Mona Street & North Barrule

                                  Summer


One of my earliest photos of Ramsey, my adopted hometown. I'm standing on the corner of Mona Street, looking towards North Barrule, the grassy peak in the distance. The old swimming baths still open at the time (now the bowling alley) the tan coloured building directly below Barrule in the image. You can just see the orange vehicle parked outside the old baths, that would be a tourist coach which usually had a scheduled stop for refreshments in the old swimming baths cafe. Summer sunshine about 2006. 


Camera at this time, Nikon D50 

Jane Hards Photography

Call this one a Throwback Thursday

Mooragh Lake, sepia

                    Who pulled the plug out


The same view from the post before Icy reflections and what a difference a day makes. Mooragh Lake at tide out looks like someone has pulled the plug and let the water out. No boating today, though the birds walking on water was a bonus photo shoot. 

Jane Hards Photography

Sepia for Simonetta, for that old fashioned nostalgic view of the place of her dreams Ramsey

The Chuck Wagon, Take Away

                       Gone but not forgotten

There are many fast food outlets in Ramsey, from traditional fish and chip shops to the local kebab shop. Others have closed to be replaced with trendier coffee shops and restaurants. The Chuck Wagon was one of those closed in recent years, now replaced by another food outlet, Coffee Break. The Chuck Wagon was a popular venue in Ramsey for bikers, those visiting tourists, over for the Isle of Man TT Road Races. The fastest of fast food could be bought there, for those needing to eat and ride. A bag of chips or a burger washed down with a can of coke was perfect sustenance. I have friends over for the TT, who remember this place fondly, because it reminds them of "that time of year." 


City Daily Photo, theme day today is take away outlets and others around the world can be seen 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.

Angel's tears, evening dew

Things you find on a river walk

Going through photos to find ones for the blog I found this unused curious image. I confess it is a Summer capture, not a recent Winter one. A friend reminded me of river walks with a dog along the river and in the Poyll Dooey, or as we he likes to call it affectionately the "Pollydollies" which always makes me laugh. On one of those summertime river walks I went armed with the camera. While the doggie was splish splashing around in the water to cool down, after playing the favourite dog game of "human throw stick, dog chase stick, dog not return stick back to human, so human throws another stick" I began to photograph the scene of the dog splish splashing to espy this evening dew. An Italian friend calls the evening dew above "angel's tears" which is so poetic a way to describe the photo, I just had to use those words. Simonetta thank you.

To all those who have left these shores and miss the island, and the PollyDollies and walk with dogs. One fine day, we do it all again.

Thank you all for the big welcome back.