LONGTAILS AND BRIDLE PATHS - MY WORLD

What no longtails?

My World

Following on from yesterday I continue the path past the stumpy tree and find myself on the bridle path leading into town. Until as recently as two weeks ago this path was a sorry sight, submerged in muddy puddles, threadbare grass and desolate. Spring has sprung, the grass is seeding( and as you can see freshly mowed by the council) and the foliage is spouting in the meadow to the left. Even the archway of tree has sprung to life again on the right hand side of the image. Soon there will be birds on berries wild, wild, rabbits frolicking (yes definitely lots of frolicking of rabbits here) and of course longtails scurrying. What you don't know what a longtail is? You may know them as a different name. If I said Pied Piper would you know now? Ah yes you do, but why do we call them Longtails here?


Longtails are better known as Rats. One of the first things you learn when you move here is do not under any circumstances say the word Rat or Rats out loud.


The origins of this barmy superstition date to sea-taboos. Certain words and practices were not allowed to be mentioned aboard ship, for fear of attracting bad luck (or worse, bad weather.)This particular sea-taboo is one amongst many and never used to apply on land. It has become a popular modern myth that the word is somehow "unlucky" and has been adopted by some as a typical Manx weird saying, even though older Manx generations had no qualms in using the word, or its Manx Gaelic version "roddan". In modern times, even non-local and non-superstitious people will refrain from using the "r" word. They take it very seriously here you know. Other alternatives for the superstitious also include joey, ringie, queerfella, iron fella and roddan. Perhaps you know these.


Until I moved to the island I used to say the R. word. Not anymore. I have seen 3 since I moved here( which I have called all Basil of course!) but none when I lived on mainland Great Britain. Newcomers to the island can often be found laughing at the cheeky squirrel they nickname stumpy as they think it's lost it's tail. They are even known to feed them. We have no squirrels on the island, just cheeky longtails that you will sometimes see darting about the bridle path being chased by cat. Yes we can call a cat a cat but a ra.... is a longtail. Don't even get me started on what a longhair is!



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.

One more thing before I go.

RATS, RATS, RATS!

No one said I couldn't type it!

I'M STUMPED! - MONOCHROME ODD SHOTS

When wood a tree trunk be called a stump?

Monochrome Odd Shots

Stump - What remains after of the tree trunk and roots after the top section of the tree has been felled. Ok that makes sense. Pretty straightforward so far. Can someone explain to me then what they think has happened here? I came across this stump/trunk in the heavily wooded area of the nature reserve. This was a close as I could get but all around seemed untouched apart from this one tree which stuck out like a sore thumb with it's top lobbed off. I checked the area around it and as you can see the foliage around is undisturbed. So not only why would this have been done, but how. I assume it's those corn circle aliens or possibly the Manx Fairies lopping off tree tops to make fairy furniture or something. So until someone has a rational, practical explanation I will as they say print the myth. I know the truth will be fairly innocuous and the reason why it was done so mundane, but in keeping with the island being all myth and legend hiding under shrouded cloaks(fog, nothing more, than fog) thieving mermaids, barmy witches and cheeky fairies I just have to play along with the spooky tale.



This is not the only odd shot I have found in the woodlands of the reserve though So maybe it's not such a fishy tale after all. You may remember, click red below,

Welcome to the Deadwood Family Reunion
I never did find out who put the paper there, and how they got up there without being either a giant or someone who carried step ladders around with them at all times. Such is island life.

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

80,000

RESCUED GOLDFINCH - CRITTERS

Keep your cats away from me!

Critters

When in doubt get the bird shots out!

Not a chaffinch or a siskin on my hand this week, but a goldfinch. That would be a European Goldfinch, or as I prefer to call them our little masked raiders. You should see the way we have a group, or a"charm of goldfinches" as they are called correctly attacking the bird feeders. What about this archive image though?


This is a little male goldfinch I rescued from a very naughty cat. Not one of the critters cats I will no doubt see. He'd got a paw to the little birdie, swatted him like a fly bringing the poor bird to the ground. I just ran at he cat(as you do) to scare him off. A mad woman screeching at him like a howling Banshee in a whilrling dervish soon did the trick. I picked this little bird up as gently as I could and tried to coax him round. Eventually he had a bite of the seeds and kindly posed for this photo, before flying off with no lasting damage. I do think he looks a little grumpy on this image. There again if I had been squatted mid flight bounced on the floor and then been subjected to posing for a photo I think I might look a little p""""d off too.


Another lovely collection of goldfinches can be found at the lovely Wigger's World along with a variety of other cuties.

For more camera critters see Misty dawn's den.


Scheduled post I'm out and about.


Go out the sun is shining!

BLUE SKIES OR STORMY WEATHER? - SKYWATCH

Do blue skies have purple rain?

Skywatch


Blogger is being a pain so I have to just leave you with this rinkie dink image today.
The text is just not being posted right and I'm working and no time to mess about with it.


This week was my one year blog anniversary. Thank you again.


Other images to compare perspective.
Wish you were here
Far and Away
Big Sky
Billowing Clouds



Back to say this is the jetty along the harbour.




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.

WHERE ARE THE WATCHMEN?

Another one bites the space dust!

Just when you thought you were safe to to view the blog again after the One Year Anniversary, I hit you with this. Not the poster for the Watchmen film at the cinema that's for sure. What part of Ramsey would this be then? For those that know from previous posts this would be my house. No, really. I don't mean I reside with aliens in an inter galactic state, although..... My other half(who out there said better?) is an illustrator, you know the one that was the Political Cartoonist for the BBC Politics Show. He created this image, Captain Pluton. Looks like a film poster or graphic novel doesn't it?


So to illustrate my post about the Watchmen I utilise this image. Crafty, I mean inventive eh!


It's simple, one question? Are we getting the film The Watchmen or not on the Isle of Man? Not complicated is it? Actually is seems to be. Rumours abound we're getting late night screenings only at the one and only cinema in Douglas. The cinema though has other ideas. Well at least the website does as it's not showing The Watchman in it's coming soon section. Look this may surprise you, but not all females want to see chick flicks. Some of us actually can't wait for Star Trek. I want options. Hello it's called the "Isle of Man" for pity's sake! Would that not be a teensy clue as to roughly the sex of half the population here. Duh! You know the ones who traditionally, in a stereotypical way of course, are graphic novel ( no not comic) sci fi nuts and don't want to see films about girl buy shoes, girl lose boy, girl bore me to tears with your tedious pink world. We need/ want choice. So the campaign to get the Watchman screened on the Isle Of Man starts here. People I need ya. Don't let me down. I will have no Quantum of Solace until we get it. So can we boldly go (split infinitives abound) to the final frontier - a film I actually want to drag my sorry ass all the way to Douglas to see. Don't even think about not showing Star Trek. Phasers set to stun, but Captain Pluton will shoot to kill if we don't get the Watchman.


Ooh that felt good. Image today courtesy and copyrighted to Barker, of (click) Gary Barker Illustration and Design otherwise known as the one is using my living room as his personal office space. Yes folks back in business, busier than ever. Regular magazine slot, private work and a hush hush campaign I can't wait to tell you about but can't yet.


This superhero needs her bed and has to wash her superhero suit. Dry clean! Don't be stoooopid and reveal I'm Babooshka handing it it at the Dry cleaners.

Live long and prosper.



WF9

RAMSEY DAILY PHOTO 1ST ANNIVERSARY- J FOR JUBILATIONS

Ramsey Daily Photo Ist Anniversay

J is for Jubilations

In the style of Babooshka this post will veer off at who knows what tangents(I really have to stop referring to my alter ego in the third person) but the gist is Ramsey Daily Photo is one year old today. Ta Da! Do I hear fanfare and drum roll? Why thank you. So I had this wacky idea to post a daily photo of the the place I live. Ingenious. Turns out Paris, Eric is the ingenious one the Daddy and gazumped us all. Without Eric and the wonderful team at CDP we would all be lonesome daily bloggers floundering in the wildnerness, virtually. I digress. I blame it all on Gailsman though really. Yes you GM. I meandered on that blog looking for something else and guess what it was a daily photo. I liked the humour, I liked images, I thought hey I wanna do this me thinking I had the brainwave remember. I started RDP. I still frequent GM and our common goal the hunt for white dog poo! You are wondering how I have lasted a year posting lines like that haven't you? So have I.


No long Oscar award winning teary gee golly gosh shucks speech. My thank you's would take me until my 2nd Anninversary. An en mass THANK YOU each and everyone. I'll be name checking over the weeks so look out for you yes you out there. One a day will get the pat on the back.



I chose the Isle of Man flag today for the image which just seemed most appropriate. You really didn't want another bridge image just yet did you? It's been a mostly good year. This blog was never meant to be a love letter to the place I live. It is what it is, the way a photographer sees the relatively normal world she lives in. Sometimes bleak, often beautiful, constantly mundane, sometimes extraordinary. Joe said I am the David Lynch of Ramsey in this Twin Peaks town kind of way. That made me laugh. Ah you know me so well, yet we have never met. Perhaps I should curb my enthusiasm. Nah! One thing I have learnt about blogging you have to Go your own way. Post for yourself, do not try and please everyone, but you will always please someone. Be yourself. Above all have fun. The day I stop having fun is the day I stop.


I thank you all for the continued viewing and comments sincerely, no jokes, or wisecracks, a genuine cheers. One for the CPD bloggers. For the record on a humble note, Community Favourites. Have you any idea how embarrassing it is to see London, Paris, and er Ramsey. I have visions of people going where the hell is that. I mean it's like who is this upstart. Again thank you.

Thank You

Babooshka

Not watching the Watchman, because the b*****y cinema aren't showing it here and I am so000000000000000000000000000 annoyed. Did you really think you had escaped the wrath of Queen B. Watch this space.

Mrs Nesbitt is a visitor to the island no less, is the lady with the letters to see to ABC

TALES FROM THE RIVERBANK - MY WORLD

Mystic River

My World

This image is a bit of mystery. Not how it was taken that's the easy bit, I know that. It's where it was taken. By that I mean I know it's along the Sulby River, I know it's the Poyll Dooey nature reserve, I know all I have to do is wander over in my kimono and slippers take the photo and be back in the house before the kettle boils,(I only said I could do that I didn't say I did) but I can't recall exactly which stretch of the river it was. Doh! On the memory card the image is sandwiched between two totally different images I remember capturing and why, but this one is a one take image of yes a beautiful reflection but why? Not that a beautiful reflection should not be reason in it's self. Was it to tell you about the geology of the island, the overflow from the reservoir, the pond life (use your imagination) or the surrounding myths and legends I was capturing the scene for I don't know. My world today then is a mystery that also reminds me of a painting and I can't figure out what or who? Any ideas? I think this flu is making me delirious, that or the medicine.


Waterworld scenes I can recall when, where, and why click to reveal.


Reflection
Spooky
Monster
Mellow Yellow
River Deep Mountain High

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.


babooshka ramsey daily photo http://dailyphotoisleofman.blogspot.com/