POYLL DOOEY NATURE RESERVE

Poyll Dooey ABC

Poyll Dooey Nature Reserve is an area of land in Ramsey that is a haven for wildlife. It is also a haven for me as a photographer. You have seen this image above before, but not as a day shot, but one of my skywatch shots, where the skies are rich in purples and the trees are usually silhouetted. How different one place can look from day to night.

Poyll Dooey has a series of nature trails running through it. Follow the trails and you will happen upon many wonderful birds, rabbits, dragonflies, ladybirds... and dogs. It's a dog walkers heaven. Take a step off the nature trails and walkways and you will find yourself wading through overgrown scrub land, ponds, bogs, wild grasses and wild flowers such as bluebells and onto the meadows. Nestled amongst all of this is a picnic area in a beautifully maintained garden setting. walk to the far side of Poyll Dooey you happen upon the white bridge or wander a trail 'til you reach the Sulby River and follow it into Ramsey Town. In fact I have taken you round the Poyll Dooey many times, but usually down by the river. This is the meadow that lies in front of the white bridge.

Poyll Dooey, what does it mean though? Poyll means Pool that was the easy bit, but Dooey. First time around when I posted a Poyll Dooey post I asked if anyone had any ideas. Well I'll ask again. I've since found two meaning "sand dunes" or "fun gathering." Now as these two meaning differ greatly from each other I wonder if anyone else has another alternative.

By the way. The New American President will be making a guest appearance (of sorts) on this blog tomorrow. Obviously not in the flesh, but his er image will be.


Want to join ABC got the lovely hostess with the mostest, MRS NESBITT'S PLACE

PULL UP A CHAIR - MONOCHROME ODDSHOTS

Yes this is the famous abandoned chair in the nature reserve, but a different shot. It's monochrome and it's odd. Simple. The text is very hard hitting today.

We've had far to many pretty pictures on this blog recently that I thought we'd get back to reality and have the uglier side of life again. The photographer in me knew straight away that this was going to be snapped as an example of the odd shot concept. The other side of me though,
well got really angry about this.

On so many levels this image is wrong! The image was taken yet again in the nature reserve. The reserve as I have often stated is a haven for wildlife. It is not a landfill site, dumping ground, or recycling bin. Obviously some idiot out there blatantly disagrees. Now, I know I spend a lot of time over here, but that does not give me the right to pull up a abandoned chair to study the wildlife. This really angers me! For a start, if you want to get rid of it hire a skip and dispose of it.
Why would you go to the trouble of dragging the chair through the brambles onto a designated wildlife area. The other thing is, the chair itself seemed in not to bad condition. What was wrong with donating it to a local charity to get it cleaned and refurbished. I'm sure a poor soul in need of
such an item would gladly give this poor chair a home. As for the child's toy buggy, the same applies. How do we know that wouldn't have made some kids day to receive that, which another had so easily discarded.

We live in a very selfish age. There really is no need for this kind of unsociable behaviour. These abandoned items are a danger to wildlife and a missed opportunity on the recycling front. Charity is supposed to begin at home. So maybe next time you have a item you no longer need try your neighbour, charity shop, homeless centre, or recycling plant. Whoever you are that did this, I hope you and your new shiny sofa are siting very uncomfortably right now!

This is as much Ramsey as the sunsets. Some people are scared of the truth appearing on their own blog so I know I can print this in the knowledge this will not be ripped off as it's not pretty. Some people too would prefer to gloss over these issues. No, we need to address them in order to recognise what is wrong so we can correct it. Like many of the other Isle of Man problems, like the economic downturn, rising unemployment, dwindling tourist industry and yes the nepotism.
The right people for the right job. Improve what is poor, do not ignore it. Helping each other, not hijacking their ideas. Enough said. Bad day, very disappointed with certain quarters, and have learnt the hard way not to help others, and it really is who you know, not merit talent or work ethic that is the way to get on. This I needed to say in order for me to get back into blog mode and indeed picking up the camera.

Want to join the weird world of Odd Shots Monday? Then see KATNEY

Want to join the beautiful and creative world of Mononchorome Monday? Then see Aileni at LOOSE ENDS

GINNIE THE WITCH - CRITTERS SUNDAY

Following on from "Hop Ta Naa" the Isle of Man celebration that is now intermingled with Halloween I give you "Ginnie The Witch." Alternative spelling of Jinnie can be found too. What do witches have, a black cat of course. This one isn't actually true black if you look closely, but the eyes are true green. Back to Ginnie.

Ginne the witch is the "Manx English" version of the Hop Tu Naa from yesterday. Here's the poem. Well two versions of the poem. Just to be typically Manx, why have one just one version.

Ginnie The Witch

Hop-tu-Naa

My mother's gone away

And she won't be back until the morning

Jinnie the Witch flew over the house

To fetch the stick to lather the mouse

Hop-tu-Naa

My mother's gone away

And she won't be back until the morning

Hop-tu-Naa, Traa-la-laa

Or alonger version

Hop-tu-naa put in a pot

Hop-tu-naa I scolded me throat

Hop-tu-naa I met an old woman

Hop-tu-naa She was baking bonnags

Hop-tu-naa I asked for a bit

Hop-tu-naa she gave me a bit

as big as me big toe

Hop-tu-naa she dipped it in milk

Hop-tu-naa she wrapped it in silk

Hop-tu-naa, Traa la lay

Jinnie the witch is in you house

Give me a penny and I'll chase her out

Hop-tu-naa, Traa la lay

More Manx Madness on Ramsey Daily Photo. The original one. You will always here it here first.

For more wonderful camera critters see MISTY DAWN Camera critters and be sure to leave a nice comment for Misty' s own outstanding posts.

HOP TU NAA OR HALLOWEEN 2

Due to a techincal hitch cdp, theme day books could not be posted. By the way that is not Norman Bates house from Psycho, but flats on Mooragh Promenade. Instead I follow on from Skywatch and the difference between Halloween and the Isle Of Man celebration of "Hop Tu Naa." Since yesterday's post I have found that "trick or treat" far from being an American idea may indeeed have it's origins in Hop Tu Naa. In older times children would have brought the stumps of turnips(not pumpkins) with them and batter the doors of those who refused to give them any money! So is the Isle of Man to blame for introducing the more sedate" trick or treat" to the world afterall?

Like to learn "The Hop Tu Naa" song. Manx Or English? Ok both

Hop-tu-Naa in Manx	Hop-tu-Naa in English
Shoh shenn oie Houiney; Hop-tu-naa	This is old Hollantide night; Hop-tu-naa
T'an eayst soilshean; Trol-la-laa.	The moon shines bright; Trol-la-laa.
Kellagh ny kiarkyn; Hop-tu-naa.	Cock of the hens; Hop-tu-naa
Shibber ny gauin; Trol-la-laa.	Supper of the heifer; Trol-la-laa.
'Cre'n gauin marr mayd ? Hop-tu-naa.	Which heifer shall we kill? Hop-tu-naa
Yn gauin veg vreac. Trol-la-laa.	The little speckled heifer. Trol-la-laa.
Yn chione kerroo, Hop-tu-naa.	The fore-quarter, Hop-tu-naa
Ver mayd 'sy phot diu; Trol-la-laa.	We'll put in the pot for you. Trol-la-laa.
Yn kerroo veg cooyl, Hop-tu-naa.	The little hind quarter, Hop-tu-naa
Cur dooin, cur dooin. Trol-la-laa.	Give to us, give to us. Trol-la-laa.
Hayst mee yn anvroie, Hop-tu-naa.	I tasted the broth, Hop-tu-naa
Scoald mee my hengey, Trol-la-laa.	I scalded my tongue, Trol-la-laa.
Ro'e mee gys y chibber, Hop-tu-naa.	I ran to the well, Hop-tu-naa
As diu mee my haie, Trol-la-laa.	And drank my fill; Trol-la-laa.
Er my raad thie, Hop-tu-naa.	On my way back, Hop-tu-naa
Veeit mee kayt-vuitsh; Trol-la-laa.	I met a witch cat; Trol-la-laa.
Va yn chayt-scryssey, Hop-tu-naa.	The cat began to grin, Hop-tu-naa
As ren mee roie ersooyl. Trol-la-laa.	And I am a slag away. Trol-la-laa.
Cre'n raad ren oo roie Hop-tu-naa.	Where did you run to? Hop-tu-naa
Roie mee gys Albin. Trol-la-laa.	I ran to Scotland. Trol-la-laa.
Cred v'ad jannoo ayns shen ? Hop-til-naa	What were they doing there? Hop-til-naa
Fuinney bonnagyn as rostey sthalgyn. Trol-la-laa.	Baking bannocks and roasting collops. Trol-la-laa.
Hop-tu-naa, Trol-la-laa.	Hop-tu-naa, Trol-la-laa

(Loayrt)

My ta shiu goll dy chur red erbee dooin, cur dooin tappee eh,

Ny vees mayd ersooyl liorish soilshey yn cayst

Hop-tu-naa, Trol-la-laa.

(Spoken)

If you are going to give us anything, give it us soon,

Or we'll be away by the light of the moon.

Hop-tu-naa, Trol-la-laa.

Strange island isn't it? Well we do have three legs on our flag! Do you have any halloween songs or traditions, like burning the Wicker Man perhaps. No, that's back to us again.

HOP TU NAA OR HALLOWEEN - SKYWATCH

I'm posting pre posting so the date will be Halloween when this goes live. Yes we celebrate Halloween on the island, although it goes by a different name - "Hop Tu Naa. " So is Halloween or Hop Tu Naa we celebrate and what is the difference?

Hop Tu Naa is a corruption of "Shogh Ta'n Oie" meaning this is the night. What night though? That would be the Celtic New Year - "Oie Houney." The Celtic new year of course has since been moved to Jan. the Celtic year was separated in to 4 and Sauin- "New Year" was celebrated in "Mee Houney" the Manx for November. As Halloween is Oct 31th the new celebrations have become intergrated as one, although younger Manxies now assume "Hop Tu Naa" and Halloween is one in the same and is celebrated thus so.

Pumpkins are halloween, where as true Hop Ta Naa goer should be seen swinging a hollowed out turnip lantern and singing old manx folk songs, not trick or treating. Trick or treating is an American custom which has been adopted in the UK Halloween celebrations, and yes into Manx ones too.

So Hop Tu Naa like a lot of traditions has been swallowed up with a more commercial celebration and has less to to with celebrating the old New Year, and more to do with rotting kids teeth on sweets. Ramsey though and many parts of the island do try and uphold many of the Hop Tu Naa traditions and there is no finer sight than a group of Manxies, swinging those turnip lanterns and singing a manx song. It's also a little creepy to in a Wicker Man sense, but we won't go into that.

To join skywatch go to SKYWATCH
The concept was Dot's, the next host WIGGERS WORLD the guardians of skywatch now are Tom, Imac and Sandy.

RAMSEY, ISLE OF MAN AND IT'S CRAZY PALM TREES

The Isle of Man in a quirky place. We have our Manx Fairies who live under Fairy Bridge. We have words you can't say like, rats - we say longtails, because it's bad luck. We have a language called Manx, which derived from gutteral Irish/Celtic, with the odd Viking word thrown in. We have our own currency. We are part of the British Isles, a Crown Dependency, but not part of the UK. I could go on. One of the strangest sights of all though are the palm trees.

I mentioned to Laurie GLIMPSES OFSOUTH PASADENA that we have palm trees on this funny little island sat in the middle of the Irish Sea after viewing hers. Now in a warm climate you'd obviously expect them, but here? It's cold, damp, we even had snow this week. Hot sunny days are few, very few, yet these palms above thrive, mainly tree lined walkway though the park, but these above are adjacent to the harbour inlet. I snapped just the palm tops and kept the chimney pots and telephone wires in so you can place the palms in context of the island setting, which is certainly not South Pasadena. Obviously this was also on one of our brighter days.

Thanks for all the suggestions for online photo printing. Home printing as suggested by GABRIOLA, SNAPPER would be ideal, but logistically it's getting the right quality paper on the island as online ordering also has it's pitfalls on a small island. Delivery charges astronomical, or even getting companies to deliver in the first place. I'm sure I'll sort something it's just I was very happy with my last company withrange of products, price, turnaround and paper until they ahem, improved things. No you didn't Photobox, that's why you've losing your professional clients.

OYSTERCATCHERS - ABC WEDNESDAY

ABC - O is for oystercatchers.

If you are inland you may never of heard of this bird, or sub specices of bird. A common sight around Ramsey Harbour, and the Promenade and a wonderful sight to see in flight, with the white underbelly, and black overwing.

The oystercatchers are a group of waders; they form the family Haematopodidae, which has a single genus, Haematopus. They are found on coasts worldwide apart from the polar regions and some tropical regions of Africa and South East Asia. The exception to this is the Eurasian Oystercatcher and the South Island Oystercatcher, both of which breed inland, far inland in some cases. In the past there has been a great deal of confusion as to the species limits, with discrete populations of all black oystercatchers being afforded specific status but pied oystercatchers being considered one single species.

So is this a bird you know or is it a bird you have only ever seen virtually? I was not at all familiar with this bird until I first moved to a coastal setting. Now I am so used to seeing these birds patrol the pebbled shores and sandy beaches of Ramsey, or passing overhead that they are as familiar to be as the garden sparrow.

I am currently offline a lot this week due to having find alternative printing arrangements for my photos. I am definitely going to try Red Bubble, but I'm still looking for somewhere on line that will do reliable prints at a reasonable price over a range of products as I was before. I want my images to still be affordable in varied forms, and don't want anyone being ripped off. So if you know of a reliable print sales site, good quality at prices you would consider paying let me know. It is impossible to get this done on the island. Thanks in advance.

Want to join ABC got the lovely hostess with the mostest, MRS NESBITT'S PLACE