Day One

Weekly Photo Challenge: Texture

Posted on August 8, 2014 by Barbara

I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to share this photo I took of the sea at dawn. I wouldn’t have described the ripples as a texture, but when the sea looks like this it seems a lot more viscous than it is

Posted in Art, Boats, Photography, Water | Tagged ripples, sailing, sea, Sunrise, Texture, The Daily Post, Weekly Photo Challenge | 7 Comments

Does anyone eat Llama?

Posted on August 3, 2014 by Barbara

Out walking this weekend, we came across a flock of llamas. From a distance they look like strange sheep, but not up close! Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Photography, Surrey Hills, Walking | Tagged Farming, Llama, Sheep | 7 Comments

Weekly Photo Challenge: Zigzag

Posted on August 2, 2014 by Barbara

Dinghies Sailing on the Thames

I’m sure I would be banned from Weybridge Sailing Club for using the word ‘Zigzag‘ to describe sailing dinghies tacking across the Thames! Continue reading →

Posted in Boats, Photography, Water | Tagged Regatta, sailing, Tacking, The Daily Post, Weekly Photo Challenge, Weybridge Sailing Club, Zigzag | 6 Comments

I’m back & I’ve missed you all!

Posted on August 1, 2014 by Barbara

Japanese Anemone

I’ve been away for ages, I’ve been working too much, I’ve been de-cluttering my house (a little) I’ve been doing some classes; learning how to use my camera a bit more & I’ve been enjoying this lovely sunshine we’ve been having!

Japanese Anemone Close-up

But I’ve been taking hundreds of photos…. so I’ve a lot of catching up to do!

As a present to myself for all my clearing out (I’ve been using eBay and car-boot-sales as well as the bin!) I bought a new camera bag and a ‘close-up’ lens for my camera.

Myrtle

I want to buy a DSLR camera, but my Bridge camera is really very good & a friend of mine has lent me an old Cannon EOS 30D to play with and practice with before I commit some serious money!

Myrtle Flower Close-up

In the meantime I am practising with my new close-up lens, and I am planning to spend the next few weeks revisiting my camera classes using the DSLR camera to see what I can manage with it! I might post my attempts on here as a series ‘Photography 001’ (as opposed to the professional 101 series) Watch this space!!

Posted in Flowers, Photography, Summer | Tagged Anemone, Japanese Anemone, Myrtle, Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ62, Photography 001 | 8 Comments

Weekly Photo Challenge: Room

Posted on June 12, 2014 by Barbara

No matter where he is, Wilson always generates a LOT of room when he does this!

This week’s photo challenge is Room

Posted in Cocker Spaniels, Water, Wilson | Tagged dog getting dry, DP Photo Challenge, room, shaking dry, The Daily Post, Weekly Photo Challenge | 7 Comments

Weekly Pet Challenge; Newts!

Posted on June 11, 2014 by Barbara

While watching our new fish settle into our pond, I noticed some more inhabitants

Our pond is full of frogs, but its great to see a big fat newt too!

He looks like she is chewing on the frogs leg? Maybe she’s a French newt?

Posted in Animals, Fish, Frogs, Water | Tagged Garden, Goldfish, Michelle's Weekly Pet Challenge, newt, Pond, water lilies, Weekly Pet Challenge | 11 Comments

Weekly Pet Challenge; New pets this week!

Posted on June 5, 2014 by Barbara

Welcome to the new arrivals in our pond! We have a new filter, and lots of new water lilies so they are all very happily swimming about and very easy to see as the water is finally clear!

All we have to do now is look out for the Heron!

Posted in Animals, Heron, Water | Tagged Fish, Garden, Goldfish, Koi Carp, Michelle's Weekly Pet Challenge, Pond, water lilies, Weekly Pet Challenge | 7 Comments

Weekly Photo Challenge: Split-Second Story

Posted on June 4, 2014 by Barbara

A picture of us (Second row from left; Peter, Me, Louise & Damien) on the Shotover Jet…

Louise & Damien surprised us with a breakfast hair-raising ride through the canyons of Queenstown’s Shotover river at speeds of up to 80kph on a jet boat!

The boat flies through the canyons at breakneck speed getting closer than we could imagine to the overhanging rocks while sometimes travelling in just a few inches of water! A thrilling ride that had all of us screaming! Definitely a ‘must do’ activity if you are visiting Queenstown, the adventure capital of New Zealand

I’m late again with this week’s photo challenge!

Posted in New Zealand, Queenstown, Water | Tagged DP Photo Challenge, Jet Boat, Rapids, Shotover, Shotover Jet, Shotover river, Split-Second Story, The Daily Post, Weekly Photo Challenge | 15 Comments

In case you’ve been missing him, here’s Wilson!

Posted on May 29, 2014 by Barbara

With a stick. His absolute favourite occupation!

Posted in Animals, Cocker Spaniels, Photography, Wilson | Tagged Favourite things, Michelle's Weekly Pet Challenge | 14 Comments

I won an award for my photo!

Posted on May 24, 2014 by Barbara

Yesterday we spent the evening in LV21, a converted Lightship in Gillingham in Kent. One of my photos, ‘Sunrise on the Medway’ was placed in the Top 5 in an RSPB photography competition!

I took this photo while on a boat on a mooring at Queenborough on the River Swale. As the sun rose and the early morning sea mist began to clear, the forms of the huge container ship cranes came into view beyond the mudflats. For some unexplainable reason the cranes remind me of great elegant giraffes!