John Lennon – in full colour.

Having posted about Calderstones Park and mentioned John Lennon, I thought I really should have included a picture of him.

You can see this one in ‘The Hard Day’s Night Hotel’ – on North John Street, right in the centre of Liverpool.

John Lennon, Calderstones Park and some Amazing Trees.

Everyone needs a place to unwind. Somewhere your mind can run free and think fresh thoughts. Calderstones Park in Liverpool does it for me every time. Originally a shipping merchant’s private estate, it became a municipal park in 1902. It’s got it all; a boating lake (although sadly no rowing boats any more); a Japanese garden; and the druidical circle known as the Calder Stones from which the park takes it’s name. Imagine treading the same paths as ancient druids –  if that doesn’t get your imagination flowing nothing will. Then there’s the trees.

Here’s the park this afternoon still doing it’s best to keep the Autumn chills at bay. I’ve started sketching trees this year and have become fascinated by their shapes and structures. For much of the time,though, I’ve settled on sketching apple trees in my garden. I’ve used charcoal , pencil, graphite, and a little watercolour. See what you think.

So much for my drawings of trees. The trees below almost seem to be guarding the boating lake in the distance.

One final thought for now. John Lennon would have walked  or cycled through Calderstones Park every day on his way to Quarry Bank School from his home on Menlove Avenue. I wonder how much this amazing park might have influenced him. We can only imagine!