Saturday Morning Ritual

Most Saturday mornings I like to sit out on the Verandah and watch the garden. The weather is always warm – usually sunny and the bird life is amazing. Everyone else is asleep so it’s my time away from the hustle and bustle of weekly life. It’s become a routine and a great way to start the day. A cafetière of fresh ground coffee or hibiscus tea have become the drinks of choice. The camera is there just in case I see something. I have tried to capture the garden visitors along the way from Cape Robin Chat to Sunbirds to African Paradise Fly-catcher and everything in between.

Cape Robin Chat

Sunbird

African Paradise Flycatcher

Sometimes I have the laptop and use the time to catch up with news both personal and international.It’s a great start to the weekend!

 

However you start your Saturday have a great day!

Weekly Photo Challenge: Contrasts (Inverewe)

In the absence of a new challenge this week. A submission to the Weekly Photo Challenge: Contrasts

The contrast between Inverewe Gardens in the Scottish Highlands and the surrounding countryside is enormous. In the very North of Britain the rest of the landscape is moorland and mountain, but warmed by the Gulf Stream, Inverewe is a subtropical oasis. The garden too, is full of contrasts.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Contrast (Spikes)

A submission to the Weekly Photo Challenge: Contrasts

A shameless reblog of an earlier post – it fits the theme by the contrast between the prickly globes transformed into the soft petalled spheres on theflowery bloom.  These are globe thistles

Weekly Photo Challenge: Contrasts (Canal)

A submission to the Weekly Photo Challenge: Contrasts

For this submission two photos of the same scene at two different times of year. Taken at the Three Locks at Soulbury near Milton Keynes.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Contrasts (Technology)

A submission to the Weekly Photo Challenge: Contrasts

At the end of our Ratanakiri trek in Cambodia we stayed the night in a remote village deep in the jungle accessible only by motor boat. This was a village far from modern technology or so it seemed. Look closely at some of the shacks built on stilts, made from natural materials yet equipped with satellite TV dishes. A real contrast.

the stark contrast to the rest of the village exemplified below.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Contrasts (Jellybeans)

A submission to the Weekly Photo Challenge: Contrasts

In recent years it has become a Christmas tradition to get a large jar of Jelly Beans for the Festive a Period. The contrast here is the flavours. From Cinnamon to Cappuccino; Blueberry to Buttered Popcorn; Toasted Marshmallow to Tangerine.
As we will be in Tanzania this Christmas and won’t be able to, we have splashed out on a jar 🙂

What is your favourite flavour or combination?

Weekly Photo Challenge: Contrasts

A submission to the Weekly Photo Challenge: Contrasts

 

Taken on our trip to the Vendée in 2009 – a silhouette at sunset

Weekly Photo Challenge: Between Mountains

A submission to the Weekly Photo Challenge: Between

 

This picture taken in the Lake District at Kirkstone Pass  between the mountains in August 2013

This photo taken half way up Mount Snowdon in North Wales – between the bottom and the top in August 2011

 

Weekly Photo Challenge: Between Me and the Beach

A submission to the Weekly Photo Challenge: Between

 

These Thrift flowers perched on the clifftop above Chapelporth near St Agnes in Cornwall lay between me and the beach below.

 

 

 

Along the coast some other yellow plants (Bird’s Foot Trefoil) at Trevaunance Cove.

 

Weekly Photo Challenge: Between (Buildings)

A submission to the Weekly Photo Challenge: Between

Streets are the arteries that run between our buildings in our towns and cities. I could have chosen streets from any number of places I’ve been to, but decided to showcase one town on one island in the Mediterranean.

These pictures of the narrow picturesque streets of Sartenne in Corsica. They have recently been scanned as part of digitising our lives in preparation for our move to Tanzania.

I took these photos way back in 1989  in an era where I didn’t journal at all so the memories are vague. The photos are definitely Sartenne as I have postcards to back them up 🙂

Weekly Photo Challenge: Between

A submission to the Weekly Photo Challenge: Between

 

These pictures of the sun between the trees from across Milton Keynes at different times of the year. Unfortunately I can’t find one for summer but the other seasons are represented.

Spring Sun Between The Trees – Walnut Tree

Autumn Sun Between The Trees – Walton Park

 

Winter Sun Between The Trees – Stony Stratford

Weekly Photo Challenge: Extra Extra Colour

Le Lude – Cats

Le Lude – Zebras

Le Lude – Colours

Here is another submission to this weeks photo challenge – extra extra. These were taken on our holiday in Brittany and the Loire in 1999at Le Lude, where we saw a fabulous Son et Lumière show, the light adding an extra dimension to the walls of the old chateau.

 

Travel Theme: Fresh

This weeks Travel Theme is Fresh – here is my take on the theme

There’s nothing like fresh fruit picked off the bush. I think Blackberries are probably my favorite although Raspberries run a close second and Strawberries third. These were picked in Whisby Nature Reserve near Lincoln in August 2008

 

Weekly Photo Challenge: Extra Extra (Bugs)

Here is my submission to this weeks photo challenge – extra extra

From the  depths of the Cambodian Jungle in Ratanakiri Province. I took these flowers – only on reviewing did I spot the bugs – an Extra Bonus.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Extra Extra

Here is my submission to this weeks photo challenge – extra extra

 

 

 

We were at Lightwater Valley Theme Park and the rest of my family wanted to go on “The Claw” – a ride which spins you which way and everywhere. I’m not good with these rides – so I decided to stay below and take photos. My wife also took photos on the ride as it span wildly.

Amazingly she caught a photo of me taking a photo of the ride. So I am an unexpected extra in this photo.

My own photo is below

Weekly Photo Challenge: Rooms (For Sale)

Rooms for Sale

A submission to the Weekly Photo Challenge : Room 

With all that is happening with our impending move I had to make this last minute submission. The many rooms of our house ready for viewing when we put our house up for sale in February.

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Room (On Board for One More!)

Room (On Board for One More!)

A submission to the Weekly Photo Challenge : Room 

 

Crossing the river Gambia in 2006 – was quite an experience – with lots of passengers, vehicles and a herd of cattle!

 

Banjul Ferry

People and cars on board

..and cows….

lots of cows…

… and more cows

Disembarking

People and cars off

Weekly Photo Challenge: (Changing) Room

Changing Room

A submission to the Weekly Photo Challenge : Room

Nursery 1998

Bedroom 2005

Teen Bedroom 2013

 

Over the years one room in our house has been decorated more than any other. The smallest room started off as an office. Painted Magnolia to begin with, it was first repainted yellow and blue in anticipation of the birth of my son in 1998. This remained as my son moved out on the birth of my daughter in 2000. Then in 2005 it was redecorated to pink and magenta as the nursery changed into a bedroom as my daughter grew out of girlie pink and approached her teens it transformed again and took on a lilac and purple hue.

 

Weekly Photo Challenge: (Ancient) Room

Ancient Room

A submission to the Weekly Photo Challenge : Room

Taken at Angkor Wat near Siem Reap in Cambodia. A place full of ancient rooms. Some like these had been swallowed up by the jungle before being rediscovered. Others within the main Angkor Wat complex are more in tact but show the ravages of time none the less.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Room (on Deck)

A submission to the Weekly Photo Challenge : Room. Our decking serves as an outdoor room in the Summer months (when it’s not raining!)