When nature met industry

When nature met industry is the title of my entry this week for Shadow Shot Sunday along at hey harriet.blogspot.com.

A shot by chance taken this week whilst on a few days away in Wales. Superb walking weather - clear blue skies - a light breeze - leading to incredible sunsets.

The pic is of the Oil Refinery Plant on the Cleddau Estuary etched against the orange glow of the sunset , which in turn created the deepest of shadows across the estuary.

Shadow of Light

Time for peaceful reflection of friends and family past and present - an oil lamp casts its shadow - given to us by an elderly lady who lives close by - it belonged to her mother going back to the 1920's or beyond - and the barometer was a prized possession of my grandad and his father before him - the twig lights are mine - modern and switched on every night

Pink Panther

Couldn't resist this -

Wild Horses and Other Animals and Birds

Shadows create wonderful images - the shadow image is silhouetted against the green house - wild horses and a merry go round at the fair - spring to mind - in actual fact it is the shadow of the hanging basket brackets and bird feeders - I was so lucky to catch the shot because as the sun came round the image was distorted.


B is very resourceful with his ironwork - we also have swans sitting on the fence - and a cat holding up the washing line - these all adapt to hanging basket brackets as required




Next project - the forge is to be revamped in readiness for the local Steam Rally - to be held later this year.

Abernethy Bird Feeder

A guaranteed stress buster

http://www.rspb.org.uk/webcams/viewer/index.asp#

Web cam is from a Rspb site in Scotland

Shadows and a string of coincidences

My shadow shot for heyharriet.blogspot.com is taken in my kitchen it is wall art bought from a small shop in Solva Wales.

Birds in flight especially geese and swans do it for me - I love to hear their callings long before they come into view and then their faint cries like lost souls as they fade into the distance.

In my mind these sights are associated with lucky events. on several occasions I have seen swans or geese in flight and afterwards within a short timescale have experienced something unexpected , but good.

My first job interview many years ago on the local newspaper - a memory now but before that successful day I saw two swans in flight over Shrewsbury - an amazing sight - and another time on my way to Oxford - to attend an interview to secure my job - on an early morning drive to beat the M6 traffic - going over the presentation I had to deliver as I drove - and lo and behold - there they were - the swans again .
It is probably all coincidences because of my early morning drives and the pattern of movement of the birds, but hey ho it did it for me - by the way I secured the job.

These are but two of my experiences with the flights of birds - my dream is to see the migration of cranes from either Eastern Europe or France - this must truly be the ultimate x

Chasing Sunday Shadows

On Sunday off we set with our young grandson to help - to chase shadows for Hey Harriet blog - the following pics were taken along the way - an exciting day was had by all - first port of call was Churchstoke Sunday Market - shadows were in short supply but B and A who is only 8 browsed around the tools etc and I went in search of books - we then had a hearty all day breakfast in the little cafe and then off we went up towards the Shropshire hills.

Above you can catch a glimpse of the lower slopes of the Longmynd from the Stiperstones Hill - where a brisk dog walk was taken by myself and A - who is a Top Gear fanatic - making sure that I was up to date with all the comings and goings of Jeremy Clarkson and David Hammond!! - A has aspecial catch phrase - starting off every ststement with a loud - Guess What - I love him to bits!



We then made our way down the rolling slopes of hillside - full of sheep grazing heartily - down to the Bridges and Ratlinghope - we stopped and viewed the scenery - the brook running noisely alongside the roadway showed both shadows and ripples.



Snowdrops in the wood at Ratlinghope - with a promise of daffs to come - Mary Webb called Ratlinghope - Slepe - her own description of Ratlinghope in The Golden Arrow 'in a purple gap brimming with golden moonlight and covered with a lid of sky - jewelled like the cover of a wassail cup - lay the small huddled village of Slepe

My father was born on the hillside at Black Top - Ratlinghope and spent his childhood in this area - he has manya tale to tell - this area holds a fascination for me.



Then from the top of the Longmynd Hill we gazed at sun shadows chasing each other along Longmynd and touching on Caer Caradoc - Wenlock Edge in the far distance




Above - you can see Church Stretton nestling in the valley - we made our way down to the town where icecreams were enjoyed by all !




On the way back after delivering our grandson back to his parents safe and sound we called by the Quarry in Shrewsbury in the hope of a few late shadows - as you can see we were now into lamplight shadows - pic is taken of the Boat House inn on the River Severn - no we didn't cross the bridge




A peek through the closed gates of the Dingle - no shadows but look at those crocus they were sooo beautiful




Finally look how the last rays of sunshine light up St Chads Church - by then it was home for tea!