Happy Birthday Andrew

Of optimism, pessimism and opportunity

So, where are we?

The picture was taken because the late morning sun was playing so nicely with our still-new magnolia tree.  These are the flower and leaf buds that will remain within their shells through Winter, only appearing once the days re-lengthen and warm in Spring.  The furry shell covering the flower bud changes colour as Spring arrives.  Then the swelling flower bursts the shell and the flower bud grows and opens.

Many facets of the garden are like that; as the dark and cold of Winter quickly approach, optimism abounds in the setting of buds, planting of bulbs, clearing of debris - all in preparation for the renewal of Spring.  The familiar cold and dread of Winter is ignored, for a while at least, to focus on the new growth and beauty assumed to follow.  The nature of optimism is to look beyond the immediate pain or problem to what may be beyond.

Hmmm.  Shades of political will and financial crisis there; however, that is neither the intent nor the topic.  As I grabbed the camera to try to capture a bit of the magical sunshine in early November, I realized that I had taken an opportunity to do something positive, to take an action, to capture a moment.  In fact, I had seen the opportunity the day before and missed it as the sun moved on its westerly arc and the moment passed.  The next morning I was better prepared, ready under the naive assumption that the sun would re-appear and conditions would again present the opportunity.  Optimism, naivety.

Of course, the other option was always available: ignore, or refuse to see, the opportunity; allow the moment to pass either unobserved or as an omen of the approaching darkness; stay in the current track without looking around.  That is, perhaps the pessimism of momentum - that which is remains so.  But no, that is not the case.

Time to get off the butt.

Markham Saturday market

We go  to the market each week.  This week, I went with a friend to take pictures as an exercise.  I used my nifty 50 throughout (f1.8), a lens I seldom use.Most shots were at ISO 800 or 200.  The experiment was with aperture and the effect on colour (as well as depth of field.  Pretty happy with the results.

It is small, but there are enough friendly vendors.

There's lots of stuff to eat.










Penny was there, and the friend.

There is fresh, local produce.

And some samples.







There are people just hanging out.

Old Car/ New Car

Farewell to the Penny mobile after 15 years of excellent service.  It has retired to a new home.

Welcome the new Ford Fiesta!  Thanks Granny Gwen. Will have to come up with a name.

Trip to UK,May 2011

In a park in Manchester - 1st day.
The Velvet Hotel in the heart of the gay village, Manchester. With a name like "velvet", what would you expect!
Just arrived in Hebden Bridge.

Walshaw Lodge - our home for the week!

Our lovely bedroom at the Lodge.

New friends on a walk from Walshaw Lodge.

Drinks and chats at the side - until the rain came!

Sweet little Lambies!

Looking back at Walshaw Lodge.

Old mill on the walk to Hebden Bridge.

Penny and Daphne hiking.

Daphne, Janet and Susan

Black faced lamb

Happy Hikers!

At the Pack Horse Inn.

Sylvia, Patrick and Jennifer.

Trip to the Parsonage Museum in Haworth, - home of the Brontes.

Bonrte Museum.

Cemetery where Bontes are buried.

Some of the gang at the sweet shop in Haworth.

Old Church in Heptonstall.

Tombstone of Sylvia Plath.

A day in York.

York Minster in the background

York Minster

Rose window in York Minster.

Malcolm starting us out on the hike to Wuthering Heights.

Consulting the map.

Fish and Chips at AJ's

Hike with Nick Wilder who told us about Ted Hughes, poet laureate,  and read some of his poetry.

Looking out over the beautiful countryside of Yorkshire.

Approaching the waterfall.

Area where poem "Six Young Men" was written.

Donald Crossley, artist and childhood friend of Ted Hughes, tells us stories.

Last night at Walshaw Lodge.

On the drive from Shrewsbury to Wales with Diana.

Rick and Diana in Montgomery.

Penny and Diana in Llanidloes, Wales.

Walking in Pembridge.

John, Diana, Mary and Penny - cousins of Rick's ( not Penny)

Lovely lunch at the Salutation Inn in Woebly.

Les and Annie.

Jane and Diana.

Mary and John and their amazing car.

Oak House - where Rick's grandfather was born.

Diana's beautiful house in Llanidloes.

Hiking with Jane on a Sunday morning.

Scenery from the hike with Jane and friend.

Diana's kitchen - Rick working on finding his passport left at Walshaw Lodge.

Diana and John - our last day in Wales!

Bluebells up close.

Loch Lomond.

On the way to Oban.

Oban from our hotel window - before the heavy rain set in.

Dunollie Castle - once the seat of the clan MacDougall, Lords of Lorn, who were a significant force in Scottish history - at one point they owned a third of Scotland.

Celtic cross at Dunollie Castle.

Dunstaffnage -The MacDougalls were previous residents in Dunstaffnage Cstle which was taken from their care and declared  a royal castle by Robert the Bruce and the Campbells made keepers.

On the way to Isle of Skye.

Eilean Donan Castle.

From our hotel window - Dunollie Hotel, Broadford, Isle of Skye.

Sunset from the window.

Inside out sheep - very windy day!!!!

Old Man of Storr - Isle of Skye.

Hiking at Old Man of Storr hiking trail, just before it poured.

Museum of Island Life, Kilmuir, Isle of Skye.

Our favourite restaurant - Creeler's, Broadford, Isle of Skye.

River Ness, Inverness, Scotland.

Inverness Castle - now the courthouse.

Drinks and munchies at Johnny Foxes.

Loch Ness.

house in Beuly.

Old church - Beuly.

From our hotel window in Aberdeen.

Sharon and the girls outside their house in Aberdeen.

Stonehaven - outside Aberdeen.

From Dunnotar Castle.

Busy Edinburgh - a fascinating city.

Edinburgh castle.

Cannon goes off at 1 PM every day.

Tolbooth Pub - former prison from 1541.

Last day in Edinburgh - hike up Salisbury Craggs - across from MacDonald Holyrood Hotel.

The End.