Category: Photography

Water, water, every where…

Drip, drip, drip.

Entries for the current photo challenge appear to have dried up!

So. here’s a gentle reminder, deadline is this Saturday.

Water, any form, anywhere, remember water doesn’t even have to be the subject just important to the shot.

Since posting the challenge we’ve had the jubilee flotilla, regatta weeks and of course rain (was it not the wettest June on record in some parts?)

Some fine pictures have already been posted but as the old adage goes the more the merrier.

If members are unsure how to insert a picture on a thread there are very clear instructions at the top of the page or here or simply create a new post and I’ll insert it for you.

That, by the way is my daughter on the left (another one of those ‘Dad’s heart attack moments!’)

Drips and drops

I wasn’t the full ticket this morning. I had been up in the night and didn’t sleep well. I sat down with my pot of tea and gazed out of the window which overlooks the front garden in a rather unfocused manner, wondering if I could face breakfast, wondering how I may fit in the jobs on my list before the guests arrive – until something caught my eye. The sun was out and all along the long strappy leaves of crocosmia there were pinpoints of lighted raindrops, suspended and glistening.

It was difficult to get a good picture as the angle I needed, ideally, was from the inside, but the window, where I needed to open, it is a fixed one. So I went out in dressing gown and slippers.

More water for the competition

I don’t know the physics of this: the reason that the drops were held at the tips of the leaves. I assume that there are tiny hairs which work with the surface tension. But whatever the physics, what a wonderful way to bring me back to full wakefulness.

My guests will be here soon. I’d better go and get a few more jobs done.

Asthall Manor, truly ‘on form’ (thank you Janus)

The English weather never ceases to surprise.

Wet and windy Saturday, dull and over cast all Sunday morning, white cloud and sunny intervals in the afternoon, followed by another downpour in the evening. Which all-in-all meant that the open gardens, (2-6 pm) were saved from being a washout and it was actually quite pleasant.

I had promised to go to my friends’ open garden, in a village near Cheltenham, and on the way I planned a stop, about half-way to their house, at Astall Manor’s, On Form Sculpture. What a treat, though a treat which wasn’t cheap.
The setting is glorious, the sculpture various and wonderful and all the while I wished I could have arranged to have a companion with me to share my ooohs and ahhhs!
However Cycloman was out on his bike and the boys revising.

Continue reading “Asthall Manor, truly ‘on form’ (thank you Janus)”

June Drops

My garden is battered, wet and lush. Luckily I put in plenty of stakes early on, but even so so extra support work is needed after yesterday’s wind. All the trees looked as though they were madly auditioning for a ‘because I’m worth it,’ hair tossing competition and this morning there are plenty of tattered green shreds on the ground.

For the photo competition

This afternoon my friend has her garden open in a village near Cheltenham – a whole group of them are open, which would be wonderful on a quintessentially warm June afternoon. Grey skies won’t pull the crowds. Continue reading “June Drops”

Photography Competition No 28

WATER

.   .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .

Dolphin in Algoa Bay

Water in any form, water doesn’t even have to be the subject, simply important to the picture.

A couple of rule changes;

1) I’d like to see pictures taken this year (2012)

2) Members may enter as many times as they like, all will be considered. I know how frustrating it is to have two or three suitable pictures for our competitions and have to pick only one, so I’ve scrapped the ‘one pic only rule’ for this one.

Water it is, solid, liquid or gas, have fun 🙂

Closing date Sat July 7th (all time zones, I’ll be judging on the Sunday)

Good Luck.

Cool church on a warm day

One sunny afternoon, before the monsoon season, we went to the burial ground to see how the native cherry we planted on mother’s grave was faring in the drought. Walking through the meadow, we took the footpath to the nearby church of St Nicholas.

Interesting chapel which houses the tomb of the Knollys family. You can see the effigies of Sir Francis Knollys and his wife, Catherine, lady in waiting to Elizabeth I, and niece of Anne Boleyn.

You may remember a previous post about Greys Court, and the connection with the Knollys family.

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Nature and nurture

On motorway embankments and roundabouts the ox-eye daisy is king. Viewed from the car the familiarity of their simple shape among the long grasses is a welcome sight, meaning summer is really here. (Ha!)

Close up they are full of wild life

The grass, when you look more closely is full of wild flowers – tiny wild flowers that can so easily go unseen…. everyone sees the Foxgloves in shaded areas, Cow Parsley along the country lanes and Valerian in rocky crevices, for example: but who notices these wee things? Continue reading “Nature and nurture”

Weather or not

Our stay on the Wirral for a couple of nights over half-term was to visit Milly (Mother-in-Law) who wanted on outing. We were lucky really, to choose to go to Bodnant Gardens on the least wet day. It rained before we arrived and just before we left, but in the middle we had overcast skies and occasionally even a little sunshine. (By the time we got to Llandudno  later on, further walking about was out of the question. Wet and windy.Tea and cake seemed the best option.)

Bodnant is rather beautiful. I had never been before, but will certainly want to go again. It was the second place ever left to The National Trust after Hidcote (which is much closer to home, both geographically and in terms of growing conditions.)

Bodnant is on a hill: which made hard work for the wheelchair pushers. The gardens reach down into a river valley and at this time of year are exploding with colour from especially from Azaleas and Rhododendrons and the leaves of various maples. The soil is acid and rich. In these respects the garden is so completely opposite to my own garden conditions (flat aspect, lime based soil, no running water etc etc) that I just know I can never emulate any of the features, except maybe I could grow laburnum…

though on a smaller scale. Continue reading “Weather or not”