Just Hanging About...

Sunday 10th July 2011

Straight out of the Camera Sunday

 I loved this series of photographs of the squirrel

Showing his wonderful gymnastics skills

Nonchalantly hanging by two paws while holding a peanut with his front paws

Showing off a little?

Looking cool as the peanut feeder and squirrel sway in the breeze...

Amazing acrobatic abilities

As you can tell I really like grey squirrels

Just look at the beautiful feathery tail fluttering in the breeze...  

"Wot, moi?"

"You really think I am acrobatic and cute?"

"Cool"

All Souls' Chapel...

Friday 8th July 2011

When I was in Kent in May for my brother Paul's Memorial Service...

I walked around the churchyard trying to ease my mind...

The gate into the churchyard...  

Beautiful old door handle...  and weathered wood...

Paul is very much in my thoughts at the moment as the 12th of July fast approaches and I am sad that he will never have his 44th birthday and I think about how later this month...

We shall walk through the doors of All Souls' Chapel...

For a happy event...

When we visit for a combined family service...

When my nieces are baptised and my sister and her partner will be married in a combined service...

But my thoughts will also be with my brother Paul...

Stormy Sky Sweeping in From the Sea...

Wednesday 6th July 2011

Watery Wednesday

On a walk along the shore at Crawfordsburn the sky began to darken...  surprisingly quickly it began to hide the lovely blue sky we had been enjoying...

I loved the beauty of the dark approaching rain clouds...

I loved the contrast of the white daisies against the grey sky...

As the rainclouds neared... We picked up our pace...

Walking back towards the car park...  before it began raining...

Jeepers Creepers...

Monday 4th July 2011

Macro Monday

I particularly love the Virginia Creeper in Spring and Summer with its beautiful green leaves and blush coloured shoots...

It is an elegant plant as it drapes over the fence and across the doorway.

"Please may I come in?" 

"No" we all say in unison looking at the state of her wet muddy paws and fur after her latest excursion into the pond.

This was my favourite photo.  I loved the way the sunlight lit up the leaves and made them glow.

"Jeepers creepers, won't you let me come in?"  she says, still hopeful, "anyway, I am much cuter than those silly virginia creeper leaves that you are photographing".   "Pleeeeeease....."

St Annes Square...

Sunday 3 July 2011

Straight out of the Camera Sunday

When we woke up, it was a beautiful sunny morning, so we decided to take the camera and go for a walk in Belfast City centre.  I love walking around early in the morning on a Sunday when everywhere is so quiet and still.  As this is for SOOC I have straightened any of the photos...

Our aim was to wander around the old cobbled streets near Hill Street...  We turned a corner walked past the back of St Anne's Cathedral  and there was a route into the new Saint Annes Square.  The strange metal needle (very tall and shiny) is the replacement spire on St Annes Cathedral.  They have matched the new buildings in the Square very nicely to St Annes Cathedral (a part of which can be seen behind the trees).

As we walked around this square it reminded Neil of the plazas in Barcelona but I found it more reminiscent of walks around Bath or Tunbridge Wells in England.

Part of it is not yet completed.  The Mac will be a new arts centre/threatre.

It was a very peaceful place and many of the new very modern apartments were already lived in.  A nice addition to Belfast in the Cathedral Quarter which really needed some much needed improvement.

Red Poppy...

Tuesday 28th June 2011

I had intended to have this as my Macro Monday post for yesterday.  But I was late and didn't get it posted in time.  So I thought I would put it on today.  I love these gorgeous poppies.

To be honest, I don't know the variety.

They have grown in Steffi's garden in Kent since she and Paul bought the house about 16 years ago.

I loved the richness of the plum and aubergine colours in the centre with the little bit of sage green...

Such a striking plant and every bit as beautiful when the petals fall and the poppy seed heads mature.

Sunset Over Strangford...

Wednesday 22nd June 2011

Watery Wednesday

I took this series of photographs of the Sunset over Strangford Lough after we had spent a day wandering around Portaferry and visiting the Aquarium...  As we travelled home the sun gradually set...

The car ferry at the dock in Portaferry, taking on cars, for the short trip across Strangford Lough to Strangford...  As we left Portaferry the sun was beginning to set...

The sun was getting lower in the sky...

Reflecting beautifully across Strangford Lough...

We stop a bit further along the Coast for me to photograph the sunset over a small bay...  The sun was almost on the Horizon at this point...

By the time we stopped near Mountstewart the sun had just disappeared...

And the sky was still full of colour...

And night was almost upon us...