Manannan's Cloak

                         The local sea fog

Manannan's Cloak is a local mist which from time to time rolls in from the sea, covering the island in a foggy, hazy, blurry shroud said to protect  the island from being seen from marauding enemies.  The sea mist gets it's name from Manannan, a sea God, who from time to time according to legend, protects the island, hence Manannan's Cloak. I don't think we are being besieged by marauding Vikings today, or even tourists for that matter, so feeling quite safe, to photograph the local phenomena. 

 

Jane Hards Photography

 

More on Manannan Mac Lir can be found here

 

Image taken Stanley Mount West, Ramsey, Isle of Man, part of Our World Tuesday

Docked fishing boats

                         Local food source


Unlike a lot of fishing ports and harbours, Ramsey's hasn't closed and become a shopping centre or worse a multi storey car park. It's still a working harbour. The style of fishing may have changed over the years, light mesh trawls used instead of dredging the sea bed, and young queenies thrown back into the sea and protected, but "fisherman" is a still one of the towns jobs for some. Plenty of hobby fishermen too, but the vessels pictured are the working boats of the town. Freshly caught produce from the Irish Sea, can make its way to the restaurants, pubs and cafes of Ramsey within the day, and we still have a traditional fishmongers too. A Manx Queenie recipe


Jane Hards Photography

Part of abc

Feltons, Ironmongers

                                  Shop local


Not many towns have an old fashioned Ironmongers. We still do, on Parliament Street. In their owns words "The North's favourite emporium for everything DIY and so much more. From paint to potting compost, window cleaner to wood stoves, you will find it here!" You'll also find something sadly lacking in those out of town faceless DIY stores, good old fashioned customer service. This place opens at 7am for those needing the tools of the trade for their job until 5pm through the week, and even open Sundays.  I believe in shopping local when I can, and here I can. Not just another faceless chain store, a local Ramsey shop. 

 Jane Hards Photography, Ramsey Daily Photo

Who wouldn't want a purple wheelbarrow.

Feltons fb page

Melting ice

                                Winter blues
   

It's that time of year again when the harbour freezes over The last remnants of the frozen over Sulby river melting under the (surprisingly warm for this time of year) winter sun. Taken from Bowring Road, Ramsey Harbour, Isle of Man. This time next week, who knows tidal flooding or snowdrifts

Image part of Our World Tuesday 

More of the Isle of Man images can be found on my facebook photography page

Church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea

                     Sea view for churchgoers

Or to give the church its full name, Church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea, and St Maughold - Ramsey. Not many churchgoers get to wander straight on the beach, but they do if they are part of this congregation. Many a wedding party photo shoot is taken on the beach too, with or without sunset, sand between toes.


Other Skywatch post can be found here.

The Stanley

                         Karaoke anyone?


The Stanley, another of Ramsey's infamous pubs has undergone a few changes recently. The old landlord Yuki, who ran the pub for over a quarter of a Century has retired. A new paint job inside and out. The first ever pool table has taken up residence. The legendary Steve and Bob karaoke nights have ceased to be replaced by Paulette's Saturday night karaoke.  Most of my photos have actually been taken inside this pub of friends and strangers, Friday nights after dark. You can still see the harbour from the pub though and the local pint is still the same. A place many island visitors fondly remember, and locals enjoy. It's been the end of an era recently, and the start of a new, and a rare daylight shot from me of the pub and local scooter run.


Cheers.

School House Corner, the bridge

                              Off to school


School House Corner, get its name, from the local school, Ramsey Grammar. You may wonder why such a footbridge is need in such a quiet town. You can't cross this road when the Isle of Man TT Races are in progress, unless you use the footbridge. Well you try, but you'd be arrested for causing an obstruction.  You can walk into town fine, but for those that live on the other side of the road, it does avoid them getting trapped for hours on the wrong side of the road and forced to wait out the races. Unfortunately for the kids, the footbridge connects to the school too, so no excuse for missing exams.

Should the footbridge ever be closed and you find yourself unable to cross for hours, there is a pub on either side of the road to wait out the time. Just saying.

Gone fishing

                             Pretty in pink

Two types of people you're guaranteed to find down by the beach and harbour any evening (whatever the weather), dog walkers and those fishing. Usually find the fishing type just here on one of the two jetties Ramsey has, next to one of the two lighthouses. You can't get more local than freshly caught sea fish and a bit of peace and quiet too is a bonus.

The Central

                             Fancy a pint?


The Central is our local and favourite pub in Ramsey. This was taken just after the pub had a complete overall and upgrade from a run down on its last legs place to a thriving hub of the drinking community. A change of staff and management completed the makeover and unlike other pubs in Ramsey, (and the island for that matter) this one has survived the cull and indeed goes from strength to strength. Anyone visiting for the Isle of Man TT has to visit this pub for one of the best vantage points to view the action while supping on the local brew or whatever your tipple is. 

Rugby

                        Ramsey vs Marple

Saturday afternoons from late Autumn to late Spring are spent photographing Ramsey Rugby and whichever team they are playing that week. This week, visiting Marple from across, or should I say England. Ask any local and the island is considered the mainland, and England, Scotland and Wales, "across." Sadly, I have to mention the result which was a loss for Ramsey, playing in red and blue above, though the photograph shows the one and only try scored by the lads. I'd also like to add, this photo does not show the gale force wind that almost knocked me off my feet several times!

Ramsey Craft Centre

                Needles, pins and arty things

A visitor to the island, many years ago,  follows the blog and asked me if a "pretty little shop full of brightly colours cottons" still open in Ramsey.  I'm happy to say, indeed it is.  I've had many a sewing emergency (ok one or two) averted by this little local shop. Just a quick post and a snapshot, with the morning sunrise reflection, though I will photograph inside for our visitor soon.
Simonetta

The Isle of Man TT 2012.....Day 1

Waiting

While I was waiting for the bikes to appear for the practice lap, I took a few sneaky pics. The building in the background is the local library, the people, locals and tourists, and the guy in the foreground one of the unsung heroes, a marshal. Practice was delayed, due to a communication technicality. That really expensive equipment installed for the TT, obviously wasn't used to glorious sunshine and got slightly confused. Practice eventually got underway, photos done, home in time for the Eurovision Song Contest Results. ............which you really don't want to know about unless you absolutely like to watch 4 hrs of cheesy/camp/earsplitting warbling. Sweden won. Real music lost. Thanks heavens for TT.

Click here for other TT photos

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.

RAMSEY, WHAT'S GOING ON!

For those of you who were expecting a pretty skywatch image, it's the post underneath. This is back to reality Saturday. Want a virtual walk round the notice board? Read on!

As you can see this is a straight forward image of a Ramsey Community Notice Board. Just on the right you can see the blue hoarding from a previous shot of the children's murals along Parliament Street. We have several of these dotted about town. One at Shoprite, the library and various local shops. To me these are an excellent way to find out what's going on. A newcomer to the town wishing to integrate into the community would be advised to take a peek at one of these boards. A little something for everyone.

Fancy keeping fit, try Pilates, a Hoe Down, or is Kick Boxing more your idea of working up a sweat? Want a more peaceful activity? What about a Whist Drive and raffle? A gentle Rotary Club sponsored walk pique your interest or perhaps making your own Christmas cards? Reiki to relax? Are you a beader or an auction buyer. Room for Rottweilers? Church or theatre? It's all there and more. One time only, click to enlarge and take a virtual tour of the Notice Board to see what this small town has to offer over Autumn. Surprising isn't it?

I'm a big fan of this type of free advertising in a community. The board is open to all, so no activity is overlooked. Do you have anything like this in your part of the world, and do you use it?

I'm hoping to build a new website over the weekend, my new photography sales site. No doubt I will be tearing my hair out by tomorrow night when things aren't behaving as they should.