Valentine

St. Valentine's Day, on the 14th February, seems to be widely celebrated, not only in the UK but elsewhere in the world. There were apparently a number of Valentines who were martyred, and one who supposedly restored sight to the blind daughter of his jailer. Valentine seems to have become associated with love and romance as far back as Chaucer's time and we owe it to the Victorians, I think, that we exchange cards, often anonymously on Valentine's Day.

I've had my share of Valentine's cards over the years (including a few from my mother to ensure I never felt left out as a teenager!) Few have been memorable. I'm not at all a hearts and flowers kind of girl. 

I spotted the graffiti heart on one of my walks; I quite liked the textures and shapes. 

Anyway, whether you celebrate romantically or not, I send you warm hugs today. You're special. 

Quackers

A new mural has been painted alongside the canal on the way into Shipley. It's quackers! (I couldn't get a better angle on it or I'd have fallen in the canal.) I'm not sure whether it's commissioned or simply graffiti but it raised a smile from me. 

Further along I came across this one. I love the look on that alpaca's face! I'm amused to see the octopus sculpture, which adorns the canalside in Saltaire, immortalised as a hat! 

Meanwhile, the long-standing artwork under the roadbridge is deteriorating rapidly, now covered in mould. It's a bit whacky too... I've never been sure what the story is. It's some kind of fantasy banquet. 

Not a mural but another source of amusement for me were these two swans, upended so dramatically that you'd have thought they might do a complete somersault. I don't know what was so tasty down there but something held their attention for a long time. 

They lied to you

Inevitably, wherever you look in Leeds the taggers have been at work. Much of it is messy scrawl, but sometimes there are interesting areas to dwell on. This was another of my mini-projects during the camera club outing along the canal. Colourful at any rate...