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Weekly Photo Challenge: Now

Weekly Photo Challenge: Now

We’re now in Shropshire visiting my in-laws for a couple of days. The wildlife gave us a delightful welcome before the sun went down! Coming over the Long Mynd in winter is an unusual treat, it’s been unseasonably mild in the UK. These two wild ponies were in such a great spot to capture the view to the East.

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There were about nine long-tailed tits flocking around the bird feeder just as we arrived at the cottage. I had to be quick with the camera, they don’t hang around for long! I haven’t brought my laptop with me so these are a quick process on the phone. I hope they’ll come back to the feeder before we leave! Perhaps not tomorrow as the rain is returning.

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The winds are really whipping up now, a portent of the next storm coming across our little island from the Atlantic. My heart goes out to all those affected by the storms across the UK and USA as well as the fires in Australia.

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Christmas Gallery

Jingle Bells

Christmas Gallery

Happy Christmas Everyone!

Jingle Bells
Christmas Glows
Lights along the way
Oh what fun it is to hear
The robin sing today

Hey!

Jingle bells
Fragrant smells
As orange blossoms sway
Oh what fun it’s been this year
Blogging all the way

Jingle bells
Fragrant smells
As orange blossoms sway
Oh what fun it’s been this year
Blogging all the way

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Every Day Is Different: Day 5

Strength and Vulnerability

Every Day Is Different: Day 5

Butterfly

Handle them with care
So strong yet vulnerable
Delight in their flight

Shelter them from cold
Watch out for them as the sun
Warms their wings again

Dance with them in Spring
As you’ve never danced before
Celebrate sweet life

Every Day Is Different

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Every Day Is Different: Day 4

Hazel O'Connor

Every Day Is Different: Day 4

Every Day Is Different

Today didn’t start very well but it certainly ended on a high note! I was up less little more than an hour before having to take myself straight back to bed. I remembered to set an an alarm as I had an important date to make this evening! Having got up for the second time, I threw on some clothes, fed the cats and rushed off to get the train up to London to meet Simon and our friend Julia. Our destination was the beautiful Union Chapel venue in Islington for a 35th Anniversary screening of the film Breaking Glass.

Hazel and her band receiving applause

This was followed by a Q&A with Hazel O’Connor, a performance with her band, Sarah Fisher and Clare Hirst, who were then joined by a full choir in front of an audience that really was packed to the rafters! I was able to copy a couple of images from my camera onto my phone to process on the train returning home. The rest of my photos today were taken on the phone, including a lovely one of me and Simon that Julia kindly took for us! Lots of interesting purples for #PurpleFriday including Heather’s dress 🙂

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Weekly Photo Challenge and Travel Theme: Inspired Transition

 

Rainbow Over StonehengeWeekly Photo Challenge and Travel Theme: Inspired Transition

I often find that the very scenes that I am photographing inspire me to create changes in their appearance that transform the original to something from my dreams.

Visiting Watts Chapel in Compton is always an inspiration! The chapel was created by Mary Watts, an Art & Crafts potter and sculptor, and her husband George F. Watts, the Pre-Raphaelite sculptor and painter. When I visited at the end of summer I wondered how the chapel would look at night. Here is a gallery of the Chapel’s transition through processing:

A week ago Simon and I went to visit his step-daughter, my friend Sam, in Somerset for the day. We drive right past Stonehenge every time we go to see them. This time I asked Simon if we could briefly stop near the henge so that I could capture a few photos. There’s a dirt road near the site itself that is just about okay to drive down in our car. I managed to capture the stones from a few different angles and this one pleased me the most. Being one of the most popular tourist attractions of the area, the scene was busy with people even though heavy rain was forecast and the skies were very threatening! Those fabulous skies inspired me to add a rainbow to my image. It’s the scene that I dream of seeing for real one day! Until that magic finally happens for me, my imagination will have to do. Here is a gallery showing the scene’s transition through processing: