Memories, Dreams & Reflections...

It doesn't seem twelve months since I was putting together last year's M,D & R!  The time has flown.

Me...

I'm the one who doesn't have the cute nose and long ears.

I love you...
Hamlet the play - my favourite.  And a mention
for the husband is needed as well :O)
(Kudos to David for being game when I suggest he dress
as the Prince of Denmark and stand in the garden at night for
a photo shoot).

Still Laughing... #1I couldn't breathe for laughing when I was taking this.Cath could not get the timing right on the jump, henceshe was going down when Helen was going up!

Still Laughing... #2Not a lot I can say about this really :O))(Cath, I'm sorry, but if you're going to bend overlike that in the vicinity of someone who iscarrying a camera then you'reasking for trouble!!)

Winter Wonderland...If only!  I'm disgusted to report there has beena distinct lack of the white stuff this year.This is the Swan Fountain in Stratford last December.
Friends...Cath and Helen madethe year a lot more insane :O)

Birthday...

This is a pic of Pepper's birthday treat

and fake birthday cakes.

I was Inspired...Many, many things inspire me, a mood, the way the lightfalls, a colour. The top shot was inspired byan idea in a photography magazine, and the bottom one by a prompt fromKat Eye Studio to create a square image.

Spring Fever...Well actually it's a ladybird on a pansy - I couldn't think of anything else!


Travel...It was only an hour or so to drive there from home,but Trentham Gardens was a revelation, like steppinginto Italy.

Summer Days...

Taken at Snowshill Lavender Farm in the Cotswolds.

Beautiful place, beautiful day.

A Day in My Life...
It usually starts with me in the kitchen, dealing
with a cat or four, maybe taking a photo, writing a list to remember what
I have to do/get for dinner that night, and eating breakfast on the run.
That's before I go to work.
(I have no knowledge of that bottle of wine in the background!).

All smiles...
Cath happy to have an extremely large cappuccino.

Autumn Harvest...

Getting a photo of Hay Bales

became a bit of an obsession this year.

I was much taken to giving David nervous breakdowns by 

suddenly yelling 'Stop the car!'

when passing likely looking locations.


... and another Autumnal shot.
I love those colours and textures.

Family or Home...
David and Posky (Posky here standing in for all four cats
who are too temperamental to sit for a group portrait).

Celebrate...

This is Pepper and this photo of her

won a first prize in a local photo competition.

Catnip all around!

Let's do it Again...

Go see the Snow Leopards.

Absolutely gorgeous animals. Love the

way it's trying to play with its food here :O))

I Miss You...

Little Ben the bunny who died at Halloween,

(which David says does show a certain style).

Beautiful...
Raindrops on my Acer...

... and trees in the mist.

Dress Up...
Who could forget Charlie and Posky in their 'Bad Boy' vests?
Or Posky and Pepper going trick or treating in their Halloween capes?
(Do you realise how much this type of photo costs me
in cat treats?!?).

Macro...

Raindrops on a chive

(not defying gravity - I turned it 90 degrees to puzzle people) :O)

Holidays...

Nothing says Christmas like a pumpkin with a hat on :O)

... or the famous Christmas mugs complete with candy canes.

(After I bought those canes I discovered that they weren't suitable

for veggies so had to give them to Helen.

How that woman has a tooth left in her head is a bit of a mystery!).

How about dressing up your camera for Christmas?

This is my old 400D, which came in handy when the 7D

had to be rushed to camera ER and have an emergency op.

I like to think that someone who looks like George Cloony

tenderly ministered to it :O))

My Favourite...

I find it very hard to judge my own photos after

having looked at them for so long.  Quite often it won't be
the best shot technically that I like, but the one that suggests a mood
or atmosphere. I've already

shared quite a few 'faves' above so here are a few more.

This is Mrs P and her bauble.

... and looking a bit dramatic.

Deserted cafe on a cold Autumn morning.

Graveyard angel with cobweb...

...the Church at Batsford.

... and a weed at dawn!

Just Because... So There!

He's Posky, he's my boy, and this makes me smile :O)

Hopes & Dreams...

Photographically it's been a good year - a charity used my image for 

their Christmas card, and some of my cat photos won prizes.
My pic of the dandelion was an Editor's choice,
I took part in the Photobox24 Live! challenge
(which was brilliant and I heartily recommend it), and our local paper

asked to use some of my photos in an article.

So I'd just like to build on that really, do the best I can

and have fun with it.

A happy, healthy, peaceful and prosperous 2012 to all - and thanks for all the lovely comments. xx