Saturday 31 December 2011

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

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


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


Winter Wonderland...
If only!  I'm disgusted to report there has been
a distinct lack of the white stuff this year.
This is the Swan Fountain in Stratford last December.

Friends...
Cath and Helen made
the year a lot more insane :O)


Birthday...
This is a pic of Pepper's birthday treat
and fake birthday cakes.

Rudbeckias in the rain


I was Inspired...
Many, many things inspire me, a mood, the way the light
falls, a colour. The top shot was inspired by
an idea in a photography magazine, and the bottom one by a prompt from
Kat 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!

Trentham Gardens


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


Lavender Landscapre


Sunlight on Lavender
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!).

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

Hay Bales
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.

Cross with leaves
... 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).

Pepper the prize-winner!
Celebrate...
This is Pepper and this photo of her
won a first prize in a local photo competition.
Catnip all around!

Snow Leopards
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))

Ben and the pumpkins
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?!?).

Colour version of raindrops on a chive
Macro...
Raindrops on a chive
(not defying gravity - I turned it 90 degrees to puzzle people) :O)

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

Christmas cups and candy canes
... 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!).

Merry Christmas
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))

Paw and bauble
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.

Mrs Pod - black and white version
... and looking a bit dramatic.

Outside the RST
Deserted cafe on a cold Autumn morning.

Statue and cobweb
Graveyard angel with cobweb...

Church at Batsford
...the Church at Batsford.

Dawn Dandelion Seed
... and a weed at dawn!

Red
Just Because... So There!
He's Posky, he's my boy, and this makes me smile :O)

Sky
Hopes & Dreams...

Article in Hinckley Times
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

19 comments:

Fuzzy Tales said...

That was a lovely retrospective on 2011. I don't comment often, but it's always a joy to see the photographs you share here.

Wishing you a marvellous new year, one filled with love, Light, laughter and good health!

jabblog said...

What a lovely, heartwarming post, Barbara. I'm delighted your photos have won prizes - they are individual and very pleasing, no matter what the mood.
Happy and Healthy 2012 to you and yours:-)

Laloofah said...

A delightful post, such fun to enjoy first thing in the morning on the last day of the year. Your selection of photos is wonderful - it was great to see some old favorites and to enjoy some new ones, and to look back over the year that saw our friendship form over photos. :-) Happy New Year to you, David & the feline furkids, Barbara! I look forward to another 365 days of fun friendship and fantastic photos!

Kmcblackburn said...

Standing ovation going on here...except I'm actually sitting and drinking my morning cup of coffee and MENTALLY standing and ovating :). I do enjoy coming to your sight for both the magnificent photography, your sense of humor (which is spot on perfect for me!), and to see what your friends are up to! haha. Honest to goodness, please let them know they have at least one girl on the other side of the Atlantic just lovin' them to pieces :).

Each one of your photos I thought was my favorite, until I got to the next one. Looks like a successful year behind the camera Barbara. Kudos! Can't wait to see what 2012 has in store for you :)

Kathy

Barbara said...

Such a nice retrospective of 2011. Perfect collection of photos. I wish you and David and all four cats, along with Helen and Cath who make me giggle, a fantastic 2012. I hope you all have good health, good times, and tons of fun.

Anonymous said...

A wonderful look back at your photographs and memories! I'm reading this at half past one in the morning of New Year's Day! What a very pleasant way to pass the new year!

Looking forward to lots more lovely photos and funny text in 2012. I hope it'll be a good one for you, David, Posky, Mrs P, Pepper and...er... ****, what's the other one called....??? :o)

Penny

Barbara said...

Ooh Penny, shame on you! But thank you, and I'm so glad we got to know each other this year. Especially when you can cook so well :O)))

Barbara & Kathy: Helen and Cath (aka The Stupid Twins according to David!) are thrilled that people enjoy their antics. Cath wants her own fan site as she says she'll do anything for fame. It's quite disturbing :O) HNY to you both.

Fuzzy Tales and Jabblog: Thank you, and a great 2012 to both of you.

Laloofah: Your comments always brighten my day and my ever so 'umble blog. Always nice to make the acquaintance of a fellow nutter!

Hanizeyecandy said...

love the photos you choose. So beautiful! Have a great new year!

Tamar SB said...

These are all stunning! I just love that tree in the mist, amazing! Have a marvelous new year!

Anonymous said...

Your pictures make me smile and think at the same time. Some of them are so funny and some are just breath-taking. I'm in love in your Autumn Harvest - it brings so many memories from my childhood! Thank you for an amazing trip through 2011!
Happy New Year!

Ashley Sisk said...

This entire set is completely gorgeous - I hope 2012 is even more beautiful for you. Happy New Year!

Gina Kleinworth said...

So many BEAUTIFUL images- I just keep coming back to that church.

Patrice said...

Gorgeous pictures - love Hamlet and the angel with the cobweb...Blessings to you in the new year!

BragonDorn said...

Such Beautiful pictures! Loved it!

Unknown said...

Love your set! The lavender shots are breathtaking! I LOL'd out loud about the hay bales, I too almost caused many an accident screaming the same "STOP THE CAR!" for hay bales. ^_^ Happy New Year!

Jessie said...

Between the stunning photos and your absolutely hilarious friends you had me smiling throughout this whole set! I think that the trees through the mist is spectacular! But I love the selfie of you and your cat. Cute shoes :) Happy New Year!

Anika said...

What a fabulous post!! I love it! Not only does it look like a very happy year but all these cute kitties, geesh! how cute!

The Autumn harvest image is one of the prettiest photos I have seen...so perfectly done.

Happy new year to you and yours {especially all these cuties in your post!}

Skye said...

I really love the inspired shot. That is seriously gorgeous. Frame that - it is beautiful. I also love the trees in the mist- and the raindrops on the Acer (?) ... all are gorgeous! Happy new year!

Barbara said...

Thank you everyone :O)
Skye - it's an Acer Palmatum (Japanese Maple).

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