OLAF 1, KING NO. 2

Olaf 1 posing in the library

So my world yesterday was puking queens, today we have murdering Viking Kings. Never a dull moment here is there. Well actually there are plenty but it looks like the past, those historical footsteps around Ramsey were jam packed lively ones. So who is this Olaf 1 guy then? No he's not a rapper with a name like that. Here we go then, Olaf1 complete with Babooshkaisms.

Olaf, was a minor(child not digging coal) when King Magnus Barefoot( great name) raided the island and the Hebrides. Known too as Olaf Klining(no not Klingon) or Bitling. Why? Due to his teeny, tiny stature or maybe his rosy complexion. No I don't know if that was down to the local brew. He reigned for 50 years we think( who's we?) and kept everything hunky dory, peaceful keeping on good terms with the Kings of Norway, Scotland, England and Ireland. He married Ingibiorg, daughter of Earl Hakon of Orkney and had one son, Godred the Black.( Now that sounds very middle earth.)It's also rumoured and documented somewhere(I'm not an historian, but a storyteller) that he married Elfrica, daughter of Fergus, Lord of Galloway. Randy Olaf had several illegitimate sons and daughters, one of whom, Ragnhildis (Raghnaid), married Somerled MacGhillebrighde, regulus of Argyle(don't you just love these names?) and Daddy of the great Clan Donald. He bacame Lord of the Isles don't ya know too. Olaf Bitling sailed to Norway at the end of his reign to pay his 'scat' of 10 marks of gold.Pays his dues, he was crowned at Trondheim and left his son Godred to be educated in Norway. On his return to Man, he found that the sons of his deceased brother Harold were conspiring to overthrow him. Royalty eh! Bloodthirsty backstabbers. On the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul( sitting on a wall) 1153, Olaf arranged a meeting with the conspirators to consider their claims. Unfortunately Reginald, son of Harold, took advantage of the opportunity to dispatch(polite way of saying hack to pieces) his uncle with an axe. He was slain with said axe in Ramsey. Well of course we didn't have "CSI Ramsey"(please let me write the script) so we can't actually prove a murder most foul took place can we? In fact who says any of this really happened, it is the Isle of Man afterall.

Do you think Kingons were based on Vikings? Discuss!

.

RUSTY OLD QUEEN IS SICK OF THE SIGHT OF RAMSEY, OR IS SHE? .. - MY WORLD

Queen Victoria was sick not amused!


My world

Actually I think Queen Victoria was amused by this Pier, after all it is the aptly named Queen's Pier of Ramsey. Ah yes like the Swingiest of bridges we have the other often photographed image here the Pier. An image needs a story though and I found this amusing one below just to add a little twist on the earlier images. Of course it has little Babooshkaisms, in jest.


Queen's Pier is as I have said before an iron pier(that would account for the rust then obviously) which was built in 1886. At one time it actually had it's own sweet little tramway running the length of it and how quaint a little cafe too. Even had royal visitations. Queen Victoria landed upon these shores here in 1847. Actually she was supposed to enter Douglas harbour but heavy seas made that nigh on impossible. What a carry on! What to do? Come and dock at Ramsey, the North of the island instead of course.Prince Albert came ashore and had a peek about town. Queen Vic though decided to remain aboard. Apparently she has suddenly come over all queasy weasy and developed a bout of seasickness. Yeah right couldn't be bothered I see to grace our fair town. Never mind Queen B rules here now anyway.


So that was (sort of) the tale of the Royal Visit, and that's where the Queen's Pier, the rust bucket that may or not be saved, but presently remains closed slots into the Isle of Man back back stories. Unlike the myths and legends at least this tale is true. The idea of Queen Victoria puking into the Irish Sea rather than set foot on Manx soil here amuses me though if not her. What doesn't amuse me though are the images that have suddenly appeared on er so called photographic sites that are almost identical(obviously sub standard) to mine. Manx sites too. Get your own ideas, you've been doing it long enough. Call your self professional photographers. Shame on you! Tut Tut! If you haven't got your own ideas then you really shouldn't be photographers!


My other piers to peer at at the pre date the impostors.(Naughty Naughty very Naughty!)
Underneath
Save me
Silhouette
Eternity


Klaus, Imac, Fishing Guy, Ivar, Tom, Louise, Wren, Sandy and others are to thank for the My World neme. Click here for more my world's just for fun again of course.

Ramsey Daily Photo

BLOGGED OUT AND WATER BORED! - MONOCHROME

Oh look it's another reflection I'm reflecting on.

Monochrome

Just an monochrome, nothing odd. Straightforward reflection of a bridge. Not the famous Ramsey Swing Bridge I hasten to add. No just, the little footbridge towards the entrance of the Park. That's the black lagoon again, I mean lake that I went for my unofficial swim in after tumbling out of a canoe. Looks so calm doesn't it? How deceptive is the camera to capture one second of pure, silken, flat water just before that gust of wind catches the ripples or that canoeist makes a splash.


The title I think says it all. I am in need of more challenging images, things that move, things that don't have reflections, things that aren't in Ramsey. Not very good that when this blog is called "Ramsey Daily Photo" is it? I can't be false about it. Honestly you can get bored of the place. Don't get me wrong the image is a beauty, but I can do this "mirror reflection" image in my sleep, in fact most of the images. So no critters this week, no odd shot. Posts as you can see will be as and when, no longer than two days but no guarantees they will be daily. Basically I am itching to photograph the Blues festival, the TT Road Races, Ramsey Rocks, events in other words. It's been a long wet dull winter blues now it's time for the promise of summer and hot shots in more ways than one.

I'm working strange hours too so posts also erratic due to this along with blog fatigue.


Time to go again. Not around I know. Busy Bee(or should that be B?) For other Mononchromes of Maniacs see and Aileni play nice or I'll send those Manx Fairies over your way to cast grey clouds, with no silver lining!

The Blues Festival is next Saturday. Can't wait and yes you'll get to see it here.

TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY .... OF ROADWORKS- SKYWATCH

Gone with the traffic cones

Skywatch

Well Fiddle- dee-dee it's that time of year I hate here. No not Gone with the Wind sky days. I never mind those. No it's the dreaded roadworks. Argh! Not just one road, I mean the whole island goes into some sort of free fall of little men(well they look small stuck in holes in the road) digging and drilling holes, on top of pot holes, only to resurface those same holes! An infestation of traffic cones is upon us and we will soon become cone world for the next month or so. What these cones are actually guarding is not always clear, but they are breeding daily. Why? All for the Isle of Man TT, you know those super fast motorbikes whizzing past like great balls of fire I photograph(Motoaction magazine exclusives) like a lunatic. Love the TT, HATE the roadworks.



Skywaych I know the image. Off at tangents again and a diatribe. Just had to get that whinge out the way after being stuck on a new(dead posh it is) bus that went on a very strange detour today. I'm sure the driver was lost. What can I say it's have a guess where? Of course it's the nature reserve, ah but it's a totally new tree for you. Really. Always liked the angle of this, just waiting for a suitable sky for that kind of image I wanted, well set of images. Expect to see this tree a lot under a range of skies. Afterall, I can almost see it from my back window. Now, I may never have to leave the house again if I can just get onto the roof.... Nah! I think my cover may well and truly be blown with the neighbours.


Skywatch watchers can be found here. Many thanks to Dot for the inspirational idea, Tom for the first caretaking and the My world gang for looking after skywatch now.


Btw. We finally got to see the Watchman after I complained on this blog about the cinema on the island not showing it and not catering to all tastes and not showing a wide enough range of films. It was I am happy to say(Wednesday night Babooshka saw it, in case you were there) a full house. We won. It was screened, and it was well worth the wait. Pester Power works, don't give up, afterall tomorrow is another day.

Now beam me up for Star Trek after the Laxey Blues Festival. Gotta go.

NICKY'S NOOK, A MYSTERY- ABC

I wonder who lives in a house like this?

Abc this week is brought to you by the letter N

Well Nicky Nacky Noo, what have we here. Nah, 'tis not my house. I know I have a thing for all things purple but this looks like this Nook appears to belong to Nicky. Or does it? Could this be a clever little play on words of Nicky Nook in Lancashire England. Maybe Hilda Baker, she knows you know, would be able to answer this. If you click the colours you can delve a little deeper into these weird British references. Might be dedicated to the old Nicky Nacky Noo, pub game, or the old kids rhyme. Of course it could be a Spoonerism. Nooki.. no I'll let you do that cheeky one.


This sweet little house is a defiant splash of colour on the otherwise dreary Water Street. Note the Triskelion, the 3 legs our national symbol is there too. Me thinks it's a charming place. Me also thinks, my nearest and dearest ones this is definitely not anything to do with the local vernacular, but I could be wrong(but Babooshka, you wrong never ha ha!) so if anyone has the definitive answer I'd love to know. I'm sure you would too? I dunno, formerly pink Police Stations( look out for that one next week), bright yellow pubs, and purple houses you can't say we don't know how to paint the town red here. You can't say I don't ever just take a snapshot either. Very proudly used the fancypants Nikon to capture a totally not composed, not straight, willy nilly in yer face snapshot, despite the Nikon's protestations. Frankly it was quite liberating.


For the full house and street click -Nicky's Nook the Full Monty.


For other Abc's click here. Mrs Nesbitt whose idea ABC is, the roadworks have begun in preparation for your visitation. We can't have you stumbling on a pot hole now can we in your Nesbitt Clan Tartan!

9 images Barker

MY WORLD IS BLOOMIN' MARVELLOUS

Cherry Blossom is in the pink

My World

I don't usually show flowers, not really my favourite thing to photograph, but Cherry Blossoms in Spring are a particular favourite. Especially the ones we have along the main high street, Parliament Street. In fact these bloomin' lovelies are right outside a building that used to be a shocking soft pink. Now soft pink isn't shocking you might say? It is when the pink building in question is the local Police station! It's now a dull sedate cream and I wasn't in the mood to show dull cream, on a sizzling blue sky day. We needed hot pink petals and cheeriest of cherry blossoms. If you're good I'll show you the Pink Police Station of the past sometime. That is if you're all on your best behaviour and I can find the file which is definitely not named "hot pink police stations of Ramsey." No life is never that easy.

Finally a day off. Yippee.

Ramsey is famous( in a very small circles obviously) for it's blooms, often representing the island in competitions, and the North of the island for island wide(wide my ar..) floral showdowns. Fastest finger on the Geranium, and tulips at dawn. I'll stick with motorbikes and Rugby, which is not very girlie I know, but they are more my photography world and certainly more challenging. If really want to see some pretty flowers and the odd arty one of Ramsey Blooms from my wee colletcion, click below. This image was taken with the little point shoot not the big nikon. You can still get soft focus with a point and shoot, just work the little bugg.... and have fairy magic.


Marsh Orchid

Narcissus

Black Tulip
Shellan

Peek A Boo Tulip

Water Lillies

Daffodils

A change from my usual My World posting,s more a generic petal power than a specific to the area. Cherry Blossoms afterall are not exclusive to the island, unlike the fairies of Man, the Manx ones.

Klaus, Imac, Fishing Guy, Ivar, Tom, Louise, Wren, Sandy and others are to thank for the My World neme. Click here for more my world's just for fun again of course

Silver folied - monochrome

Grey is the new silver, Dahlinks!

I know I'm all out of kilter again and blog posts are popping up willy nilly(always loved that saying or nolens volens if you prefer to be more cerebal today) at random times and days. Sorry about that. Also note this is a straight forward Mononchrome. Wouldn't want to mislead the odd odd shoter(?) thinking this is a perfectly normal image and trying in vain to find oddiness(I really am making up a new language today.) What colour do you see though? Is it grey or silver?



Image is an empty(who keeps letting the plug out?) lake I've shown you before up the Mooragh(sounds slightly risque like that) the park that is. I know some of you have no idea what I'm on about now. As I was saying. Well I grabbed one of those images from that week of pure blah di blah images with no manipulation as a monochrome, greyscale. Reminds me of a new roll of tin foil when the light catches it and you get that funnel of white light. As it shimmers I see silver. If this was a matt image I would say grey. Think of it this way all you folks out there with a few grey hairs, try calling them silver highlights. Now how precious do they sound? Silver linings you see, even cynics note grey clouds have those.

YOUNG CORMORANT- CRITTERS

Young free and single

Critters

In and out post today. This will be critters, I'll link sign linky later. It's one of the young cormorants we have in the harbour here. This is my nemesis bird. These cormorants as you know are birds I am often chasing to get the definitive image of. Well here's the baby head shot, not as dark as it's parents yet. Really short and sweet today. Busy work but for my other cormorant pics and info click the links below.

For more info click here for a great wiki round up.

Too view my other cormorant pics click words below.

Here
There

And Everywhere

Now if I can just find that elusive escaped wild wallaby of Ramsey(yes more than one now though) and a Manx Fairy for critters that would be fantastic. For more critters of the world click Misty Dawn. Told you it was a short post today.

Roll the on the blues festival!

MULTI COLOURED SKY - SYKWATCH

Rainbow Sherbet Dip Anyone?

Cracking sky . Never had one since like this. Been here 6 years too. As you may recall I grabbed G, and the camera(not that he wanted to be dragged out at that times of night with hayfever through a field, bless) and bolted over to the Poyll Dooey nature reserve about 10pm and rattled off about 50 images as quick as you like before the last light faded. Not my usual leisurely stroll over to the meadow. Actually broke a sweat to capture these, which is not good for the world's laziest photographer you know!


The last time I showed the others from the night someone commented that they call these skies Rainbow Sherbet Dip skies. I have seen that same statement a lot recently. I like it. It really sums up this multi coloured against the silhouetted trees. Yes there is a lone bird in there too, which isn't in the others. Notice though what colour you don't see? Green. There are reasons, but that's for another times. As usual no pixels were hurt in the making of the images. Just captured, not manipulated. I'm sure I'll get another sky like this again here, just might have to wait another 6 years. To see others click the sherbet colours below and dip in. Fill ya boots!


Not 1 but 4 skies
Ellan Vannin
Ramsey Ripple
Here To Infinity

MANANNAN DEFINITELY, MANNANAN MAYBE- ABC - M

Is this Ramsey Lifeboat to the rescue?

ABC this week is brought to by the letter M

So I told you I may have to dip into the archives as I'm a little on the busy side work wise. Well you never guess what I think I may have found, but a pic of Mannanan. No not Manannan. Ah, you're confused aren't you? No I am not fuddled or having a brain frying incident due to overwork and a laptop that keeps installing updates I do not want or need( I said no damn you laptop!) it will all make sense this M&M post. So will the real Man..... please stand up.


Mannanan- Member of the Ramsey Lifeboat crew(ah but 'tis not his real name that would be shhh! nope can't say)


Manannan- Mythical Celtic Sea God with strong island connections, the one who throws his cloak(ok fog but magic cloaking devise sounds so much cooler) over the island to hide it from marauders( marauding tourists however are welcome though) and enemies.


I think that is a lifeboat? I remember taking this about 3 or4 years ago with the tiny point and shoot one dreary (supposedly) summer's morning, hand held no tripod. As you can see it was quite hazy and poor dull light, but the little boat leaving with the flashes of red and orange caught my eye so it was a case of what the hell rattle a few practise shots off. Long forgotten images. Searching the archives and bingo, could that be Mannanan the lifeboat man with Manannan throwing his hazy cloak over to protect us. So will the real M..... let me know and I'll forward the larger image. By the way yes this is Mannanan who does my world too. I know small world isn't it? Click the colours below to clarify which is which or course be as confused as usual.


Manannan
Mannanan


Word of thanks to David Machon Authorblog for again the inclusion for POTD for the colour blind post. Humble blogger me(ha ha!) appreciates a fellow internationally publisher photographer, jouranalist(no not me him) and author,(no really not me him, Vegemite Vindaloo) taking the time to trawl the blogs and for bestowing such high praise. Also he can out pun me, and you know I'm a puntastic queen b. Go check him out. Now!


Click ABC, the brainchild of Mrs Nesbitt who will be visiting the island. Mrs N. Today the council workman were trimming the hedges neatly for you so you can see the rolling hills better. I am happy to report the island is shaping up quite nicely and we shall be booking hot sunny days with the Manx Fairies too.

Laxey Blues Festival see ya there maybe mpla.

M..... please stand up.

COLOUR BLIND - MY WORLD

Red & green should never been seen except upon a fool

My World

Only nature can get away with diametrically opposed colours and blend them together so well. That red & green saying under the image has many variants, such as blue and green and extra verses with political or maritime connections, which made me curious.
I've found many reasons for the saying, but I'd be interested to know if you say either, and why? Back to the image. Would you be surprised if I told you this was the same place as last week, the meadow? No you wouldn't would you as it's my staple calling for "images I need in a hurry." or the other reason it's pi..... I mean persisting down with rain and the camera doesn't like rain, bless her. So not quite slippers and kimono, but a wander over in my proverbial "scruffs" click and all back before the kettle boils.

I think this is a maple, but as I have said I'm pretty crap at naming those blooms and trees. It's a sapling, I can see that. It's shot in really fierce direct sunlight,which casts a lovely hazy feel, without the dreaded moisture( hello just straightened hair!) In the meadow amongst a blanket sea of green this lone shaft of red stood defiantly alone in the corner, bending slightly but not cowered. Now that was a very poetic(pretentious moi?) way of describing the image, but if you are colour blind and these are the two colours you can't distinguish, well I may as well have shot this in mono and waxed lyrical about the textures. My world is photography. I see colours, form, shape, perspective,.. oh you know blah di blah but I am genuinely interested in knowing if any of bloggers out there are colour blind and what you see? For more tricksy red(dish) and green colours click the pretty colours below, or should I say the words in bold.


Fall into Autumn

Berried Sunset

The fuschia's bright
Dead or alive
Red Panda


Klaus, Imac, Fishing Guy, Ivar, Tom, Louise, Wren, Sandy and others are to thank for the My World neme. Click here for more my world's just for fun again of course.


FOSE

DON'T LEAVE ME HANGING ON - MONOCHROME ODDSHOTS

Suspended in Gaffa.... tape

Monochrome Odd Shots

One leaf left, not five. I hope you have suspended your be(leaf) enough ( ouch! that pun even hurt my sensibilities) to go ooh ah at the floating leaf I found. Of course it's not floating at all. It's not gaffa taped either though. In fact it's so simple and I'm sure most of you have twigged how it hanging there. Of course it's trapped in a spider's web. Simply tilting the camera at an angle and slight underexposing on the setting prevents the backlight, the natural sunlight from highlighting the spider's web. We could pretend it's magical fairies at work and I could wax lyrical all day about the symbolism of the image, the fragility, the creative thought process that lead me to capture the special moment, but that would be poppycock. It's an image that just happened to be on my route to work, within the nature reserve. Of course I have the camera, the time, the inclination to manipulate the conditions to let the camera lie to you and create an illusion of mystical magic beyond human control. Rubbish! It's just a photographer's bag of tricks, blocking the light to detract an element from the image that is not required. Anyone who tells you otherwise is being far too pretentious for there own good and really doesn't understand photography, and what fun photography can be.


Click Katney for your odd shot quirks . Click Aileni for your monochrome maniacs.



It's getting to very busy time here,Literally working every day. The Laxey Blues Festival, The Isle of Man TT, Ramsey Rocks. In other words posts will be as and when, as my camera is needed elsewhere. Obviously I will share some with you, but one needs to eat and pay bills too so you can not have the best images I take those are either exclusive or retail. If I post an archive or a rough I'll let you know and I may occasionally miss a neme, or day but I'll be around in my unpretentious, soapbox style. I'd rather be honest, than wimp out and play the game just to ingratiate myself to people, it's call being genuine. One piece of good news.....

We are going to get the Watchmen at the cinema. Pester power works.

almoimo

ONE BUTTERFLY LEFT- CRITTERS

Painted lady takes a break

Critters

Well that was either a very pretentious title, a really great pun or a misquote of one of my fav ipod albums. All three. Don't worry I am not about to break into a tedious Haiku with the sound of one hand clapping. Not that they are tedious ( oh ok actually a lot are) it's just everyone now thinks they can write one and frankly my dears, well they can't. I think you know what I mean. What we do have though are more butterflies. More of those painted ladies to be exact. Unlike the one last week I showed you looking onto half closed wings, here you can see the overwing and the underside of the wing. You can see the spotting and colouring better too. So I know what the butterfly is but not a clue on the plant. Last week the plant was a butterfly on a buddleja (butterfly bush to some of you) but this week I haven't a clue. I know I can rely on you as you comment to clarify what wild thing it is. It's in the meadow I showed last week last week, dry grassy area if that helps for identification purposes. To check out about the painted lady in more detail above click here

For more butterfly images on wild plants click the words below.


Buddleja Buddies
Red Admiral

Stoned Butterfly

For other critters of all shapes and sizes check out Misty Dawn's den and Camera Critters which is one year old today. As spring has sprung and the nights are getting lighter and longer expect to see more butterflies, especially painted lady ones. I did warn you there would be more of these butterflies. If you see a post for Big Fat Hairy Bikers though that will not be a species of butterfly but the real thing. If you see a post for Big Fat Hairy Bikers and Painted Ladies... you are on a very different blog to this one! To understand that paragraph from last week you really need to know what the other kinda painted lady is. No you find out for that info for yourself.

Now go flutterby some other critters.

foj

STORM CLOUDS - SKYWATCH

Rain, rain go away.

Skywatch

Stormy weather heading my way. Sort of. No two days have been alike this week. From warm blue sky days, whipping winds, threatening foreboding clouds, hailstones we've had it all. Well no that's not true we haven't had a rainbow. Anyway rain, rain go away I need to put my washing out. Do you know this nursery rhyme? I always think of it on days like these, but not of it's origins. No it's not from the island, but I'm sure someone out there in Isle of Man world has a weird Manx or Gaelic version full of goblins, fairies, vampires and witches scaring children out of their wits as most nursery rhymes( and fairytales come to that) so often do. I mean whoever thought fairytales like Rumpelstiltskin and Hansel and Gretal were ideal bedtime reading? Is it any wonder lights are asked to be kept on! Don't even get me started on why clowns are scary. Back to the ditty. This apparently is the original version. Although there are many more.

Rain rain go away,

Come again another day.

Little Brian wants to play;

Rain, rain, go to Spain,

Never show your face again!

Why Spain? Read what Wiki says and it's something I've heard before, but you know what myths are like. So Wiki Says

"Rain Rain Go Away" is a short children's rhyme. As with many nursey rhymes the origin and meaning of this rhyme is open for debate, but one theory dates it back to the reign of Queen Elizabeth the I. The invasion of the Spanish Armada was, in part, defeated by the stormy weather (which scattered the Armada fleet). A song, based on the rhyme, was co-written by Gloria Shayne Baker and Noel Regney, who were married at the time. Baker wrote the lyrics to the song, while Regney composed the music. Rain Rain Go Away was initially recorded by Bobby Vinton.

I know I usually go for colour skywatch but this tumultuous thunderous storm brewing sky suits my mood this week. I always said I'll blog while it's fun and stop when it's not. Well some people need to lighten up and remember this is not a competition, this blogging lark and that commenting about another person negatively on someone else's blog is just the height of bad manners blogging etiquette. You see why I have not been around for a few days, besides the work taking me out of town and out of net reach. I'm poking my tongue out at you verbally rude person(people). You nice people out there ignore the tongue poking and hopefully enjoy the stormy clouds. Thruuuuuuuuuuuup! That was a blown raspberry! Some people have noooooooooo sense of humour.


Skywatch watchers can be found here. Many thanks to Dot for the inspirational idea, Tom for the first care taking and the My world gang for looking after skywatch now.

Still no Watchmen here!

L - IS FOR LAND MARK? HA! HA!

I can see for miles and miles

ABC This week is brought to you by the letter L

Especially for Mrs Nesbitt( we are not worthy!) and her impending visitation upon this fair Isle (no not the other island) during the TT I thought this image would suit. I have put aside the proper photography to do a quick snapshot daily photo thingy. After all the blog is all about my town not "ooh look at the wall hanging photography." I do think some people forget this. Digressing again. I had to sneak this image on a busy road so didn't want to draw to much attention by composing(yawn) the image and juxtaposing(yawn again) the subjects. I have not put aside the puns, irony and humour though, so if you are of a sensible disposition who cannot(or will not) have a little photography, blogging fun, please leave. No apologises for the "landmark" pun title though. Hope it was a L of a laugh.

This marker in keeping with the L is on Lezayre Road. Ramsey is in the Parish of Lezayre incidentally. The three legged symbol you see is the Manx Triskelion that appears on our flag. This marker is roughly half way from my house to the town high street. Ok I mean my nearest local pub, The Swan. We have lots of quirky little things like this I around the island. I do think that some of those figures may be a little on the wrong side. No way would I be walking a mile back from the pub! So Mrs N. Especially for you a little guide to confuse you. Click on the pretty colours below to place this sign and to see a very ingenious map of the island. Naughty but nice! As for the Triskelion well that's a whole other tale, for another day.

Lezayre- The TT route
Follyfoot(bridge)

Ingenious Map
My Friday Re(treat)

If abc is the place to be check Mrs Nesbitt's bloggie blog.

Always remember it's for fun. So play nice with each other.

Babooshka can be found working 17 miles away this week

IN THE MEADOW - MY WORLD

Go wild in the country!

My World

This was definitely not taken today. It's been pis... I mean persisting down all day. A very grey day. We seem to be having one gorgeous day followed by one crap day. Obviously this was one of the better days, not the best but getting there. Spring certainly has spring here in the meadow. Yep this is one of the wild and wonderful meadows of the Poyll Dooey nature reserve. No I didn't wander over there in my kimono and fluffy mules all before the kettle boils. Yes it is close enough to do this but I don't want to carted away by the neighbours for being slightly potty. Anyway back to the meadow.

Poyll Dooey has a series of nature trails running through it. It also has a few of these wild meadows. As spring gets underway I'll show you the wild flowers that bloom while we follow the trails passing many wonderful birds, rabbits, dragonflies, ladybirds (ladybugs to some of you) and dogs. It is doggie heaven,( no white dog poo to report though.) Take a step off the nature trails and walkways and you will find yourself wading through overgrown scrub land. Another turn to the pond lillies featured before Wild grasses and wild flowers a plenty to be found here in the meadows such as this. A beautifully maintained picnic area sits in lovely secluded area. Click pretty coloured links below for some rather different sunset meadow images. It is dark in the meadow!

Fenodyree colours
Berried Sunset
Sunset Strip
Fairy Magic


Klaus, Imac, Fishing Guy, Ivar, Tom, Louise, Wren, Sandy and others are to thank for the My World neme. Click here for more my world's just for fun again of course. I am back in the loop again. Blog spost sometimes just take a back seat to work.


All About Eve anyone?

PAINTED LADY UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL - CRITTERS

Well what kinda lady were you expecting?

I always think this is a funny name for a butterfly. Painted ladies just have so many connotations. You just know someone has googled and ended up with Vanessa cardui (to give the butterfly above her latin name) and not Vanessa, Painted Lady offering... well you get the gist. Anyway where was I? This is the first Painted Lady of the year here. I have seen lots of conservation maps that say this butterfly does not migrate here. Hello! Here's Vanessa. She must be lost then along with the many others we get.


Is it true that in North America this butterfly is referred to sometimes as a Cosmopolitan? I have posted this question before. Lots of websites say this but no one has confirmed it. I'm feeling quite lazy tonight and in need of being a couch potato so I'm going to leave you with a few links all about the Painted Lady.


Uk Butterflies
Wiki
Enchanted learning
Last PL of summer



For other critters of all shapes and sizes check out Misty Dawn's den and Camera Critters which is one year old today. As spring has sprung and the nights are getting lighter and longer expect to see more butterflies, especially painted lady ones. If you see a post for Big Fat Hairy Bikers though that will not be a species of butterfly but the real thing. If you see a post for Big Fat Hairy Bikers and Painted Ladies... you are on a very different blog to this one!

Social Butterflies, not pretty just plain rude.

DIRTY PRETTY THINGS

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

As it's Saturday you know you are going to get as drab an image as I have to hand.always far too The realities of daylight can drastically affect an image. That said, it's also far more rewarding to challenge yourself( and you out there) to find colours in a grey world. This is the spot beneath my feet from yesterdays image. I chose not to compose the image just simply look around until I found a touch of colour on an otherwise blank grey canvas. If I wanted an arty statement image, I would have kicked the leaves and the fag butt out of shot and just kept the fruit red/orange fruit in, and applied those photography rule of the thirds to the fruit. This was the whole scene though, not tampered or stage manged. No cropping, saturation or contrast alterations. It is what it is purely an image to demonstrate that using your eyes and brain you can find dirty(the fag butt) pretty( the fruit) things (both) anywhere and using the drabbest backgrounds to really enhance those natural colours you find. It's only a photo of the path in the nature reserve. Nothing more, nothing less.


For those of you who are fascinated by the sky colours here and their intensity and are they real, they sure are. Most of the night images, usually dusk I use are taken in very secluded areas where there is no lamp light or light from building or houses, hence that nasty orange glow pollution you get which pervades the sky is omitted. The natural sky colours, especially the violet/ indigo hues are therefore so opaque and rich because of this lack of orange glow pollution. Coastal and country areas have the most amazing starry skies too due to the lack of nasty street lighting. Next time you are in the country or shooting the horizon over a coast, try dusk and around 15mins before the light fades completely. You'll be sure to get those rich violets. The same applies to dawn for those flamming orange, burnt rose and hot pinks. If you are very lucky you may even get a peculiar green tint( only about twice have even I got this) which is so spooky as it's a colour you don't associate with the sky.

Go out and capture the colours. I'm waiting!

MY DEEP PURPLE GOTHIC SKY - SKYWATCH

Killing Moon amid a Purple Haze

Dontcha' just love those black lace fingerless gloved tree branches cupping and encircling the purple velvet cloak. Well what do you see. Anyone who has stopped by knows I like the colour purple. In fact purple, black, red. Any deep colour. I don't do pastels. Unfortunately here I am surrounded by yellows and pale blues as you have seen before. It's not often I get the opportunity to splurge on the violets, scarlets and deepest darkest black here but this sky presented this perfect Gothic dream scape complete with a pearl set in the velvet cloak(Ok It's a crescent moon but use your illusion) ready for me to capture. The nature reserve as you have never seen it before on my skywatch. I'm sure(click the purple words) here of Manx legend and would feel at home here along with the vampires. Yes vampires. No not vampire bats. Apparently there is a Vampire Hunter on the island. No not Buffy. This one is more your mature variety and genuinely believes that some of the island inhabitants are actually vampires in disguise. Well there are definitely bloodsuckers here, they work in the finance industry. Meaow!



My purple prose will cease, my inner Goth( former actually you can still see the evidence) has been sated. It won't be for everyone but this is one of my favourites skywatch images I have shown you. Thank you for indulging my passion. True colours shining through, but people are strange and your doors of perception may be leading in another direction down a yellow brick road instead. So excuse me while I kiss the sky but I am sucker for a purple haze.


I expect to see Donnie Darko's white rabbit any day soon, possibly surfing the ninth wave in red shoes.

I WALKED AMONGST 100,000 VISITORS

I'm to lazy to find 10,000 daffs or photoshop the rest Mr Wordsworth.

Come in 100,000 visitor, your number's up.

I'm also not going to be around possibly when the magic 100, 000th visitor drops by in the next hour or so. I hope it's one of you regulars out there. I imagine some poor literary buff or spotty English lit major( I jest) being rather peeved at landing here and finding the most boring image ever to accompany the oft misquoted poem and finding they have been hoodwinked into taking part in the debacle of my daily photo( I use the term loosely) and have no inclination to comment. My apologises to all you up front, and to Mr Wordsworth. Although on a technicality I could claim( loosely again of course) that this is a perfect image as Mr Wordsworth was distantly related to Fletcher Christian who was related to the Christians of Ramsey and spent some time here. Hey I'll use anything I can to slip in a connection for an image, tenuous, lateral or just plain blagging.


I know how awkward too to have the perfect yellow image the day after the yellow theme day image and instead post an convoluted yellow post spiralling out of control. No Vulcan logic whatsoever. Anyway. 100,000th visitor to be, cheers.


I said after the one year date some thank you's were in order. Today it's come to my attention of 2 blogs just celebrating there own anniversaries. Kim, Seattle, 1000th consecutive post. This girl has class, panache, consistency, terrific photography and is always one of the first to welcome new contributors to the CDP enthusiastically. How to do a daily blog, go click on Kim's name above. She's a star.


My other today is Knoxville Girl storming in at one year. Crack open the JD & coke. Knoxville girl, you make me lol. Witty, erudite, altruistic, churning out consistently good photography and carving out a very unique style a true kindred spirit of mine. In the vernacular of the day you got it going on girl. She's a star too and has a yellow one to prove it. Click on her name too to see for yourself.


Time for telly tubby bye byes.

V & M friday.

Breaking news! we have winner Mo from Fresh Eyes of London is 100,000th visitor. You are going to get a prize!!!!!!!!!!

THEME DAY YELLOW - K IS FOR KERRIN

The long and winding staircase leading me to ..... Kerrin?

April Theme Day Yellow

Abc this week if brought to you by the letter K

Two themes in one again and blogger is being a pain. Something to do with meta tags on the code. Anyway. No daffodils, sunsets, or yellow houses. Wanted something a little obtuse on the eye. So here for your veiwing pleasure/discomfort the library/Town hall steps. Not really yellow a trick of the sunlight. No filters, no post production and no I can't spend all day telling you how to get this image. Blogger won't let me it's being a blue meanie.


Manx words again K is for Kerrin which is pane

Kerrin glonney - pane of glass

Kerrin unnaig - window pane


It should really be pain, as it was a "pain in the neck to get this image." Just for fun though and a little optical enigma. Literally a library image. So use your illusion this April Fool's day and check out those other yellow perils or mellow yellows at........


Click here to view thumbnails for all participants


If abc is the place to be check Mrs Nesbitt's bloggie blog.

Always remember it's for fun. So play nice with each other. Musical ref count too many!

One last request. Within the next few days I shall go through the 100, 000 visitor barrier. Keep an eye on your visitor number and let me know if it is (genuinley) you Knowing me it will be a stranger here by accident!