Heligan

Went to the Lost Gardens of Heligan yesterday and had a wander around.  I can't say we saw it all as there is so much to see and the weather wasn't that great and we kept getting distracted by a robin who insisted on posing for us all the time, so we had to stop all the time!!  Anyway here are some photos from the day.

This phesant was more than happy to stand and have his photo taken.

Think this is called the lady in the woods

 This duck spent ages having a wash in the pond then dried off once out.

 Rhubard pots, so Yvonne informs me - we so want one!

Last but not least Mr Robin and my photo for the day.

A good week.

It has been a good week, an even mixture of work and play and only one interaction with the hoover :).  A morning with Yvonne and putting the world to rights and planning our girlie weekend escape - we decided what is good for the boys is good for the girls - he! he!  Another day spent with another friend (NIna 1) where we bored each other silly with photography talk - wonderful :) the only shame was it was raining too much to actually do any photography, so we settled for a pub lunch instead :)  Others friends have invited us to join them on a weekend to France, so off to tea with them on Friday to plan details and last but not least I believe the running bug has finally come along and bit me.  My running partner (Nina 2) and I try to go every other day, be it am or pm (depending on my shifts) and we never want to go especially if it is raining, but we always go.  So Wed evening we dragged ourselves out and just stayed around the village and we were happy that we had reached 4.8miles (she has a watch that tells us the distance etc).  Anyway she rang me the next day to say that as she got to her house the watch registered 5miles!! (I have to run to her house first). We were both so ecstastic :D.  So we repeated it Fri night and again this morning.  I feel like we have reached a huge milestone.  My 6 mile run in March seems very achievable now, just need to start collecting sponsors now.

So to finish off the post here are some images from this weeks 366 project.

Surprise surprise a tulip!!

 Seriously abandoned

 More tulips

Enjoying an ice cream in Padstow

Spring is on its way.

Had a stroll around the garden yesterday trying to find some inspiration for something!!  Took a load of awful photos purely because I was too lazy to come inside and get the tripod and too tired to hold the camera steady - pathetic eh?  Anyway I was delighted to see so many buds bursting out, here is one that turned out sort of OK.

Yesterday I finished watching this dvd

it is six hours long, in six episodes and it is brilliant (well I think it is), It covers the history of photography and the thoughts behind some of the great images we know so well and the photographers of today.   I hasten to add I did watch this over the course of two weeks.  If you ever get the chance to see it I would recommend it - if you are into photography that is!!

I also met up with Yvonne yesterday for a good catch up and cuppa which was lovely, just as well as we don't really get chance to talk properly to each other at camera club -my fault - sorry Yvonne :( 

No sky watch today as it is grey and dull :(. 

Gribben Head

Last Friday we went for a walk at Menabilly a new place for us. It turned out to be a beautiful day and the walk was delightful, it took us through fields, a small wood then up to Gribben tower then along the coastal path.  Here are some of the photos taken.

The 84 feet (26 m) high square beacon tower was erected by Trinity House in 1832 to distinguish the Gribben from Dodman Point and St Anthony’s Head, and thus make navigation into Fowey and the harbours of St Austell Bay safer. It was never lighted, but is painted in broad red and white bands as a daymark.^{[5] [6]}

26wk Photo Challenge - Water Droplets.

Oops I'm running behind on this - my excuse is having enjoyed having some time out with the family :)  and working in between.
Here are  Yvonne's, and Louise,'s water droplets.

So here are my three offering for water droplets,

First one taken at Heligan, not as sharp as I would really like it. :(

 AV mode, ss1/50, f8, ISO 200, 55mm

The next two are playing with a dripping tap in the bathroom sink (too much time on my hands obviously!!)  once again they are not as sharp as I would like them but I am struggling to understand where to actually focus but shall keep playing and see if I can improve.  Looking at the settings I think I should have used a smaller aperture.

 Manual, ss 1/200, f2.8, ISO 200, 90mm

This one is cropped in on just the drop then auto levels applied to it - just liked the effect. I think this one is my favourite.

Manual, ss 1.200, f2.8, ISO200, 90mm

For some amazing droplets images take a look here http://www.flickr.com/photos/ircincyjim/  he also shows you photos of the kit he uses to take these images - don't think I shall be going to that extent - not just yet anyway!!

Right for the next fortnight the theme is random things - so anything around the house, work whatever you fancy but something you would not normally think of photographing, ie books, ornaments, clothes anything that catches your eye.  Whilst taking these try and think about composition and the rule of thirds, try and make the ordinary look extra ordinary!!  There's a challenge now!  Most of all have fun and use the camera, and upload by the 5th March. :)

At risk of becoming a Domestic Goddess - NOT

Anyone who knows me fairly well will know that I hate housework I view it as a complete waste of time because no sooner is it done then it needs doing again.  I have tried numerous ways of getting around this dislike from setting aside one day a week, doing alittle each day then rewarding myself with something I want to do, paying the girls to do it (how bad is that!) but nothing has worked long term - it is just never ending and the whole act winds me up and then I end up feeling guilty towards Mick and the girls for not running a sparkling house.  Ours is a lived in home that shouts out the Butfields (well I think it does!)  Don't get me wrong I love to see a sparkling home where everything knows it place but I just can't recreate that in our living space.  In fact a 'friend' some years back called me a "sloppy housewife" purely because I admitted that I did not (and still don't) iron my knickers or anyone else's knickers for that matter and have no intention of ever doing so.  Why would I want to iron them when my bottom is more than capable of ironing out the creases once I put them on!!  (the friendship didn't last - especially once she told all the other mum's at school!)

Anyway I digress -  as I am slightly carless today (another story!) and wanted to do various things, none which included the h word but aware that I did really need to do some,  I settled for cleaning the bathroom, en suite and toilet.  Now I don't know about anyone else but I have tried numerous cleaners that say they will remove the soap scum (sounds disgusting) from shower panels and they don't work.  Half way through the first panel my cleaner runs out so a new pot is found in the garage, my bargain £1 bottle of new Dettol which like all others claims it will remove soap scum!!  So back I go with new bottle and start again and guess what ........ it actually does work - I'm in love!

This little bottle not only smells nice but it has left my shower panels absolutely sparkling with very little effort on my part, so much so I just had to share it with you all - how sad am I? lol  I even enjoyed the process and now feel I have really earned my me time with my camera :)

Yesterday 366 image

I hadn't planned to put my 366 project on here but I think I will end up doing every now and then. So here is my image from yesterday.  I often see photos of glasses and like them and they were one of the things I wanted to have a go at.  I like the two below but couldn't get just what I wanted so will have to revisit again.

 Manual mode, ss 1/4, f8, ISO 100, 90mm.

Manual mode, ss 1/4, f5.6, ISO 100, 90mm

Anemones

Another week gone by in a blur, really wish I could find the slow down switch to life!  It has been a week of car repairs for us.  My Scenic has been playing up for a few weeks now and Mick has been trying to work out what the problem was, the mpg was decreasing every time I drove it (which is every day!!) anyway after racking his and his dad's brains and abit of googling he narrowed it down to two possibilities.  The first one didn't work but thankfully the second one did and on it's test drive the mpg went from 44.3 to 50.3 - so as you can imagine I shall be a very happy lassie from now on and so will my purse, not so many trips to the petrol station in the future.

My Anemones are opening now so naturally had to take the odd photo or two and share them with you.

AV mode, ss 1/25, f22, 90mm, exp comp -1/3, ISO 100

AV mode, ss 1/6, f8, exp comp -1/3, ISO 100, 90mm

Av mode, ss 1/4, f8, exp comp -1, ISO 100

AV mode,  ss 0.5, f7.1, exp comp +2, ISO 100



Surprises

Last week I had two surprises which I thought I would share. Thurs there was a knock on my door and I found an elderly gentleman standing there saying  he had got his car stuck down the lane and needed to get home to ring his son but couldn't walk any further due to illness. So I popped him in the car and down to his home and never really thought any more of it.  When I got in from work on Saturday, I find his son had been round with this gorgeous Posy in a Jam Jar to say thank you.

I was absolutely bowled over, it is so sweet and thoughtful, (and such a simply idea - so saving jam jars now!!)

My other surprise was this wonderful book. 

When I turned up at camera club last week one of the ladies said "I have a present for you" and gave me the book.  Have to be honest and say I was very confused at the time as we were on the door taking money and thought it was on loan as I couldn't understand why she would give me a present.  Well I met up with her yesterday and no it isn't on loan, she gave it to me as she knows I appreciate books like she does and I love gardens!!!  How sweet is that, I just feel totally overwhelmed and very lucky.

26wk Photo Challenge - Zoom Burst

Zoom burst is a fun technique that takes alittle bit of practise and has interesting results (well I think so anyway), so that has been the theme for the last two weeks and here are my offerings, feel free to critique them constructively.  See Yvonne's, Louise's and Jo's images from this theme.

First three taken whilst at the Eden Project,

 AV Mode, ss0.4, f36, ex comp +1 1/3, ISO 100, SOOC

    AV mode, ss 0.3, f22, exp comp +1 1/3, ISo 100, slight crop and tweak with levels.

This one is my favourite, just love the colours and patterns created.

AV mode, ss 1/6, f22, exp comp +1 1/3, ISO 100, SOOC

Here is Yvonne taking her photos as well.  (note the black dot on the bottom left, that is alittle insect that somehow got inside my camera, we could see him walking around when looking through the view finder!!)  Didn't notice him on the photo until now)

AV mode, ss1/4, f5.6, ISO 200, SOOC

This is a 'Jam Jar Posy' that was given to me yesterday, will explain more in another post.

As of tomorrow the theme is 'water droplets'.  So that can be any kind of water droplets, from droplets on plants, splashing into water, reflections in water droplets I look forward to seeing the different takes on this theme.

Eden Project

Last Friday Yvonne and I went over to the Eden Project for a catch up and to play with the cameras.  It was a great day so thought I would share some of the photos I took.

         Beautiful blue skies and one of the many rustic sign posts at Eden  

A bunch of dried sunflowers hanging in the Mediterranean Biome

I was fascinated by this flower, so much so I forgot to see what it was called, just hope I get back to see it open fully.

 A deliberately abandoned wagon wheel.

When we came out of the biomes the sky had changed colour just slightly

The heavens opened once we got into the main enterance and out to the car park, but me being me dragged Yvonne out into it to walk to the cars (I think she has finally forgiven me!!)

As I drove out of the grounds this is the sky that greeted me

So all in all a very enjoyable day. :)

A new month

Well I'm not the only one thinking 'where did January go', not long til Christmas now I guess lol (who's groaning and cursing me now eh?)  So what happened in January, ..... our Amanda turned 17, had knee surgery, got her driving licence and wait for it had her first lesson with Mick Monday evening, she really loved it and did well apparently.  Bernadette has gone back and been home for a weekend and will be home again on the 15th for a few days.  It is during half term, so Mick and I have taken a couple of days off work as well, so we will get a couple of family days out :).  Mick finally shaved his beard off ....whippee.... and once again resembles my husband, which makes me a very happy teddy.  As for me - I have kept up with my 366 project, some days better than others, still enjoying it though. I haven't really been managing my time very well, still spend too much time on here and thinking about things.  Though I did start sorting out my craft room and have decided to sell a lot of my bits as I never use them, so someone else may as well have them and put them to good use.   I haven't done much blogging this month which is not so good, so I need to improve on that as well.
Here are some photos from January, these have been part of my 366 project.

Sat in the car whilst in between calls at work, it was raining for a change so I decided to play with shutter speeds and passing traffic!

Here we ago again with numerous sets of L plates that DO NOT stay attached to the car when moving.  Bring back the old tie on ones.

A trip to the Eden Project with Yvonne last Friday, can't wait to see these bulbs in flower.

Struggled this day, but Lord of the Rings came to my rescue.