Norway

I mentioned last Sunday that it was my daughter's birthday during the week, and that she was away on holiday. For this week's Sunday link up, I asked her permission to show a few of the photographs that she sent to me from Norway. Thankfully she agreed, because it's been rather grey here today and I didn't have a suitable photo of my own to use.

 I think that these photographs are far better than anything I could have posted. 

I've never been to Norway, but it looks a fabulous place.

So let's dive straight in... well down the ski jump to be precise!

(It makes me feel giddy just looking at this angle, never mind throwing my body down it!)

I'm linking up as usual with My Sunday Photo

I'm also linking up with  Mersad's Through My Lens 
Monday Morning Blog Club 
and Image-in-ing.blogspot.co.uk
Just click on the link above to be transported.
Thanks for your visit and I hope to see you again soon.

Have a great day.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to you all

I hope you had a fabulous festive holiday.

Now that all the festivities are over and the shortest day has past, I must say that I'm enjoying the prospect of waiting for signs that spring is on its way.

There are actual signs already... snowdrop shoots and daffodil tops are already peeking through the earth.

A few of my Christmas presents will help me capture everything... hopefully creating beautiful images.

My son has been having fun with setting up the night camera in various locations around our property and the first night showed masses of activity!

Woohoo!

It wasn't until we checked the next morning, that we realised that the low hanging branches of a tree and a tarpaulin (covering a pile of logs) flapping in the wind, was the only images captured. 

What a disappointment.  

But look who passed through on night two!

A fox

But then last night's footage has thrown up a mystery... 

we have no idea what the animal image below is? 

Some say it's another Fox, others say a Badger.

There's been talk of Wild Cats and even a Pine Marten

We've even sent the image to the experts, but they haven't replied yet.

So what do you think?

I'll post the answer if we get anything definite from either the experts or more definite footage.

I'm linking up with Mersad link Through My Lens

Have fun and thanks for stopping by my place. 

Through My Lens... Goldfinches feeding and fighting

As I've mentioned before I love to feed the wild birds and today I thought I'd show you a brief glimpse of the usual shenanigans that go on at just one of my feeders.

This feeder is a favourite of the Goldfinches.

There are so many visiting our place now... I've actually counted a flock of 32 at one stage. 

The birds obviously approve of the sunflower hearts.

I have to replenish the feeder daily because they are hungry little b*****'s!

The sunflower hearts are an excellent source of energy and because they have been striped of their    husks, they are cleaner and an excellent souce of energy.

It can all start off quite polite and genial, but then it can suddenly go pear-shaped. 

Someone might be taking too long on the perch or pushing in unannounced... then it all kicks off!

Feathers fly!

There really isn't any need for this nonsense, because I have three other feeding areas dotted around the house... all with numerous types of various food.

You may notice that the field behind is covered in frost.

That's because we woke up to -5C this morning. 

Yes, that's not a typo... its a minus!

It's barely risen above minus degrees all day and now it's actually dropping once again, so no wonder the little birds are panicking and eating for all their worth.

They actually have to eat 30% of their body weight in order to survive. 

Which reminds me I must put in another order for more seed soon. 

Here's another of my little visitors.
The robin.

We currently have four dotted around, but this one seems to be extremely camera shy. 

This happens to be the nearest that I've ever been able to photograph him.

Sometimes, I think he's just toying with me because he can come and sit right where I've been, as soon as I leave. I'm determined to get a good photo of him one day.
Wish me luck...

And finally some visitors who have decided to stay nearby for the time being.
I know realise that geese can be incredibly vociferous!

I'm thankful that they haven't found my seed yet.

I'm linking up with Mersad's Through My Lens.

There's lots of great photographers over there if you want to visit then click here

I hope your Monday has gone well and the week just gets better.

Have fun and I hope to see you again soon

My Sunday Photo... Last of the Summer Wine

I know... here I am once again posting photo's of butterflies and bees.

But these may be the last we see of these beautiful summer visitors until next year. 

So I want to indulge once more and appreciate them before they disappear. 

Autumn is waiting in the wings and I fear that this warm spell may be our last for some time. 

(Peacock Butterfly)
If you would like to encourage bees into your garden, then I strongly recommend that you plant Sedum plants into your borders.

(Red Admiral Butterfly)

I don't think I've ever seen so many bees on one flower head at the same time.

They were frantically gathering the nectar like it was the best bargain in town!

It was difficult to get a good shot because they were so busy... but I just wanted to capture how many there were. Obviously they like this particular plant and I remember that my sedums flowered right up to December last year.

If you look closely at this photo below you will see two bees and a butterfly.

I do love Autumn, but I don't want to rush into it... I want to make sure that summer is well and truly over first. 

I'm linking up with My Sunday Photo, Mersad's Through My Lens and Monday Morning Blog Club.

Enjoy your weekend everyone.

Stunning Sky

My Sunday Photographs this week were taken within a few minutes of each other.

I was visiting another Scottish National Trust property and whilst walking the woodland trail, I suddenly stopped in my tracks to look at the sky.
(Yes, I'm one of those people who can just stop whatever they are doing or wherever they are going to capture an image). 

The light and sun's rays were spectacular.

I just loved the way the light shone through the clouds.

It gave an exquisite fan of light below the setting sun. 

I know it sounds like an lame excuse, but unfortunately my photographs don't do it justice.
It really was spectacular.

It was certainly a show stopper.

I'm linking up with My Sunday Photo and
Mersad's Through My Lens

If you have time then why not nip across (using the links above) to see more great photos.

Thanks for visiting and I hope to see you again soon

Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

xoxo

My Sunday Photo... Dandelion Flower

Initially I couldn't believe the audacity of this particular dandelion to actually flower... smack bang right in the middle of my freshly cut lawn! 

It stood centre stage, alone and proud.

Considering that the lawns were only cut two days ago, it had managed to miss the lawn mower blades and had grown to such an extent, as to produce this flower. 

Quite an achievement! 

Never underestimate the power of a weed

But then who decides what is a weed and what is a flower?

I've wanted to capture the image of a dandelion for quite some time.

Today was the day.

It seemed fitting to give it even more limelight by choosing it for My Sunday Photo this week.

I had fun playing around with the image.

This is the negative edit. 

As usual I'm linking with Photalife
and Mersad over at Through My Lens

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend. 

Mr Sunday Photo... Craigievar Castle Parapet

Today 'My Sunday Photo' comes with a warning... you will possibly need a head for heights this week. 

This tiny spiral staircase leads to the top of Craigievar Castle parapet.

Mind your head as you come through the tiny wee door at the top... but I can assure you that it will all be worth it.

The great tower stands just as it did when completed in 1626.

I'm not sure that this photo gives you the correct perspective, but we had climbed up four floors to reach this point.

Now how is that for a view?

The air is so clear and crisp... just perfect.

I'm in the process of editing some photo's of the Castle, so hopefully in a day or so I might actually be ready to post them. 

In the meantime... have fun and enjoy your weekend.

As usual I'm linking with Photalife
and Mersad over at Through My Lens

My Sunday Photo... Lovin' the Lavender

In my Friday post I featured the Agapanthus, so to keep the balance I need to mention the lavender plants that share the same border. 

When we last lived here, there were lots of lavender plants in this particular border, but they had become woody, so I decided to plant new ones to replace them. 

I must have planted over 25 new plants, which as you can see has thrilled not only me, but also the visiting bees. 

My hubby (a potential future bee keeper) has been keeping a close eye and counting them after hearing the buzzing whilst gardening. 

(I know... but he's newly retired so there's time for such activities... at least he hasn't created a spreadsheet... well not yet as far as I know).

The highest number he has counted so far, at one particular count reached 16!

I'm happy that the bees are happy... plus the wonderful lavender aroma if you happen to touch them as you walk past, is enough to knock your socks off!

As usual I'm linking up with Photalife

and Mersad over at Through My Lens

I'd just like to take a moment to thank everyone who takes the time to visit my place, especially if you leave a comment. 

I really appreciate it. 

I hope you have a wonderful weekend... whether you are busy as a bee or lounging among the lavender.

Enjoy

My Photo... River Dee

Today was like a game of football... a game of two halves.
In the morning we had glorious warm temperatures, but by early evening it was back to grey rainy weather. 

It was the kind of day that reminded me of my time when I lived abroad.
Outside of the house would be warmer than the inside.
Thankfully I captured images of the better half of the day. 

I had just taken my newly retired hubby back to school... cookery school that is.

The cookery class was part of a birthday gift and thankfully he loved the idea. 

He even had ideas of grandeur.... commenting that he could be the next Paul Hollywood!

All he hoped was that by the end of the day he didn't have a soggy bottom!

(that's a Great British Bake Off reference by the way, just in case you are wondering what on earth I'm referring to)

After I finally got my laughing under control, I was ready to do the school run! 

 As I  passed the River Dee I just had to stop the car in order to take a few photos. 

It looked so beautiful.

In the photo below you can see the Bridge of Dee which is one of the oldest bridges in Scotland. 

The Bridge of Dee or Brig o'Dee is a road bridge over the River Dee and dates back to 1527.

If you look closely in the centre of the photo above, you can see a fly fisherman.

He is casting his fly for salmon. 

The River Dee is renowned as one of the great salmon rivers of the world.

I can't help thinking that even though it was a beautiful warm morning... it would be pretty cold standing waist deep in the river.
The pink flowers looked incredibly like orchids but I'm not sure.
I'll have to go back and take some detailed shots of them.

The cooking class was a huge success by the way.

He even managed to save a sample of one of the dishes out of the three he'd made and brought it home for us to sample.
He ate the other two, plus samples of the chef's work!

I dread it now that he'll probably be so fired up... he'll no doubt start to preach about not using jar's for sauces anymore! 

I may have created something I may later live to regret!

So that's it for today folks. 

I'm linking up with Photoalife once more.

Just before I go I'd like to link up with  Mersad over at Through my lens over in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He has lots of great photographers link up, so if you'd like to see more then please just click on the link above.
Also Wordless (on Tuesday at image-in-ing) 

... and

Have a wonderful week and thanks for popping into my place.

I hope to see you again soon.

Spotting in Edinburgh... PPF

I'm away right now, so today's link to PPF will have to be very brief...

I know when I normally say that I can still natter on, but today I really mean it. 

My post today is still art related, but with a difference. 

We've stopped off in Edinburgh to visit our daughter... who is an Artist/Lawyer. (so there's a link)

Edinburgh was basking in glorious sunshine yesterday... and HEAT! 

I know that will come as a surprise to many. 

The city is also heating up for the annual Edinburgh Festival Fringe. (another art related item)

(The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the world's largest arts festival, which in 2015, spanned 25 days and featured 50,459 performances of 3,314 shows in 313 venues)

On to my tenuous link... whilst walking to dinner last night, we came across a film crew currently shooting the Trainspotting 2 movie. 

It's not something that you see everyday, so we lingered a little... it might have had something to do with the fact that Ewan McGregor might just appear on location. 

We waited...and waited... far longer than my hubby's rumbling tum wanted, just in case Ewan made an appearance, but alas, apparently we had just missed him. 

There's nothing worse than people bragging that they've seen someone that you would like to meet, but that they've left already and you've missed out!

But then look who I 'spotted'... see what I did there?

Danny Boyle... Looking at me! 

Just in case you don't know...Danny Boyle is a British film director, producer, screenwriter and theatre director, known for his work on films including Shallow Grave, Trainspotting, The Beach, 28 Days Later, Slumdog Millionaire, Sunshine, 127 Hours, and Steve Jobs

Maybe he thought I should be written into the film or perhaps for another yet to be written. 

I'm all ears Danny... just email me the details!

So that's my quick dash for you this morning.

I hope you'll enjoy this post and I promise that I'll try to actually complete some artwork soon.

Just before I go I'd like to link up with  Mersad over at Through my lens over in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He has lots of great photographers link up, so if you'd like to see more then please just click on the link above.

Have a fabulous day and I hope to see you soon.