Flying the Manx Flag- Skywatch

Three legged doubled edged crane

Last week I had pretty pinks and purples washing over a satin look river sunset. This week a little more down to earth. A laid back, subtle, muted early summer evening sky. You can see the gentle blues are about to be overpowered by the gathering greys of the swirling rain clouds. You can see too by those proudly waving flags that we had more than a gentle breeze. We often do.




Not gone for beauty tonight, but for more a dramatic statement. A two crane fingered salute or maybe peace sign with the flag of the Isle of Man displaying. Or maybe it's just Ramsey Harbour on a dull evening, a bland sky and I just got lucky with the billowing wind fluffing out the flag to add the icing on the composition cake. I hope the "transport lady" enjoys this little offering from the person who photographs the town, shows the world all good and bad anonymously. Wonder what she has done for the island lately other than moan about visitors? You want to come back sometime and see here to put the image in context. A picture says a thousand words of course and v signed cranes to me are just about the most perfect ones tonight. Not born here, but I live here now amongst the three legged people flying the flag.




Want to see more from around the virtual world. Click here for more skywatch images. I seem to have got these weird double spaces again. No idea why. Always seems to happen in draft form.
Oh well, never mind.

The rude woman on the bus

The only problem I have with public transport is the public

This is a very off the cuff post. Bear with me as they say in customer services, just got to get this little tale form today off my chest. It all happened on that thing above. Well not actually that bus above but one from this fleet docked in Ramsey Bus Station. This is an archive I have grabbed quickly with a wide angled crop from the old point and shoot. It serves the purpose though as the event took place on one of these buses.



The tale. A group of kids (boy and girl Scouts) were conducting a mini survey. Very sweet and very polite. Not bothering anyone at all.Well you know me. Love to have my opinion. They asked everyone the same few questions. My turn. I answered honestly. The rude woman behind me said, and more than one person heard her" I don't like her" meaning me. My crime? To answer a question about the island with an honest answer. She didn't even say it quietly. Last question the kids asked was "were are you from originally" to which my answer being England resulted in rude woman making that snorting noise people do when they are disgusted with something. There are of course words other than rude for that woman of course. Thanks so much rude woman for showing yourself up to a bunch of well meaning well mannered kids. Also for showing the island's people in a negative light. Not me with the honest answer, but you with your rude negative attitude.Silly woman. As for me. Proceeded to talk about how I can't wait to go on holiday to the best country in the world, France, soon.Ha! Ha!



So that was the bus journey from Douglas to Ramsey today. I hope the Scouts from Ireland don't think too badly of the folks here. Rude woman (you ain't no lady) did you mama not tell you if you can't say anything nice keep ya gob shut. You have done the Isle of Man and Manxies a disservice today not I.

B is for - boats bobbing along on the beautiful briony sea

Not a toy boat, just cute

It's all the fun of the letter B for abc I'm not knocking myself out to be find another bountiful image, when I simply have to show you one of the very things I am surrounded by here. Blue, blue water and of course and bouncing buoyant boats bobbing along. Actually it wasn't so much bobbing than static due to the fact it was tightly moored. The temptation of course to cut the boats fixings, jump aboard and sail away were overcome by the sensible side. Pity. Such a cute little boat, a sunny day and an island coastline to discover. Not so much anchors aweigh for life on the ocean wave as not today I'm got some work to do. It'll keep.

Are you tempted to set sail in maybe something a little bigger or waters of a different kind? Then dive into the sea of letters of and see how others interpreted the sea and land this week here. I know you think I must have taken off on the boat with the short post, but sadly no just doing stuff as you do and moored to the laptop.

After the show

Time to go home

Sometimes you just can't photograph everything that goes on in a town, especially here. Nothing for ages then events and photo opportunities just appear like 3 buses at a bus stop after there have been none for the last hour. All or nothing. Doesn't mean though there isn't anything to photograph. On the contrary. Here is one of those events that I wasn't able to shoot from the start. Earlier you would have seen bands, a mini fashion show of organic and Fair Trade clothes sampled the local spices from the local curry house or even have a fair trade coffee. You would also have seen stands for One World and Tradecraft. What to do, how to join, what they are. You may even of heard the local member of Government speaking. Of course you just have to imagine this today or instead weave a story around the image above.


Never walk away without taking a photo even if you can't photograph the main event. By turning up late I got some far more interesting images than the usual standard shots the local papers tend to do in these situations.. You always have good old fashioned street photography. The girl now free to run around, the kids tumbling in the centre, generations chatting, the strange orange organic material adorning the normally sedate Courthouse. This is not how Parliament Street looks on a Saturday morning usually. To be fair I did get a few images of the dying embers of the band playing and the stands, just not the fashion show. Can't be in two photos ops at once. I did however get to chat to a fellow local and Mrs local who indulge in the odd rambling under a cloak shall we say if you click here . They were also modeling a little organic clothing ensemble and I did get a pic of them at a distance. So never walk away even if everything has been dismantled and people are leaving. Photos to be had if you just look.


For more of My world contributions coincidentally from around the world click here

Envionmentally unfriendly

No I don't know why it's there

Can anyone tell me what they think that is sticking out of the water and also why? I know I have come across some strange things and shall we say interesting items but this bar or post of some kind looks a little scary to me. Put it this way, I wouldn't fancy being out and about on a canoe and running smack into or onto this as you bounced over the short drop of water. Ouch! This wasn't the only one I found. Roughly about 6 just poking out at various intervals along the rapid flowing water seemingly embedded in the river bed. Maybe an alien spacecraft crash landed and these are the remnants of the unidentified material. Maybe it's just a more likely mundane explanation like vandals clogging up the river with something other than a shopping trolley. That I would say is the more likely answer.Who knows? Who really cares? Who will do anything about it?

I'll leave this with you. I'm just the recorder of the images around me. To check out others monochromes see here

Water view sunset

Wonder if Terry meets Julie?

Skywatch

I was going to give you a pun laden sunset cliche post tonight. Afraid it's post and run. So you'll have to gaze on my water view sunset and just feel like your in paradise. Yes of course on a Friday night. We don't get them like this often. If you have been following the blog now for a while then you may recall those Ramsey harbour sunsets last year. Have a search of the blog for them if you like. The dirty old river looks like it's swathed in purple and pink satin, but it's just the sundown reflecting the light. I'm so lazy I don't want to wander to far from this image tonight but I'm afraid I have a little problem again. Put it this way I have a fly to squat.



For those have followed the progress my other little photo problem is well and truly sorted. Excellent outcome. Today though I have another. You can imagine how fed up I feel. As always the little bird on my finger icon, on the right of this page will take you to another well known site that will have the details later tonight.



Well I stay at home tonight. More little kinks to iron out(got to that one in somewhere)on the "hey this photo belongs to me front." Anyone would think I'm a charity. So Water view sunset I will leave you with to gaze upon, my harbour paradise and yes those colours are natural and no I won't show bigger images anymore, ever now and someone else other than me can explain why to the new commers in the comments please.

For lots of other skywatch goodies see here

Dancing Queen, dancing in the street

I bet she looks good on the dance floor

A tiny dancer for you today. So cute is she not? That is rhetorical. Thought you might like a closer look at one of the lunging ladies I featured the other week if you click here. Great crowd huh! Look closely you can see disinterest "is it time to go home yet, I'm missing Corrie"(as you look onto the image) and lets take the p... "because I haven't got the guts to do dance myself" on the right. Charming aren't they. Remember those by laws, rude obnoxious behaviour can get you a night in the cell here. Anyway lets dance. Anyone know a name? Now look I know some of you island people just have to know something. Stop keeping all the skeet to yourselves. As you know she was part of a duo we had here for Ramsey National Week( yes really we are soooooooo flipping special, needs saying) that did the wobbly dancing bums and tums along the harbour. Just left the Mitre Hotel in the background for you and for real street photography, a wheelie bin. I know I've spoilt you with the bin. Don't get used to it though, it's all boring pretty sunsets for you lot tomorrow.

Now of course many many dance related puns but it's late I'm negotiating, no not for puns for photos. You should be dancing of course in a Bee Gees style. Why? Born on this very island of course. You are all going to look that up now aren't you? Suppose I should tell you all about it as well. You are such a demanding an audience.

Allo, Allo, Allo, what have we here then?

An arresting sight for the letter A

Evening all.


What have we here then Sonny Jim? The laughing Policeman perhaps? All rights reserved image? The Old Bill (nah, that's the one you get for the use of the image) or maybe it's just a bloke doing his job. Stop thief! The Police are back from walking on the moon and keeping the (not so mean) streets of the Isle of Man clean. Hey let's be careful out there and do it to them before they do it you. Allo, Allo, Allo is a lovely quaint term of endearment for the boys in blue, best said of course with a Cockney accent. No, no no, not Dick Van Dyke allllllwight Mare -wree Poppppinnns way, more your Pearly Queen me and my gal, doing the Lambeth Walk(Oi!) underneath the arches Flanders & Swan way. Clear as mud eh? It's just a copper doing his job. Believe me don't nick him all you'll be the one doing time.


As you can see humour has been restored to the blog. For more A's around the world clickety click this word here.


By the way did you notice our Policeman have white helmets. Aren't you jealous. We just have to be different don't we.

Clause for thought

Beware the Manx cat they punch above their weight

A quick monochrome. As some of you know I've has bigger fish to fry, so to speak and time is needed elsewhere.Here is a cute kitty, a Manx cat I found outside the old swimming pool. Looks so meek and mild doesn't it? Watch out though. This kitty did his duty, purred, preened and nuzzled me.I got several shots before the back arched and he had quite clearly had enough, hissed at me and went on his way before I could get him to sign a disclaimer to use his image today. Hey cat if you're out there I owe you a fee which I'll quite happily pay you if you contact me. Fairs fair. I'm using your image, least I could do is pay you. Which leads me nicely to the next paragraph.


Apologies for the small image. I can no longer show large images due to them being stolen. As you know photography is my living and each time someone uses an image of mine illegally then I lose money. You wouldn't go into a shop and steal the products so you shouldn't do it on the net. That is what copyright is for, to show ownership. No hidden clauses, it's that simple. Basically a multi national company, run by a very famous entrepreneur has used my image without my permission, offer of payment and have even deleted my copyright off the image. I am also not happy with the article the image is associated with and would not have let them use it for the article in question. Can't say anymore here for now, but you can check my Facebook status and scroll down the posts to find out who it is and what I am doing about it and the new group formed. The kitty above represents me the underdog, a Manx lass( by default of living here not born here but representing my island town ) taking on the big guys. The gloves are off the claws are out. The cat fight has begun. It concerns you if blog with images too if you don't want them stolen.


Not a cheery post for me but I hope you understand why. Thanks as always for reading.More monochromes from a bunch of us can be seen here.

The original moonwalk on the dark side of the moon

Conspiracy theory anyone?

The moon is not a balloon or wedge of cheese (though this post might be a little cheesy wheezy) and I doubt the man in the moon is famous to everyone and he always dressed properly, but doesn't exist. One thing for sure we are close to the date of the first moon landing. No disrespect to Michael Jackson but I do believe Neil Armstrong was the original giant steps of what you take when walking on the moon, Moonwalker. So here we have a Luna eclipse over Ramsey. One of the few images I will ever show you where I will advocate a tripod and remote is a must, and a very looooooooooooong exposure time is my best photography tip. This is one from a series of images I took following the eclipse where I saw the whole of the moon through to the dark side of the moon. It wasn't a new moon on Monday, or a hunter's moon, but a killing moon on a Friday. How high the moon, well depends on the moon shadow cast to tell but it was a wonderful night for a moon dance. You can do the rest of the songs now about 50 while carry on mooning at image thieves.


More sky pretties can be seen by others here


So did they put a man on the moon? Hey we have 3 legs and strange creatures who live in the woods so who am I too argue otherwise despite what those shadows say on the film say. I vote they did.

Zero Tolerance

Cheats, thieves and liars I swear will be dealt with.

I usually have Zen for Z, but I am feeling most non Zen like. Instead I thought I would tell you all about a little known by law here about swearing or should I say not swearing on the streets and other Zero Tolerances. In fact not just swearing but saying anything that could be deemed offensive to another person. Seriously, tell my camera and I to shove off in a very discourteous manner alluding to multiplying the population whilst traveling then I could march you too the the local Police Station and have you arrested. So there. Certain parts of the town to have ZT when it comes to speed limits too and don't get me strated on litter louts. So next time you find yourself on Parliament Street above remember don't swear, be rude, drop litter or drive at breakneck speed(or park on those double yellow lines come to that!) as you could just find yourself in hot water at the local nick.



Zero tolerance too applies to thieves, especially those that steal photographs and images like mine above delete the copyright and pass them off as their own. Even worse are world dominating organizations who rip off small websites like yours and mine and fail to respond to polite contact re payment or removal of the image they are using. Taking a leaf out of my town's book, I will too be applying my own Zero Tolerance.


For more Z words by others see here.

I promised you belly dancers

Shakin' that ass..... I mean belly.

I told you didn't I that I would show you belly dancers not beer bellies dancing the night away. Put it this way if these ladies shakin' bellies, booties and other b bits didn't show up I would have lured those beer bellies out out of the pub and into action behind darkened veils in a carry on style. Think the hairy stomachs hanging over might have given the game away though don't you? Anyway back to the jiggling ladies. Here they are as promised as some of you out there would say. .... You go girls you got it going on.... is that OK Svg?



Obviously I took more that one photo of the ladies(can anyone name them and some info please?) about (25) and they will be making an appearance at various intervals. I just wanted to show you this one so you can see the Isle of Man Bank in the background. Just for those who often ask is this really in Ramsey. Is this really the Isle of Man? Oh yes it is!Occasionally we get to have what other places have, maybe not belly dancers, (though personally I think every town should have them), but something called a good time. Pity some kids had to take the p..s though of the dancers and the bands playing. Pity I never got the evidence on camera. Oh no, wait a minute I lied ..... I did.

To dip your toe into other My World Contributions click here

Enough people for ya?

I love the smell of people in the evening

So I was surprise, surprise out on Friday night. Nothing earth shattering on the news front there so far. Shocking thing was though so it seems was most of the town turned up too. Now I'd like to tell you they all came out in force just for me to take this group image but that would be a downright manipulation of the truth. No,they were here for just a little festival we have here for Ramsey National Week, called Ramsey Rocks. Yeah honest, it's official our town rocks it's little socks off once a year( shame it's not once a week as far as I'm concerned) and the residents come out to play. What though happens here, and what where this (not so select) group of humans (I use the term loosely, I know some of them, hello Jan) observing. Well that would be telling and giving the game away in one fell swoop, so no you'll just have to come back for more to find out. Let's just say there was quite a lot, more than we have in a whole year. Here's a question for the locals though. Where did I take this image from?


Now this is the naughty bit. I confess to having the mad idea after spotting an open window of going into a certain building and taking images looking onto the the harbour and this terrific view of the people below. Talk about a perfect vantage point! So, I climbed the stairs of (?) and found the room of the open window and in full view of a few shocked girlies proceeded to rattle off 3 shots. More may have got me thrown out. While they were still in shock I hightailed it back downstairs to my drink as if the whole event they had witnessed hadn't happened. The room with a view? The ladies toilets of a certain drinking hole.What can I say. I am a photographer, I came, I saw, I conquered the best location point after a little dutch courage. I do these things so you don't have to remember. You asked for people on the blog, I got you them.


Make the most of the people. They have all gone home now. Shame.

Not virgin territory but mine

A river runs through it

Yes cryptic titles and cloak and dagger shenanigans greet you here for this weeks peek at the sky. It's not the Atlantic of course, just the little biddy Sulby river meandering gently. All we be revealed soon, but not just yet. Before I wade in headlong into unknown waters, or shall we say Virgin territory like the uncharted waters and previously not captured angle above. I need to be as clear and calm as this image. You know a bit of(shall we throw in some annoying corporate speak) blue sky thinking, and bottom fishing for those thinking outside the box. Now if we just add water, get our ducks in a row, behind the curve we may be able to float that balloon and land that plane on the right track.


Relax and wander up the little path on the right into the nature reserve or into town. Up to you which way you go. For me the only way is up, up and away in well possibly a beautiful balloon would be nice, but that is maybe verging on the ridiculous along the still waters of the river. No planes, trains and automobiles for me just plain sailing upstream on a sailboat or maybe a yacht would be nice, destination my own private island at the peak of this image. Now that would be real Virgin territory and not at all original, erm unlike this photo shall we say.



Check out this link here about the blog. It's totally mad and it's not me.

Y is for yiarn

Key of the door, 21

What is yiarn?

You are all reading this and thinking I know what this image is and it's not anything at all beginning with a Y aren't you? Certainly not a yiarn. Not that you know yet what that is. Only found out myself yesterday. You think I have lost a letter again don't you? Well it is that certain landmark of the town I reside ( 21 for those who know what that alludes to, nudge nudge wink, wink, say no more, walls have ears) and it is also yiarn. That doesn't stand for what it is, that stands for what it is made from. The material the bridge is made of is iron and the word iron in Manx, the native language is ...... wait of it...... yiarn. Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water the old RBS jumps out of the screen at you.



If you have uncontrollable urge to dive below 21 then click here to find out what all this numbered images refers too. Ramsey Swing Bridge is an iron bridge then, but not the worlds very first Ironbridge. Coincidentally I used to live near that very first one too. So it begins.

My world is overgrown

Name that plant

In case you are wondering were I have been the last few days, then no I haven't been hiding in this wild image above, tempting as that prospect may seem. No. Just time out was needed after no sleep due to the nasty storm we had and the lingering migraine. I have however been wondering round the wilder overgrown parts and greener bits of town and some of the wetter parts as I recovered today. Wetter as in public houses that is or what some of you may refer to as bars or inns. This is obviously a dry part, a lovely overgrown plot of land off the beaten track of the Poyll Dooey. No idea what the various plants and grasses are here ,so feel free to name and shame them for me. I can play safe by saying I see ferns and conifers.I can confidently say I also see dipping into a triangle of light the cloudless sky. I can also tell you that this is actually a usually well beaten down path that is obviously fighting back. Who knows maybe they are Triffids that sprung up after the awful weather. I'll leave you to ponder that one.

Can you name any?

Here comes the rain again

What kind of sky do you see?

Looking on the dark side our sizzling mini heatwave will be over this week. It's been a corker. Who needs a holiday( actually I still want one of those) when you have had the blazing heat at the back end of the month of June. On the other hand... It's going to persist down with the watery stuff tonight, rain that is, bucket loads. Storms are forecast for later so it's get the washing in time, secure the bird feeders and close the windows. You can feel the hot, sticky, humid air hanging heavy. This is a lemonade day. The light in the clouds and the sliver of blue sky hint the sun is out to play, but the silhouette of the trees and the ominous threatening grey clouds creeping in on the left suggest it will be a washout sometime soon...



....The cloud though swung by. Laden but not ready to drop her load over me just yet. That was earlier. I just peeked out the windows. The back patio windows are blazing with bright light. The front windows have a darker cooler tone filtering through. There is a warm slight breeze encircling the house. I can sniff a storm over Snaefell a mile off and this smells like storm spirit. Batten down the hatches but not before I get my camera.



If you click here you can see Snaefell closer and what it is.

Carry on up the back passage

Blinded by the light

Shall we have a little alley action? No alley cats hanging around or lowlifes just my camera and I.
This is one of those little slipways we have that links Parliament Street to the harbour side that you can see in colour by clicking a back post here. Whenever I see passageways like this I am prone to let my over active imagination run riot and believe that of course this was a secret runway for the smugglers escaping with their ill gotten gains. I have so many things I could say about bankers and taxes but I'll resist. Back to the back alley.

I took this with something called fill flash. Does what it says. Not that it was necessary just wanted a blinding light. Don't ask. Some crazy idea I had at the time about obscuring the image before I reveal it's secrets to you. Anyway let's carry on up the back passage. Into the bright light you can see over the road to a white van. That is no ordinary van but a Police van. Why? The Police station is just to the right of that van. Makes sense then. Behind that van is a lovely little local shop which I'll show you soon. As you can see the alley has two different types of wall.I have noticed a lot of the back ways have walls of differing styles. Each wall is the side of a local business. We will have to take a look at those sometime soon too. If you peer very closely you can see the Christmas lights strewn across the sky. Yes I did say Christmas lights. They stay up, but stay off until Christmas. A little gritty image today.Realism.

I hope you enjoyed wandering around my back passage virtually, anyway.

Xciting, xtreme double x

Would you be the one under the bike?

I couldn't resist this unseen stunt team archive. Besides that it has two ready made X's in there "Xciting and Xtreme so I just had to post them.

If you look closely under the motorbike you can see the hint of an arm, a bent elbow poking out. Don't panic, it was just the compere, the host playing to the eager crowd. It wasn't the only cute stunt that involved the compere. From jumping bikes to climbing stairs they entertain the crowd, especially the kids who could watch this all day long. To them the "Xtreme" stunt team are always "Xciting." To see my other magnificent men in their flying machines, I mean motorbikes and jumping joyriders from older posts of Ramsey Day click links below. Never mind when I see a elephant fly, if you are a sky watcher you may see or recall a flying motorbike. Yet to see a flying pig but I'm a (cynical) optimist and always hopeful on a island that believes in fairies, myths and legends that it only a matter of time.


Stairlift
Jump to it
Flying motorbike