Miss Meconopsis

I just have to post this pic - to introduce my visitor for the first time ever in my garden - bought at the Malvern Show 2 years back and grown on in a ceramic pot with tender care - it has produced 6 buds - the first three were knocked off by an undisclosed source - ( the air was as blue as the poppy!!) - a slug maybe - a dog - or OH on a trip to the greenhouse - any way let me introduce Miss Meconopsis Grandis alias the blue poppy all the way from the Himalayas - well it has been blowing up as cold as the Himalayas in our garden for a while now so perhaps that has had some bearing on the result. The header pic was taken with a Canon and the blog pic with a sony - just for reference so that I can compare results you see

Back to Blogland

Dear Diary - the last few months have slipped away and time and events seem to have interfered dramatically with any blogging attempts - methinks I will wander back into blogland today. A few weeks back we spent some time in Portmadoc - - just after the big snow the countryside was good for pictures and of course -trains featured strongly in the scheme of things.- The picture below is a favourite - we chugged up the line towards Blaenau Ffestiniog and through the woods and the shot below was as we entered the town We wandered round Portmadoc at various times during the week - gazing in the shops - the odd icecream etc - even though it was perishing - mind you come to think of it - it was a lot warmer then than it is now !! - and all routes led to the station - see pics - I think these guys were planning the route And away we went! We stayed close to Portmerion village - a fascinating place - it was where the fantasy series The Prisoner was filmed - apparently they have a re-enactment of the series each year which is a sell out. I have tried to capture the colour design an fascination of the place - Portmerion pottery and glassware is famous worldwide and dead expensive to buy - we rented a house for the week and everything right down to the eggcups was Portmerion - wow!! My header pic was taken from the train as we pulled out of Carnarfon - it was an eventful week - and a good week -a special highlight was a purchase of a second hand 400D Canon EOS camera - of course it is a complete new ball game from our Sony Cybershots - that we both use - so far I haven't strayed to far off auto - and I am permanently glued to the instruction booklet. I want to buy a lens that will make it possible to zoom right in for some awesome closeups - anyone any ideas? The deal was done on the steam train from Portmadoc to Caernarfon on the West Highland Railway (third pic down)

Avenue of Trees

I need some help - it is camera club soon and the subject is 'An Avenue of Trees' I have several pics old and new that fit the category - or do they? When is an avenue not an avenue - the definition in the dictionary tells me - and I quote - 'A wide street or thoroughfare - any path resembling such a thoroughfare - usually lined with trees - see what you think. My header pic is the Laburnam Arch at Bodnant Gardens in Wales - could this be an avenue ? it is a thoroughfare and it is lined with trees but then it is an arch - but is it an avenue that has been called an arch !! Could this one be an avenue - well it is a thoroughfare I think - canal boats often travel up and down this canal Is this an avenue or a woodland walk - which category - what a minefield - all will be clear next Wednesday This one could be my entry - I walk here probably 3-4 days a week - weather depending - I have taken this shot from every angle - and with or without a subject I now need to cajole the printer to produce me a respectable copy!!

York

A few days in York- to see the sights and drink in the atmosphere- the sun was kind to us - so pics were aplenty.We travelled up by train and stayed close to Micklegate - and we walked the city walls.- amazing ! It was cold but that did not seem to matter - ! These steps could tell a colourful tale of days gone by -of that I am sure!!stepping back into the past We walked as much of the walls as time allowed this is the view from the other direction with Micklegate in the background - we did this stretch on our second day - the sun was shining - Looking out over the roof tops and chimney pots of York - York Mister caught in the sunlight - towering over the city playing with my camera so many opportunities of course York is also a shoppers paradise - designer boutiques and chocolate cabins at every turn tucked away behind the medieval shop fronts- market stalls - buskers - York as it alland is alive with many talents. The river is a focal point - bridges linking up with the city wall walk - I was always drawn to this watch tower - believe it or not this tower has been converted to a coffee shop. A visit to the Railway Museum was on the agenda - we spent half a day there - here are some of the highlights for me ... The Mallard every bit as beautiful as they say - the first time I had seen this beautiful blue train - a must to be seen to be believed !!Another gleaming monster the Dwight of Eisenhower - admired by many - young and old and then we gazed on Gladstone - look at these gleaming copper and brass pipes - more than a days work here ! There was a grand parade of Royal Trains through the ages - showing off their splendour I must include this little dazzler - I am not sure which train this was - but I think it deserves a slot for immaculate presentation Of course to see the Flying Scotsman was incredible - although in the workshop for repair work - it still held all that magic for me We found this little bar down on the River Front and spent our evenings listening to the music and becoming one with the city. Linking today to Outdoor Wednesday have a good week fellow bloggers - Jane uk

The Bells of Aberdovey

Os wyt ti'n fy ngharu i Fel rwyf fi'n dy garu di, Mal un, dau,tri,pedwar,pump chwech, Meddai clychau Aberdyfi, (If thou truly dost love me As I truly do love thee, One, two,three,four,five,six, Say the bells of Aberdyfi) Last week we took a break up to the Welsh Coast, it is close for us you see and within 1 and a half hours we can be there. I had booked a cottage called Driftwood with Wales Cottages I emptied the fridge into the cool box - threw a few tins in ,dogs beds and blankets piled up in the back of the car - tea ,coffee any fresh fruit and veg in the larder - plenty of warm clothes and of course the walking boots. Driftwood Cottage was just around the corner from the Penhelig Hotel - and the Penhelig has a dog friendly bar as do the Britannia and the Dovey Arms- nice to chat of an evening to local people and fellow visitors - exchange notes and views and hear about local news - plan walks and places to visit. On a sad note - so many polive vans and special units were parked up - we asked why and were told that they were part of the search for little April Jones who was taken a few months back. On the Sunday we went to St Peters Church - it was a lovely service for Mothers Day later that morning we had booked for Sunday lunch at the Penhelig - mine being a veggie dish and I had my first taste of seaweed - delicious!- afterwards we walked along the sand dunes - so cold and wild but miles of sands - the dogs loved it. Aberdovey is very picturesque so much time during the week was spent pootling around (if there is such a word) We did however do two four mile walks - Dolgoch Falls and the hills above Aberdovey - oh it was so cold - see by the icycles in the pics !! - we intend to return later in the season to get pics of the steam train crossing the viaduct - when the Tallylyn railway opens for the summer session. - well maybe -we shall see. The one evening we popped over to Aberystwyth to see the starling roost - the birds swoop in time and time again and under the pier - I have tried to show the magnitude of the occasion but my camera could not cope ( time for a change perhaps !! I have seen this nice little Canon EOS 600D - well who knows - maybe one day. Apparently as many as 650.000 starlings come into roost at certain times of the year - there were enthusiasts with cameras set up and on automatic while they hid away out of the cold - my fingers were so numb I had difficulty pressing the buttons. Later we went onto the pier and had a Latte coffee to warm up as we walked in we could hear the birds below. So that was my world last week a breath of fresh air. Linking today to Our World Tuesday - Why not join me ? .