YOU LOOKING AT ME?- CRITTERS

Last week I had the badly titled pun "duck close and personal" which could have been this one really too. Ah well never mind. So many of you were able to name the ugly duck after I asked for help last week as a Muscovy. All I knew was he just looked so weird with his bright white feathers and knobbly red beak. As Wilma put is (Mrs Nesbitts dog, no really) the duck looked like he had be playing with his mama's lipstick.

Well even I can tell you this Manx duck giving me the evil eye is a Mallard. Mallards are around the world, just this one has a Manx passport. Actually he was quite sweet. I like ducks to photograph. They just waddle towards you begging for their image to be snapped. Even better if you have a bag of bread, you can get an open beak shot, or a mad flapping group shot.

This shot was taken by the harbour under the bridge, the image yesterday. It's a crop of a cropped image. I am updating my library shots and was playing around with this duck shot as I found the whole image a little boring. Obviously that's why it's never been used. His eye caught my eye, so that's how the image came to be. Sometimes less is more with an image. Not to every one's taste but I confess to not having an image ready as I have been busy on another photographic project. Yippee it finished today though.

Thanks for the advice re those pesky emails. I've now got the junk mail filter enabled and a safe list. So that should dump the crappy ones. I don't really want to change the comments box though. I know it's more sensible to enable the censor so I can dump the rubbish before they go on, but I just don't like the idea of not letting people have their say. I will just keep an eye on it and dump the swearing ones. See how it goes.

John K. It's funny how you enjoy the ranting posts better than the nice ones. It seems you are not alone. In fact I get more feedback and requests for those kind than any other post. Sure some of you out there aren't just winding me up so I post a rant! Naughty.

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

RAMSEY SWING BRIDGE

RAMSEY SWING BRIDGE NO 8 OF 100

Aha! Just when you thought it was safe I sneak in the bridge again next to the pretty skywatch shot. Kerry you have found me out. Quite right I do tend to put a black and white one on after the skywatch shot. So here we are No8 in the 100 shots of the same view series. Or in my case that most iconic of Ramsey images for me the swing bridge. Don't be surprised if I sneak the colour one in one week for skywatch when I have had too much to drink or something. No I haven't had one tonight, just in better non alcoholic spirits. Here's why.

Had quite a a laugh with a fellow blogger who emailed me their negative feedback. Seriously funny. The same time everyday he gets an email telling him how he has got well just about everything wrong and how no one reads it anyway. Then they end it with thanks for reading this email, what is the point of your blog, yours sincerely "a well wisher." Honestly it's priceless. Obviously it's his biggest fan just got a funny way of showing it. I mean he checks Craig's posts everyday and comments. Now that's dedication if somewhat misguided.

A few updates. Still no news on the "Tears of Mann," but my go to Manx Man when I can get hold of him will probably know, Adrian Cain. Still no news either on that band "Tynwald. "Again if anyone knows anything about them so I can do an update that would be great. I made a booboo. I called cushag gorse. I thought I had put ragwort but nope. Looks like I have a gorse pic called ragwort somehere on the laptop. So the unofficial flower of The Isle Of Man is still cushag, but it's ragwort, which is poisoness and leaves a nasty bitter taste and is a menace to animals. So there you go ladies and gentleman. The Isle of Man unofficial flower on the Isle of Man Government website is the cushag, ragwort a nasty poisoness plant, a menace to animals that leaves a nasty bitter taste in the mouth. Ahem! I'll stick with the Fuchsia. I'd like to name check the person who updated me, as you know I always give credit where it's due, but sadly they didn't leave their name, just a comment which I had to decipher by going to another blog.

I will be answering all the emails soon, just a little bogged down with a photo project that has to be done by tomorrow night. Many thanks for the generous comments and apologises to those that have gone missing. Blogger is on it as they say. Just email me if they don't return.

This post will magically appear as a scheduled post long after I have hit the sack. Goodnight then sweeties in bloggerland and you erm"well wishers." Yes I have my mojo back.

SKYWATCH FRIDAY - RAMSEY, DAY FOR NIGHT

RAMSEY, DAY FOR NIGHT
BABOOSHKA
This image is copyrighted.


July 4th, we had this marvellous sunset. Never seen a sky like this in the 5 years I've been here.
For those who saw the previous posts you know I took a heaps of the setting sun that night over the nature reserve. Most of them I am using on a project which requires exclusivity, but this is one of the surplus I had left over. The other surplus stockI may post at sometime, unless I have alternative use for them.

For the record, no filters, photoshop or any other digital enhancements used. This was the sun setting between 10.pm 10.30pm July 4th 2008. You can check other sites to see I was not the only one who got this night's sunset images, but I am one of the few who got it at the optimum moments.

Not a lot else to say tonight. Need a blog break, due to small minded people who really have nothing better to do that belittle the blog. I'll let the image do the talking instead.It has a lot more to say with such colourful vibrant language than I do tonight, and that really is a change.

Please stop by Wiggers World tonight, as the sun is setting on the blog. Thank you.

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 AND A FIRST DAY AT SHCOOL TALE.

This isn't graffiti. It's a mural by the kids of the now defunct Albert Road Junior and Infants School. The kids are moving to a new shiny building. I'll have to photograph the old soon. This is right along Parliament Street. Maybe we have some budding artists in Ramsey? What you can see? Three iconic images of Ramsey.

On the left is Albert Tower. The centre image is Queens Pier. The right image is a tram. Show anyone on the island this and they would instantly say Ramsey. I've shown you the pier already. The trams have only just come back to town, and the Tower I will do when I can hike up there. Again the blue hoarding surrounds an empty shop that has been demolished. What will be there next who knows. I kept simple shot as you see, shadow and all.

This leads me on though to a question posted by DAVID MCMAHON, AUTHORBLOG . Can you remember your first day at school.? Oh yes I can.! A detour today into the childlike world of days before I became er, me.

Nervous a kitten clinging to my mother. Remembering the nice blonde kindly lady teacher gently but frimly coaxing me from my mother into the classroom and ushering mother out the door. Coat pegs. We all had a big black coat peg where my coat with my name written inside would be hung. Tiny chairs and tables. Being so proud I could write my name in thick black pencil and nervously holding it aloft for approval. Wondering why so many did not know how to write their own name. Frowning! Recognising Peter and Jane in the books of the same name. Smiling. Oh yes I liked this school thing.

Running round and round the playground. Eating strange bland food. Yuck! Two lots of food. pudding at lunchtime? No I don't like this school food thing. The sand pit. Oh how I loved the sandpit. Not the dolls house, the bikes,the numerous other wonderment of assorted educational toys, no not for me. Making new friends. Bullies! The boy who pushed everyone, who stole the toys. The boys who took my bucket off me. The boy whose legs I threw sand at for taking my bucket. The kindly blonde lady teacher, smelt like sweets. I told her he was naughty, she put him in the corner. I smiled. He was bad. He was punished! The good were rewarded. Oh yes I liked this school thing.

The bell. Big loud pulsating bell. Scrapping chairs. Scrambling for coats. Thanking the sweet smelling teacher with the generous smile. Spotting mom, running, talking, talking, talking. Tired. I can come back. Tomorrow! Oh yes I liked this school thing.

Written staccato like. After all It was long ago. Lengthy memories fade, but snapshots remain. It was heavenly, exciting, scary and fun. It was ordered, uncomplicated. Life is seldom like that now. The good and bad are neither punished or rewarded in equal measure. Life is not black and white now, but a muddy grey. People aren't so kindly, or sweet smelling. Strangers do not become instant friends. I still like a sandpit, it's why I've gone from city to beach. I still metaphorically throw sand at the bullies in life who pinch my proverbial bucket, but instead of a teacher now it's me who fights my battles. Welcome to the unordered, complicated, scary, fun, unfair world of adulthood. No wonder I'm nuts.

ABC WEDNESDAY - F IS FOR FUCHSIA, THE TEARDROPS OF MANN

For Bibi, Teardrops of Mann

I have mentioned before the cushag, (gorse) being the unofficial flower of the Isle of Man. The Fuchsia though also has island links and is commonly referred to as the "Teardrops Of Mann." Not a spelling mistake you will often see it spelt like this, especially in these kind of sayings. Why they are referred to as the teardrops of Mann I don't know, I have drawn a blank. Anyone know? I can tell you they are all over the island in various forms though. There are some Fuchsia Tree lined roads and when the petals fall you do get a beautiful carpet of red or pink fallen blooms which are extremely pretty.

Just a few snippets about the pretty flower, and remember it's just for fun.

Fuchsia is a genus of flowering plants, mostly shrubs and can grow long shoots, which were identified by Charles Plumier in the late-17th century, and named by Plumier in 1703 after the German botanist Leonhart Fuchs (1501–1566).^[1] The English vernacular name Fuchsia is the same as the scientific name.

While the original pronunciation from the word's German origin is "fook-sya" /ˈfʊksja/, most English speakers tend to say "fyew'sha" /ˈfjuːʃə/. As a result, the word is often subjected to misspellings such as "fushcia" or "fuschia". In English, the other accepted pronunciation is "fyewk'see-ah", which is somewhat truer to the word's origin.

Among horticultural writers the fuchsia is jocularly referred to as "the world's most carefully spelled flower," a label which was apparently first given to it by Jimmy Barnes.

Leonhart Fuchs was born in 1501. He occupied the chair of Medicine at the Tübingen University from the age of 34 until his death, on the 10th May 1566. Besides his medical knowledge, according to his record of activities which was extensive for the time, he studied plants. This was natural, for most of the remedies of the time were herbal and the two subjects were often inseparable. In the course of his career Fuchs wrote De Historia Stirpium, which was published in 1542. In honour of Fuchs' work the fuchsia received its name shortly before 1703 by Charles Plumier

The image is a stock photo of mine, a library shot, basically camera practise just before I went out to shoot the TT Motorbike Races. Before sport events I always try the camera out, for speed, white balance, and lighting conditions. This is a completely natural shot. As you can see I decided not to crop or clone the branch out of the top left corner or tidy the image up so to speak or tone down the colours. A natural shot should be that, warts and all.

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

GLADSTONE PARK, RAMSEY, ISLE OF MAN

A couple of week ago I posted the back view of Gladstone Park at a distance. This is the close up view of one of the main buildings. The bird flying is an optional accessory, but it has been pointed out they frequently play a cameo role in my images even when they are not the main subject, I thought I would continue the trend. I digress. Back to Gladstone Park.

Despite the vandalised window and the spot of damp it's a buildings that's still in use. In fact the Industrial Park houses business as diverse as the Post Office Depot, to Chrystals Auction Rooms.
It's a real Art Deco kind of building and I for one want to see it remain here. I posted a similar article before about what is too happen to this place and rumours are still rife. Everything from demolishing the park and building a new Tescos to a new Housing Estate. I did have some feedback from a few people who are not in the know but "know a man who is" but the rumour mill is still grinding. The most frustrating thing is now is I am coming straight back to my own blog when I try and search any info on Gladstone Park. Does that happen to you when you research your own town?

So does anyone at all know anything about the future of Gladstone Park? One for Island Residents.

One for Google Earth Feejit. Hello I do not live in, Douglas, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. I live in Ramsey, Isle of Man. We deserve you to place us accordingly please. It's very confusing for readers who are new. It's hard enough explaining where the Isle Of Man is but, to uproot us to Scotland is just not on.

ODD SHOTS MONDAY - WELCOME TO THE DEADWOOD FAMILY REUNION!

Is this the ultimate perhaps in recycling? I mean talk about cutting out the middle man. Literally going to the root cause or source of green issues depending upon your viewpoint. Perhaps it's the font of all knowledge when it comes too... No no more puns.

Odd though it certainly is. Again it's my beloved Poyll Dooey Nature Reserve, Ramsey where the odd shot sofa was. For those who didn't see it there really was an abandoned chair from a three piece suite in the woods. What to make of this though? It's quite high up about 8ft and there is no way to climb up the trunk it's too wide. No helpful branches either to step on. It certainly wasn't blown there by the wind. It's been placed on the branch. Can't say I ever see anyone reading the Racing Post in Ramsey either. So a real mystery then.

So is this a kiddie prank or a drunken jape? If it is can you just leave a comment on the blog telling me when and how you did this. Obviously I know when I took this and only the people responsible will be able to pinpoint the date and actual position. So don't bother with the wrong answers. Or just email me if you want.

I don't know. What with martian footprints , giant hand signs, purple houses, 3 legged flag symbols and Manx fairies and wild wallabies this place is becoming more Alice in Wonderland everyday. It wouldn't surprise me if I came across a white rabbit with a pocket watch shouting how late he was for his Tea Party in the Poyll Dooey next.

Want to join Odd Shots Monday?

Then see KATNEY