good for you that you made time. I’m very taken with the first of the street artworks. And a man crafting is always interesting. Which Shropshire village? It’s a nice part of the world 🤗🩷

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    1. Oh, it’s a tiny village – you’re unlikely to know it. It’s called Ryton and is south of Shrewsbury. We love going to Shropshire, even though the journey can be a bitt on the hellish side. More next week, perhaps?

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      1. Why not? So far today I’ve seen the final fitting on the wedding frock, tied together 50 pairs of flip-flops with bows of ribbon, inserted batteries in numerous candles and am now busily trimming napkins. 50 ways to spend your 34th wedding anniversary. I expect someone will feed me later 🤣🩵

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    1. Hard work for a toddler is always fun, apparently. For those builders? Well, they were cheerful enough, the women, – not shown in that image – working just as hard as the men.

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  15. An interesting collection here Margaret. I had to look up Ryton, possibly closer to Wolverhampton than Shrewsbury. Not an area I know well, though I do know a fair bit about Shropshire including the journey to reach it! Not so bad on the M54 though. And I do hope you visited David Austin’s roses in Albrighton. If not on this visit, it is a must see.

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    1. Wrong Ryton, I suspect. This tiny village is only a few miles from Shrewsbury, near Dorrington. I like roses, but not enough to make a pilgrimage. I always think they grace our gardens for too small a period in the year to justify taking up so much space. Ooops. Is that the end of a beautiful blogging friendship?

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      1. Ah, yes, I see there is a Great and Little Ryton too. We’ve been through Dorrington a million times, but not any of the Rytons. I guess like many Shropshire villages and hamlets it’s a place only locals go to. Do your friends like it there?

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      2. They’re so happy. It was a move from North Yorkshire for them, some years ago. They love the walks. the countryside, their huge garden, and the social and cultural life of Shrewsbury.

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    1. I use Google photos. If you post suitable keywords, it’ll bring up all the photos relevant to that key word. Sadly, I wasn’t using it during my French years, so those photos are more or less inaccessible to me.

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  17. I enjoyed your post and reflections on life in progress. The little fellow who is busy playing in the sand reminds me how children can combine work and play in such a wonderful way. I think as adults we forget how to have fun sometimes. Have a great week and it looks like you had a wonderful holiday.

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  19. These are wonderful images. I especially like the little boy and his sand shovel. My sister and I were camping in Canada this past week. I have many (too many) pictures to process. But we had fun exploring towns somewhere away from home.

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