Triskelion

This week Abc is bought to you by the letter T

The Triskelion isn't exclusive to the Isle Of Man. You will find the the three legged symbol that appears on the flag around the world. It is the symbol of Brittany, France, also appears on the national flag of another island, Sicily and areas of Northern Spain. Often seen in Celtic artwork as a more spiral design of the three legs. The list goes on of where the bizarre symbol and it's origins can be found but I'm just concerned about the Island I live on.



As usual this island full of myth and legend has many variations of how and why it came to be the symbol that appears on the flag. Did the Vikings bring the symbol with them after seeing it on their travels before invading here? One thing is clear though it should never be shown the wrong way up, as the people of Mann, bow to no one." Wherever you throw it, it stands." I'll let you Google more on the Triskelion, and let all those people who have the flag the wrong way up change it. Oops! Also, I have actually posted quite a famous island landmark previously that has the Triskelion on facing the wrong way round, as a mirror image. If it was a stamp I'm sure it would be worth a mint! Surprising how many people don't actually notice it when they are milling about. Must have water on the brain or rather lax.


For more T's around the world see here

Ps. Calling all Sci Fi fans. I will just say Threshold, Marvel Comics and a certain Episode of Star Trek.

Seaweed

ABC this week is bought to you by the letter S

Living on an island I am surrounded by S's. Everything from sea to seagulls to saltwater to sailboats....even my favourite pub is s The Swan, which of course leads me nicely onto the non alcoholic swans of the bird variety around these parts as another S. Anything of course could be a shadow shot, fail safe sunrise and sunset I always have waiting to upload for rainy days, but I went with this arty farty little seaweed image. Quite monstrous looking thing it is too! I went with black and white for the textures and a close up on the more hideous aspects. Not exactly the prettiest image, but this is what we really get washed up on our shores, along with all manner of crap from buckets to bicycle wheels. Some days the whole beach seemed to be covered in this stuff above until the tide washes it back out again. Yuk! Not a fan. I like my beaches seaweed free and walkable for dogs without getting snarled up in the alien looking stuff.


Smoaghan is a Manx word for seaweed and though there are more, many more that is the only one beginning with S. I can think of a very foul English word for the stuff which I shall refrain from typing though!


For other s's around the world click here

Quallian is a puppy

This week Abc is bought to you by the letter Q

I'm full of flu, blargh, and it's soooooooooooooo boring that I've decided to cheer myself up with an image of a very cute (and slightly mad) puppy who I took for a walkies along both beaches. I was going for Queens Pier and an explanation of how the pier came across it's name, but I'm much rather console myself with a doggie image. So where does the Q come in doggie or puppy and no, the young whipper snappers name does not begin with a Q. Confusing eh? It's back to the Manx lanugage again. Quallian is Manx for puppy and to be puppyish is quailianagh, of which this cutie definitely is. Also fast too, swift of flight and fascinated by seagulls, who are learning to flee faster than this quallian.


Short and sweet, I'm all snotty. For more Q's here

Bbq Sunset # Skywatch 82

In the pink

As it's persisting down (that is the polite version) with rain all week I have dug deep into the recent archives again for a warmer cheerier image. One from the "The summer of Fun" as it became known. Never ending nights of cowboy hats, beach bbq's swigging back Jack Daniels, playing with other peoples dogs, chomping on veggie burgers, meat for the carnivores and discovering, toasting custard doughnuts is not a good idea, but crabsticks surprisingly are. Above all, the company was always the best, and this tiny island provided occasionally short bursts of days when we had glorious sunsets and hot days with a gentle cool breeze. On a cold, wet, November day, I lament the passing of such days and beach bbq's. A veggie burger just doesn't taste right without a little sand in it now. Fortunately we have plenty of pubs here and the Jack Daniels is always heavily stocked up......


Which leads me to why the early post.... the pub is where you will find me tonight!




For other skies around the world see here

Pub Watch

Honestly he is working


This week Abc is bought to you by the letter P

Now, to be serious for once, "Pub Watch" is an island wide project that keeps an eye on the drinkers who frequent the pubs, one of which is yes, me. So far, the wearing of cowboy, witch and pirate hats is not an offence ( not sure about the coppers hat I wore mind) and enjoying your Jack Daniels and causing minor havoc with broomsticks for Halloween seems to be considered reasonable drunken behaviour. If I had hit someone with the broomstick for example, considered an act of drunken violence, then I would have not only been arrested, charged with an offence, sentenced or fined, but ultimately banned from the pub. Not just the pub in question but all pubs... "island wide", all pubs on the island. That is in essence what Pub Watch is, well the lighthearted version of it. So the Police, (not the group) frequenting the joint are a regular sight and anti social behaviour won't be tolerated. Also, I do wish they would apply the same rules and regulations to people murdering Meatloaf's "Bat Out of Hell at Karaoke." Personally I really think there should be a town bylaw against it!


So, do you have any scheme like this your way. Also for more P's of the world see here

Red Moon - #81 Skywatch

Click to enlarge

As we have had an inadvertent red theme going on this week, what with poisonous mushrooms and berries, I'll continue with one from the archives again. Taken on the day we moved in. Yeah the unpacking could wait. Set the tripod up, grab the remote and capture the phases of the moon. Much more fun than unpacking.

Red occurs, when bits of light, photons from an astronomical object pass through the Earth's atmosphere, scattering off of particles. To confuse you particles scatter blue light more than they do red light. Blue photons have shorter wavelengths get scattered, and red photons having longer longer wavelengths pass through. Sky objects look redder from Earth than in space, because red wavelengths from the objects, penetrate the atmosphere more so than the blue ones. Also the closer to the earth's horizon, the more noticeable this redness in both the moon and the sun is. Cool eh! Also, apologies to anyone hoping to find "red moon" comic book, book, or computer game here. Wrong blog!


For other skies around the world click here after 8pm.

Oghyr

Abc this week is bought to you by the letter O

I know what you're thinking,( actually I don't. I don't presume to be a mind reader) shouldn't that be "b" for berry? Well it could be be next time around, but today we have a slight twist on the letter and we are concentrating on the berry part of the image.


Oghyr simply means berry in Manx. "What the hell is Manx" some of you out there are asking (again maybe not... I don't presume anything) "and what is she on about." For those not familiar with the blog, Manx is the old language spoken on the island on live by some folks. So fortunately when it comes to Abc I can taken blatant liberties and trawl through the Manx language to match any word to any image. Cool. Oghyr is not the only Manx word for berry, just the only one beginning with O. Others are - berrish, caor, semyr and soo. The photo taken along the bridle path, though I have never once seen a horse down there, escaped wallaby or Manx fairy.

For more ABC'S see here

Fly me to the shroom - My World # 52

blogging is the new high

Not so much if you go onto the woods you'll be in for a big surprise, but if you take a wander up the appropriately named Skyhill ( the one with the infamous battle I've covered before) you'll find the area littered with an eclectic mix of exotic looking mushrooms. This might be what keeps the island fairies so happy. Probably keeps some of the island folk even happier but perhaps I'd better not delve deeper on that subject.

Fly Amanita Muscaria - Fly Agaric may look like the prettiest, sweetest, yummiest mushroom in the world, more like something you would find in Willie Wonka's Chocolate Factory but be warned it is not at all to be trusted. Stay away from it, well apart from photographing it. It is in fact highly poisonous, known to cause hallucinations, quite violent stomach upsets and at the worst can be indeed fatal. So, leave it to the Manx fairies to enjoy, photograph it and pass it by. After all they are myths in themselves and this Fly Agaric is the the one most associated with fairy magic/folklore/myth and legend. Why is a hallucinogenic drug used mostly in kids illustration then? Google Fly Agaric for more info. I'm far too high. JOKE!

For other glimpses into peoples My World's see here

Skywatch # 80 - Thunderous Applause

Angry

Had no post planned for today. Busy dogwalking and photographing the dogs at play and catching up with a friend. Marvellous! Pulled this one from the archives. Pretty intense sky, and yes a storm ensued. Just brewing there by the look of it. Short and sweet tonight I have a lot on and it's been such a fabulous day I'm not going to poke lighthearted fun at my hometown. A rarity.

For more skies of the world see here

Narrow

ABC is bought to you this week by the letter N

Deep in the Nature Reserve, Poyll Dooey, crossing the Sulby River is this cute little bridge. Guess what we call it? Yes The White Bridge. OK, that may not be the most interesting, creative name for it but who cares. It is as narrow as it looks, although I have seen a trail of motorbikes and cycles of all varieties cross over it relatively safely, thankfully it is free of all other traffic. Mainly pedestrians only, oh and the odd meandering duck waddling from one side to the other. Dog walkers frequent here too, though I'm not sure what the dogs think about the waddling ducks using it as a walkway. As for the escaped wallabies from the wildlife park, to my knowledge I don't believe they have yet to find use for this particular area and are still hiding out somewhere slightly less open. I did say wallabies and don't even get me started on the Manx Fairies. They should not be using this bridge..... they have their own named after them South of the island!


For less florid and saner posts for the letter N see here. Mrs N. see you next year.

The Stanley Karaoke - # My World 51

You can even find us on Facebook he is saying.

You will always find me in The Stanley on Fridays, and lots of other pubs along the way, but there is a special reason for hitting this one on this particular night...... Karaoke. Some you who know me personally will know it has a different name, but that is not something we shall go into here. So you know I have a love /hate relationship with the one horse town I live in.... I do with Karaoke too.

No, I do not take part in in. Never, ever. No, No, No. I go to get drunk and take photos of the people I know taking part as they love it so much. " The Bibles" as they are known get passed around containing the artists whose songs you can murder....... Meatloaf for some reason seems to suffer the most. I am still severely traumatised by a Minnie Mouse on helium strangling the life out of Bat out of Hell. For that rendition alone she is going there. I almost threw myself into the harbour that night. I mean it was the full version. I walked out the pub after hiding in the toilets, couldn't bear a minute longer to stop and get my cigarettes, headed for the door, resisting the urge to punch her for her sacrilegious destruction of an iconic song and took solace alone on the quayside until it was done.

Really though it is a laugh, and you do get some cracking singers there, many of who I know and if you are on Facebook you can find me "Babooshka" (click the bird) or "The Stanley Karaoke"

For more posts not like this, but around of other people's world they inhabit see here

Skywatch # 79 - I'm on a plane, I can't complain

And then I'm done, and I can go home

Actually I have no idea what number skywatch I'm posting but the random number spoke to me so it shall be. You'll know my musical tastes my now so I make no apologies for the outrageous use of part lyric and tweaking of a particular word too explain the image.


Simply Nirvana to be amongst the clouds looking down on the island, though not Ramsey. That would be the North. This would be the Southern bit of these here parts. Well the airport is South of the island so that'd be where we were heading. Unless you count Jurby airfield. Let me see, trip to the prison, thanks but no thanks. This was also the I'm sooooooooooooooooooo bored on the short journey back from England, oh why can't I be back in the South of France let's play with the point and shoot camera for a bit shot. Here's a tip for you though. Don't start being creative and doing that whole " hello I'm taking part in the 100 strangers photo thing on flickr.... may I take your picture" for some reason means translates as I'm a terrorist. Not like I used the word shoot, or (flash) gun. Not like any of that last bit was true either, just the image above and a glimpse of the island as seem from the sky.


Been a while since I skywatched so I'll have to check in later but here's the link back to the Skywatch team http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Even cowgirls get the bbq blues

No trees where harmed in the making of this bonfire the beach is full of dirty logs!

Actually that's a lie, the blues come whence bbq season terminates. I never tire of a bbq.... which is odd for a vegetarian( meat eaters you are OK I'm not your lentil eating meat is murder veggie) but bbq's have alcohol, food and good company. Also, it's cheaper than the pub, if you don't mind a little gritty sand on your veggie burger.... sand, yes sand. Did I not say we don't have our bbq's in the back yard?

Small island, lots of coastline, lots of beaches. The "Summer of Fun" as it was known became nothing more than, "who's house are we going round this week to party." Now not everyone wants you wrecking their house so it's hit the beach in a cowboy hat, convert a washing machine drum( don't get your mom's kids find one at at junkyard) into the perfect wood holder and to paraphrase Pink "lets
get this bbq started." Jack Daniels or cans of whatever cider is on offer, plenty of cigarettes, lighters, pray to the bbq Gods for no rain or howling gale, too much food and everyone forgets to buy plastic cutlery. No worries. Maybe toasting a custard doughnut was going too far, but toasted crab stick seemed to withhold the heat and be toasty with a soft centre and not rock hard, so the carnivores tell me. Also tomatoes slide off a metal knife poked in a fire, and lighter fuel and wind are not to be mixed.

I lament the passing of July and August, Bbq bonanza months and the hanging up of the cowboys hats for another year...... Halloween here I come.

So, where was I .....

Isn't he pretty in pink

..... taking a break from being the Queen B of the Isle of Man... you have no idea how unruly some of my subjects are.. and trying to be a normal minnion. BORING! So, instead of next month, when my original return to blogging with a bang was planned, I have woken from my coma( the snoozy real world) and reactivated the blog. This will displease many people who thought I had run off to the hills( no just lost drunk with a bag of chips in the woods, yes really) and please an awful lot apparently who seem to be addicted to what I have to bang on about and what goes on in Ramsey. Why? I mean we are talking people in the hub bub of New York think I live in the real Hell's Kitchen. No, it's just the way I convey it to the masses with a little picture which I constantly have to explain. Er, like why has that man got pink fishnet tights as gloves for starters. Have you never read my blog. Hello, I live on an island, named in honour of a man, like their are no woman here and our flag, has 3 legs as it's symbol.... pink gloved men relatively normal pass time.

Oh, if I must explain! I'm not making this up, you are looking at a member of a band called, Sloth Loves Chunk. The pink outfit is donned for the rendition of Electric Six's Gaybar.... complete with dance routine to a packed pub most places on the island, but as this is all about Ramsey, that would be er, the Britannia pub then. In fact I know it was as I spent the night snapping away, on free Jack Daniels, and enjoying the set... especially Wolfmother "Woman" and Foo Fighters "Monkey Wrench". That's just like a big hint there to keep those in the set lads and nothing whatsover to do with the blog. Now if you're on Facebook and on the island you can follow the band and turn up and support them. If you live off island you are probably still pondering why he has pink fishnet gloves on and could I not have used my first post back to show you a pretty sunset or a little snippet of history re Ramsey or the a local news event. What do you think this is a travelogue! I live here and you will see Ramsey as I do.

Sure you're happy with the once and future Queens return?

Bring Back Ramsey Carnival - My World

Where's our Carnival?

The image above is not from the carnival. It's from Ramsey Rocks, apart from the TT, The liveliest event we have North of the island. Why no carnival images? Well for one thing I had never even heard of this event. Big reason for that. The carnival has been over for years. Long before I arrived, last one being 1990. Big news though. There is a Facebook Campaign, Bring Back Ramsey Carnival, and for once this isn't one of my madder ideas, I am not a lone voice. Over 500 people already joined within days. You don't have to be an islander to join. All comers welcome. We are just looking for support. If you are an ex islander who remembers the event or has photos and can share stories get on Facebook and join. Now for those of you who are going to say I'm not on Facebook, that's where I step in. This blog for one. You got my email. We are looking for support, images, stories and most of all ideas. What you would have included in the carnival? Now most of you out there from the images I've seen get a carnival at some. So get ya thinking caps on. You know me. My ideas are a little too wacky, (my humour doesn't always travel well) and the Ramsey isn't quite ready for some of my alternative ideas. As it's been suggested.- Stick to the photography and write up. That I can do.


The campaign we hope will reach further afield, like newspapers, other local media and business. Always wanted to show you more people enjoying Ramsey life this and this would be a fantastic opportunity. Otherwise it will be the beach, the park, the nature reserve and that bloody bridge for eternity. So help me stay sane if nothing else. Everyone after all loves a carnival. Cheers.


Other My world post can be seen here.

White cat blues

Don't ask me what kitty is doing in the road

It has been such a long time since I've been part of Critters, but as some of you know my blogging days in general have been quiet due to the laptop in a coma holding the images to ransom. Now all is well and I am plundering the older images before I take anymore new to see what I actually want to keep. This is a keeper.


If you look along the bottom of the post this cat which has been nicknamed Duchess( Aristocats obviously) or Arthur (an old UK advert) depending on if you think it is a she or a he will appear again on previous posts. You can also check out white cat myths too on those pages. Not just black cats that have myths written about them you know. Why Arthur/Duchess was sat in a quiet suburban road curbside I don't know. I do know if you turn the photo on to one side it looks like he/she is sat on a ledge. Two images for one. Either way I know A/D is a very photographic kitty kat and I'm sure I'm not done with A/D yet. Whoever owns A/D thank you for letting A/D out and about in Ramsey. Not that you can keep a cat in anyway.



Some time later today you can click here to see more critters around the World. Hello Misty.

Artistic slant - Skywatch

Alternative viewpoint

Been a few weeks since my last Skywatch. Going for something a little different. Call it bored on the beach and looking for inspiration before that cloud which had been following me dropped it's heavy load. It did. Not before I got a range of from the ground images. Who would like to live here then? Those flats/apartments really do overlook the Irish Sea, over to England, Scotland and Wales based on Mooragh Promenade. Sure more Mooragh images will pop up along the bottom of the post for you to check out. Just behind this block of flats you will find more of my my favourite photography haunts Mooragh Park, Mooragh Lake and of course the rugby pitch. I did promise you I would lay off the rugby images on the blog for a while, but they are so hard to resist posting. I may have to drop another one on for skywatch soon, without the moody clouds above.


Leave you with the moody shot and looking into something I found out we used to have here.... a carnival and a campaign to bring it back. Now everyone loves a carnival and I could really do with that to photograph. Save that one for next week when I have more info. You know me and a campaign....and this time I am not a lone voice. More Skywatch images can be found here after 8pm GMT.

Ramsey Daily Photo now has a shiny new Facebook page where you can see more photos here. Exciting eh! I should also say as it is Thursday I will be in the pub.

I is for Iconic

Pridddddddy!

Abc

I know I could of had the easier obvious options, Isle of Man, island, Irish Sea but now I have the laptop back a chance to plunder( Viking style of course) the older images. One Harley Davidson being admired by locals and tourists on "Ramsey Day" ( yes we do have our own special day) when the TT Road Races take a a break. I am leaving this post tonight short and sweet, and just leave you to enjoy the image. I know I do. Reminds me soon the motorbikes are back, and so will some of you who will see this image tonight. I did wonder who owned it. I mean take a look at that number plate. Could this belong to an American tourist who liked certain TV show from the '70s or one of our more hazardous Ramsey residents? Leave you to ponder that one.


For more abc's see here

Homage to Henri Cartier Bresson - My World

Reality check

Anyone who knows me knows I have a thing about Henri Cartier Bresson. Well he was French( I am a Francophile too) and his photography is most definitely the single biggest inspiration of mine. Even before I knew the images I actually wanted to captured reflected his way of seeing the world. Considered the Godfather of modern street photography and photo journalism that is he captured the image as it was. No cropping, no desaturation, no tweaking in Photoshop. If it was blurry so be it. If someone wasn't quite in the best posed position does it really matter? In the real world, people are sitting around waiting for you to capture their image airbrushed, the sunset doesn't always looks beautiful and slush from that beautiful snowfall can make an equally interesting real image. Does every image have to be perfect, beautiful, geometrically balanced. The world is slightly askew, shoot it that way. You can always hold the camera at at different angle to capture the relatively dull scene to add your own creative twist. As he said he trapped life. Each image, especially the people I capture, traps that specific moment in time. The lone walker in the scene, unawares, whoever they were, braving what I can tell you now was a bitterly cold day midweek trapped through the lens. A moment never to be repeated. The pretty colours of Parliament Street reflected in the slush pools, the grim reality that when snow melts it's really quite miserable and horrible captured as it was. The way Bresson did.......



......Of course we all know that I am also barking mad. Throw in that element of quirkiness then all the above goes out the window and I can show you my very none Bresson images. Pics when I have specifically coaxed people to play the fool for the camera, or purposely shot the same inanimate object from quirky angles, waiting for sunlight to hit the bridge, because it seemed like a good idea at the time. 100 times, that being the abridged version of a very long story!

For more My World posts, Click here after 8pm.

In honour of Eric Tenin -The Godfather of City Daily Photo

Praise be to Eric Tenin

5th Year celebration of Paris Daily Photo

Many of us over the years have probably had what we thought was a unique brainwave, a daily photo of the place we live. Sorry folks, myself included, and I am a brainwave kind of a lass, Eric had the conception, is the Godfather of the original Daily Photo. What better city too in my absolute favourite country in the whole wide world but a Daily Photo of Paris, France.

Today we in the City Daily Photo community are honouring the founder in his trademark style " from the ground up" genre of image with one taken from where we reside. From the rank amateur to the more accomplished professional all are welcome in the community, from one horse town to the biggest cities in the world and it is Eric we have to thank for bringing us all together under the umbrella of a website community to show our place to the world.

Congratulations Eric, and long may you reign so long as you understand I am still Queen B of my island.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.

Hiding out in the harbour - abc

Highlights on the high seas

I'm beginning to feel like Ross from Friends talking to Rachael. I never deserted the blog. I WAS ON A BREAK. Can I please add not by choice. My psycho laptop, the one with suicidal tendencies had a breakdown and fell into a coma. The nut job laptop is back, motherboard images intact and whatever therapy it needed to cope with me constantly abusing it by uploading soooooooooooooooooo many images we have reached an understanding. So here's the first one to get us back into the groove before I go off at a complete tangent as usual and into a mega rant about island life not being all it should be. A sweet little finish the day off after the rugby on the way home shot of the harbour. Gotta say, it's been all doom and gloom weather wise, but just as the laptop arrived home the glorious light returned to our shores and the wonderful sky blue appeared on the high( ok harbour inlet but let me manipulate the truth as always for purple prose effect and slip in another H) just waiting for me to capture. The vessel moored too nicely weathered and hell I've even got people in there walking to the lighthouse, just to prove I ain't the only one residing here. Just the only one in hiding. Those privy to my FB real persona can vouch for the fact I actually do have a cunning highway woman outfit. Another h, though on reflection not perhaps the most inconspicuous of outfits to wear taking photos.

Well I'm hopefully back, but I'm not a slave to the blog and this is not a to be taken too seriously look at the world I live in. Photography yes, words no. This isn't a travelogue but you will learn more about true island life and quirks than any book/site/or I love the island so much I won't have a word said against it types. It's a love hate relationship after all.

For more abc's see here

Three's company - My World

Or three's a crowd

Well of course I could have gone for the obvious title of Swan Lake, but that would have been a bit of a lie. I'm not averse to bending the truth, well blatantly lying on this blog to illustrate an image with the text when I'm bored, or feeling mischievous but today, play it straight. The three little swan gliding into view are the real part not stuffed but the water is the swizz. It's not the lake but the Harbour inlet. If you look closely at the top half of the image you can see darker contrasting lines reflecting upon the lighter coloured water of the sail masts of the moored boats. Swans always look beautiful to photograph, but don't get two close. For such elegant creatures they have a nasty hiss and can break your arm if they don't want their photo taken. One for the zoom lens and run.


Still on a borrowed laptop, so posts as and when. For other My World images, click here.

Same old scene - Skywatch

Why photograph anything else

Still laptop less at the moment and without access to my older images which the defunct (possibly but it's certainly comatosed) suicidal laptop is holding to ransom I have dipped yet again into the recent archives. Slowly we are going to walk along the whole of this river walk each Skywatch unless I get out there with camera and offer you something new. Why bother. I can dine out on these tranquil reflections for the rest of the year. After all we all know I'm the world's laziest photographer, so anything that makes life easier. Had to take my own image from another site I have stashed images away for when laptops throw themselves off tall building when they have had enough, so not the best size and little small, but you get the general idea.



Short and sweet tonight, bit of a rush job. For for more Skywatch images click here.

Serenity - Skywatch

Reflections on a Skywatch Theme

Apologies to any Sci Fi fans who searched Serenity and were hoping to catch a glimpse of the cast of Firefly ( yes I am TV, film buff, uber geek in addition to the music buff bit too) but his particular image above is my own personal slice of serenity. Not your most up to date image, another of those snowy image shots I rattled off within a couple of hours in one day, knowing the next this scene would disappear, probably for another 7 years until we have any kind of snowfall worth mentioning. I did warn you the icy/ snow photos would run linger for a while but I do try and vary them. Blatant lie there. It's the same Sulby river walk as last week, further along the path with a touch of melting ice in the foreground and the stillest of reflections. You'll note reflections play a big part of the blog. Easiest shot in the world on a clear crisp Winter's day with no breeze and they are always a pretty spectacular shot even in a mere novices hand with a simple (no this is the big Nikon) point and shoot. In other words, if in doubt shoot over water. It doubles the amount of available light by bouncing it around and the flatter it is the deeper the depth of the reflection.


Short and sweet tonight and I won't be around. Babooshka does not exist but the photographer does and I will be out celebrating my Birthday for the next 3 days. Yes I know it is tomorrow, Friday, but somewhere around the world over the next three day it is Jan 29th. That's my excuse an I'm sticking to it. For more Skywatch images please click here

Bold Statement - ABC

Dontcha wish your snowman was hot like mine

B

If you are on B's Facebook you will know I'm less B for bewitched and more for bothered and bewildered by the whole island failure to connect properly with the outside world.the last 24 hrs. Maddening. So you get a last minute substitute image as I've being haranguing Facebook all day to no avail about getting the Isle of Man a proper, stand alone server. We are an island, a country apart. Ramsey is not in Manchester, UK. In fact none of the island is. Don't get me started on that one, or I will tell you why we should not be paying for a TV license either! Rant over. The snowman.


Not sure if it's a snowman or snow woman. Play safe and shall we say flamboyant? Whatever he/she/it is I'm going with Lola ( you should know my musical references by now) and say that is just the coolest outfit you see on a snow person, of which I can take no credit for dressing, and that outfit surely is a "bold statement." Ambiguous B, yes but Bowring Road would be such a boring obvious B, and I have shown you the Britannia pub before. There is a bonus B in there if you look very closely. Babooshka. As I don't really exist though, only for blog purposes, maybe that reflection of the photographer is in your head.

For other ABC' liteteral, lateral or otherwise see here.

Same bridge, different day - My World

It's snow different to all the other bridge images

For those still counting.... No 24

My world just wouldn't be complete without the legendary Ramsey Swing Bridge capture. Well it's iconic to this blog and it's stalkers, I mean followers. The challenge to photograph a single standing item, building, whatever goes on and I chose the bridge and I'm stuck with it now until I finally nail that 100th shot. Actually I have probably taken over a thousand but as this blog is supposed to be about the whole of this one horse town then it would be unfair for me to inflict upon you daily images of the bridge from numerous angles. I do try and stagger them, no more than one a week and do try and show you those dreaded cliche photography words... from a different perspective, dontcha just love that composition, the occasionally juxtaposed person to bridge and of course good use of rules of thirds. Today you just get a carbon copy of the very first image I posted to kick off the blog with one fundamental difference.... you got it covered in a whole lotta snow, reeal snow not photoshopped in. I may be taking the urine with the writing, but the photography I do mostly take seriously.


If you really want to know more about the bridge, see it swing, and how and why I started this challenge in the first place then look out below at the rotating images from the annals of the blog. One of those will tell you all you need to know. For other offering around the world, bridges may feature but not compulsory, click here

Solitary Man - Monochrome Weekly

Man in Black

The photographers best friend is not Photoshop. It is serendipity. It is that single solitary moment when the photography gods conspire to deliver into your hands the image naturally that looks awkward when staged. All you have to do is notice it. You can't learn that from a book or be taught it, it's instinct. As you can see I am still making the most of the one and only day of snow we had and again another gift.The man so helpfully dressed from head to toe in black against such a pure white solid blanket of snow. The one raised foot to indicate movement within a frozen frame. Always capture with one foot slightly raised to show the sole. Again it just looks better, right, good and I am not going to bore with any jargon, it's obvious why. Could only be monochrome. Not an image where you stumble around for your setting, or you will loose the composition of the lone figure which is the key element of the image. Just take it or lose it.

Now that was far too sensible. I should really tell you that the mound of land is Sky Hill where there was this huge Lord of The Rings Style Battle (no hobbits, dwarfs or elves) between the locals and invading Viking, but I have done that soooooooooooooooooooo many times before now that I'm sure the link will pop up again or a picture and you can check it out. No today was simply see point and shoot.


For more Monochrome weekly images click here

A cold snap - Skywatch again

Skating on thin ice anyone?

I know I should of called it "frozen" or "ice ice baby"(but I did sneak one song in) but as a photographer, or should I say snapper, it was the obvious title for you to groan at. Well that's the kind of weather we having been having around these parts lately. So long as it doesn't rain (so dreary) I'll take the ice and snow shots any day. Always amazes me the colours and tones frozen water on a cool, crisp, breeze free winter's day can at sundown over Mooragh Lake can produce. Needless to say manual settings of course to capture the colours and not auto which would bleach out the blue hue of the sky and the deeper blue of those obliging clouds rolling into view. Makes a photographer's life so much easier when the sky complies and those clouds sit atop the trees in the icy lake reflection. The golden yellow tones of the setting sun to break up the blue a bonus. Photographer's are often lazy artists, I know I used to draw and my partner is the artist now. Seconds for me to capture, hours for him to paint.


For other skies of the world from sunsets to sunrises you can click here (8pm onwards) and a visit the globe virtually at the click of a mouse.

Snowdrops - My World

Not what you were expecting?

If you are a regular visitor you will no doubt be wincing at the bad pun. Well it's your own fault you asked me to start blogging again. If you have wandered here looking for gardening tips like say, when is the best time to plant your snowdrop bulbs ( I presume bulbs as opposed to seeds, but I'm sure some green fingered enthusiast who has wandered here will let you know) then sadly you are most definitely in the wrong place. Nah, that above is a little slice of creative photography representing my weird little part of the planet. I honestly didn't gather clumps of snow and place them strategically amongst the bare twigs. I'm not that dedicated to the blog. No. I came across this lucky image out and about with the camera, on our one and only snowy day (and yes you are going to see a lot of those images because I'm sick of rainy day ones) and just couldn't resist capturing it, against that palest of cool blue skies. Simple as that.

Other images around the globe can be seen here.

Icing Sugar - Monochrome Weekly

Just a light dusting

I know I said I was back into this blogging lark, but the real world just keeps dragging me back kicking and screaming from the virtual one. Well a promise is a promise and I have been nagged so much by some nameless individuals out there in virtual world and some real life flesh and blood ones here and away to get snapping with the camera again, advice about photography and carry on ranting and raving about my love hate relationship with Dear Old Ramsey Town.

I would normally just take the image a little farther over to the right to concentrate on those mirror image reflections but as we had our one and only day of snow, (yes the island does actually get a light, blink and you miss it usually dusting of the pretty white fluffy stuff) I shot a little more centrally to include the footpath. Look closely and you will even see those elusive things that don't make much of an appearance on the blog.... people or maybe they are the even more elusive mythical folk that share the island with us. Don't even ask about the vampires. Who knows. Seems every photographer (human) and his dog was out and that day!



I'm just starting over again blog wise and this is my first Monochrome weekly too for a while. Sure next week I will have hit my stride and be bursting a blood vessel again. Word of warning to spammers though. Don't even think about clogging up my comments. You will just out cut off in your prime and deleted straight into the virtual litter bin.

Welcome to Narnia - Skywatch

One time only

Snow Watch

You know how I moan, rant and rave that we never have snow, I mean ever....... well look what happened the day after I started blogging again. Snnnnnoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow! I went to bed in boring nothing ever happens in this town Ramsey to walking in a Winter Wonderland of Narnia. Didn't run into the Wicked Snow Queen (I'm The Wicked Queen B around these parts anyway) but there is an abundance of melting snowmen lining the streets. So please forgive the lack of sky this week, blue sky too as opposed to the usual dreary grey. The chances of the island covered under a pure white blanket of gorgeous soft fluffy falling, crunch under foot snow are more remote than spotting the elusive escaped wallaby that haunts the hills around these parts. Yes been here 7 years finally got snow. Now if I can find those Manx fairies who are probably hiding out in the woods with the wallaby I'd be one happy girl. Like that's gonna happen. I wouldn't have any crap to moan or write about would I?



Short and sweet tonight. A bit like the snowy scene. All slush and mud now, just like Ramsey. More skywatch images can be seen here

Just when you thought it was safe!

So where was I?

Sorry I left you all with a group of drunks, I mean dedicated rugby players celebrating with yards of ale at the end of yet another rough game, but well I'm back now so perleaaaaasssse no more poking me on Facebook. For a start that really hurts a girl and it's sooooooooooooo rude ya know. If you have stumbled across this blog looking for a sensible travel guide, a little Manx history and ooh how wonderful it is living on Whicker Man, sorry the Isle of Man.....think again! You will get that from time to time, but most definitely my way. What ya see is what ya get, and how I get up in the morning is how this blog works. So, Shoprite our local supermarket (nothing super about it at all, oxymoron) if you sell chickens that go off before their sell by date and ruin Christmas..... I will be be annoyed and name and shame. One thing only I guarantee you, a photo. If you're lucky the odd photography tip. If you are even luckier I may throw in some Manx culture or a Manx swear word, I mean Manx word for seagull or some some nonsense. Well I will until they catch me and have to go back to hiding in the woods for a while.



Oh the photo. Nothing special to kick us off. A walk along the river, low tide down on one knee doing the old artsy fartsy bit with (cliche alert) setting the composition and of course this just had to be in monochrome dahlink to allow the hollow of light through the whatever that stone thing is sticking up out of the water. Look I told you, I do the photography but if you want I could pretend it's an ancient Manx obelisk that the Pagans used to worship and sacrifice virgins at on May Day to ward off maurauding Vikings. Think I may have to go into hiding.

It's good to be back.