Scavenger Hunt Sunday...

Well I was going to do Kathy's Song-ography again this week but then realised I didn't have a clue what to do for 'Up on the Roof'. So the Scavenger Hunt it is then!

Camouflaged...

Yesterday we went to the Festival of History at Kelmarsh Hall.

It's an amazing display of 2000 years of English history.

Here we have one of our Celtic brethren from north of the border

camouflaged nicely in a wood.

He obviously didn't attack me because I'm 50% scots.

Nutty...

It's been far too hot here this week, it's driven

us all slightly nutty.

Here Charlie demonstrates this whilst

lying in the shade of one of my Japanese Maples.

Alike...

My absolute favourite shots from yesterday

involved Victorian riding habits and horses.

Identical...

Us about to be invaded (again).

this time it's those pesky Romans.

'Romani ite Domum' is what I say.

(Fans of Monty Python should

understand that) :-)

The next item is 'Jaunt'.  As I'm on holiday from work at the moment I've had quite a few over the last week.

I had a jaunt to Bradgate Park

on a beautifully misty morning...

I had a jaunt to the Cotswolds

with fellow photographer Corrie...

A jaunt to photograph a friend's new puppy...

... and of course

yesterday's jaunt to Kelmarsh Hall.

Scavenger Hunt Sunday...

Quick plug for my website - if you like pets and photography go see Focus on Pets Photography!


And now without more ado...

Fun...

Fun is going on an evening photo walk

with a fellow tog.

Dance...

Flowers dancing in the breeze.

For more pics from Calke Abbey where this was taken,

see my last post.

Messy...

Beautifully overgrown bench.

Blessing...

It's a blessing to live so near to so many

photogenic locations!

Effort...

Big effort from these two going over the jumps.

My local riding stables let me go and stand in on their

jumping sessions and take pics. Many thanks to them!

Scavenger Hunt Sunday...

It's Sunday, I'm up very early, I've fed our three cats (and Ralph who popped by for some breakfast prior to going to his own home and presumably eating some more there), so I thought I may as well trawl through this week's shots to see if I can come up with any to fit in with the scavenger hunt.  Probably not the best way to do it, but hey, what the hell!

Summer...

Summer means flowers.
(And talking of summer, how can it be midsummer's day
next week and also the official start of summer?
That has never made any sense to me!).

Dance...

Yesterday the local riding stables kindly

let me go and take some pics of their dressage class.

It's the nearest I've come to seeing a horse dance.

Laughter...

Trying to get a cat and a human

to pose nicely at the same time.

Much laughter - and gnashing of teeth...

Helper...

Bees help us so much.

If you've never realised how their decline

could affect us all, and why we should

be doing our best to help them, then

take a look at the next image...

 (courtesy of https://www.facebook.com/GrowingOrganicEatingOrganic)

and finally...

 Water...
Taken yesterday at Thornton Reservoir,
which we're lucky to live only about a fifteen
minute drive from.

Scavenger Hunt Sunday...

This week I met up with my friend Corrie to do a photo shoot with her three dogs Bud, Dudley (who you may remember from a previous photo session involving mud), and Faith.  A good time was had by all (except we lost the toy I had bought for the occasion - Bud I'm looking at you!).

Walking...

You'd think that if you were a 15 year old

dog who'd hurt her paw on a walk, you'd be glad

of a lift from human Mum. Not so - Faith was

most put-out at not being allowed to do what

she wanted and protested until Corrie let her

have her own way and potter along the path.

Yummy to my Tummy...

That is a terrible title,

it actually made me cringe when I read it!

Archive shots of something David was eating one day

when we were out...

Yes I take pictures of just about everything!

Favourite Toy...

This is Bud.

This is the toy that is lost.

Hmmmm...

What I Did This Week...

Yesterday I went to Stratford upon Avon for a 

discussion on Shakespeare and Marlowe.

Stratford looked very spring-like - here's the

Royal Shakespeare Theatre framed by

some beautiful magnolia blossoms.

Anything...
Early morning seagulls.

Friendly, inquisitive cow.
She must have known I was a vegetarian
who doesn't drink milk!

Me being a stalker.
Taken by the husband.

Who is obviously not as good
at stealth photography as I am.
My skills are honed...

We were in the ruins of Grace Dieu Priory,
it's not that far from where we live, dates back
to about the 13thC and is a
great location for photography.

Still loving the wide angle.
This was shot at 10mm.

Scavenger Hunt Sunday...

Helloo, helloo, helloo! Here I am back from Brighton (a great place to visit if you're ever down on the south coast) after a fab two day pet photography course.  Thought I might as well utilise some of my shots from there for the Scavenger Hunt.

Happiness...

is pug shaped!

This is Rhian and her adorable 

dog Boo.  If you want to see some 

amazing dog photography visit Rhian's

website at

Brighton Dog Photography. 

'Me and you and a dog named Boo...'

(I had to put that at some point - sorry).

Spring in B&W...

Down beside the canal

in beautiful spring weather yesterday.

The original...

Family or Faith...

I posted this a few weeks ago but I 

like it so much here it is again.

David and Charlie - my guys.

Fuzzy...

Charlie would possibly rip my head off

if he knew I'd described him as fuzzy. 

I was lying on the brick paving to take this.

It hurt.

Gathering or Provide.

A gathering of gulls at Brighton.

I was standing there for what seemed ages

trying to get this shot - I knew I wanted

spray in the background.

Scavenger Hunt Sunday...

Water...

Went for a photo walk this morning

in Bradgate Park.

Cold and very sunny, beautiful

to look at but the lighting conditions 

were 'challenging'.

Empty...

Bird cage (strictly for decoration),

it's meant to hold a tea light :O)

Fresh...

Fresh flowers
(Also linking this one to
52 Photos Project.
The theme this week is Tangerine).

Weathered...

Very weathered Old John (a Folly) and rocks

in Bradgate Park.

Ordinary...

Just an ordinary day

with my two extraordinary

guys...

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

Not been too inspired by the Scavenger Hunt of late - but as I'm bored and can't get out with my camera because of the snow I thought I might as well have a go!

Asian...

One from the archives.

Wavy...

Wavy (and snowy) landscape at 

Bradgate Park on Friday.

Draw...

Well I used the Sketch filter in Elements.

Another from Bradgate Park.

Soft...

Softened and given a bit of a glow

in Lightroom 4.

Soft #2

Some soft twiggy things

and a very soft focus church

in the background.

Texture...

Wood, stone, metal,

glass. I think that's pretty 

much got texture covered :O)

Texture #2

Another bit of stony texture,

this is Cropston Reservoir.