Back to work tomorrow, only got 4 days this week and 1 next then that is me for 3 weeks. wonder how many more will have left. I am there for the duration, close to 10yrs now.

It was such a dull dark day today, light levels are always low and short, but I just think, not long till the days start getting longer again, for some reason, it has got to me this year, it never usually does, but suppose, like so much shrug the shoulders and just get on with it.

Seemingly if a cake could give you an orgasm it would be a Caramel Apple Crumble Blondie. I just drunk my tea.

Now here is a funny story, I had been asked a little while ago, if I could give a few images for a calendar , I saw the person who asked recently and asked if the pictures were ok, they sorry we could not use them for they were so much better than anything else they had got and they would stand out from the rest. I just smiled.



I bought a light box, so that on the days I could not get out, I could find some things to take pictures of in this, I tried it out yesterday for the first time, this old dahlia was one subject, think it would be better if it was dry, so I found a few more things and pit them in a vase to dry off , for use on the next rainy day.

It was a good day, usual up fairly early, went to the Farmers Market, stocked up on Bridies and Pies for the next few months. Pretty much that was it for the day, I know the next few weekends are going to be busy.


A spider that was over the flowers in one of beds in the garden in the summer. I like how it is a kind of soft focus effect.

I got too, the coast this morning, was dark as we set off and pretty much the same when we got back as well, that time for year, when days are short. I never even bothered taking a camera with me, i know, shock horror, but there is times, when I leave it at home.

Grey and just over cast, but dry, this might have been the shortest walk as the cafe was just opening as we got there and I had to make the tea, was looking at the walls, seen there was some gaps again, sold more pictures, but sometimes, if one of the oldies,, likes one, she just gives them away., all money made is given to a charity, that looks after animals. One of the oldies, asked me, if I would take a portrait picture of her dog, it is a Westie, said I would be happy to do so, so will do that next Friday hopefully get it printed for her and framed up over same weekend and get it delivered. Her little dog is her companion, so I have already borrowed a really nice lens to do this with.

Last night went well, I done my usual around a hour, that last 90 minutes, but I was ready for home, for all I was feeling ok, I was feeling tired. The usual lovely fish supper before it, to dark now for after. talked all about Christmas called weird, because I am organised lol, ok, I have only 3 more little things to get.

There is a little matter of the end of year get together to attend next Friday night, debating over that one.

OK enough waffle get a picture posted.

I am shooting a little project, it is just branches, mainly over winter when no leaves, this one gives the idea of what I am looking for, but this one never made the project folder keepers.

So one thing I am learning I prefer to write this blog on my PC, rather than my laptop, I actually pretty much like doing all my writing on a PC.

I am hoping to finally get out this afternoon, for a short walk, jump the fence at the top of the road,,ok my days for jumping are by, my hip or knee would have a field day with the pain they would inflict on me and yes, I know my limit there through experience lol.

Tomorrow the coast, then out for lunch later in the day.

As much as I feel like blogging about somethings, for now, best just kept in the journal, I change what I call them all the time, all start of as notebook,, then can turn into so many different things, that I call them, journal, diary, jotter, now jotter there is a word, is that a Scottish thing or is it more widely used,, not that physical paper writing is a thing that not many will really do for fun anyway.

Last weekend, I made dumplings to add to my stew turned out well, for a first attempt, now this weekend, think of adding some mixed herbs to the mix, will be chicken this time.

Think this is 10 blogs in a row, probably because, I have been stuck in the house for as long lol, but I am going to try and continue for now, most will have a picture added,, but some will be words only.
I have pictures picked out for a few more,.


Was a few weeks ago this one, remember taking 2 camera and a lens on each, thing was i wish I had switched the lenses around, but in windy wet weather with all sorts being blown around, never do that. It did make me think to get a second R6 markii, but now they have brought out a Markiii,, do i buy one of those and forget about getting an Olympus set up, going to give that one 6 months thought.

So I have wrote the week off, work wise. Should be ok by Monday now,, you just do not bounce back as quick when you get older.

My streak on the bike got broken as well, gutted but not at the same time. It is no big deal in the grand scheme of things.

I was productive this afternoon, cleaned a load of wildflower seed that I had saved from the garden this year, I had a plan to sprinkle it all over the places, I walk, but then was thinking most is not native to these areas, so will keep it into my own garden and the one where I help at times, but I might be surplus there next year, which is good, was told by the new head gardener that she would like too do most of it, but with me teaching her various things along the way and that does actually work for me, she wants to grow and sell more flowers. She picked me up the other week, we were going to have a look at a polytunnel, as she has plans for one in the garden, it really had all the bells and whistles, will take a few years of selling to get the outlay back, but she is a grafter and I know she will get there.


One from my garden this year, a cornflower, but in this mix there was quite a few different coloured ones from the blues, that I knew off.

I got too the final 4 in a photo competition, but glad the one that won did win. a very worthy winner.

I sat and sorted out my talk for tomorrow, picked a few new pictures, and as usual will just wing it with the words, hardly surprising that I go off on tangents.

Only once before, have i talked about a black and white pictures, but this time all 5 are black and white, but as usual they tell a story. During the sorting of these, I also decided to stop a project, that would have ended up printed in a book,, it was just not talking to me 18 months of working on this, but, consigned to the bin.

So now I have 4 on the go and thoughts on 2 more, next year, will throw myself into one.To focus on one thing, I have been told will be impossible for me and that it will not happen, will see.

Might try and blog in the morning tomorrow, as will be out till late , well late for me, anytime after 6pm is late for me now.

My last blog, has had 2 views , now that is good, I only noticed yesterday the number and thought lets see. So what do I think, honestly it makes no great difference, for well still writing and posting my pictures.

Been a few weeks since I have been on the beach, Friday will see a return.

I had thought giving talks had finished for now, but Thursday night, I now have, no preparation, has been made and no thoughts on what to talk about, it was suggested on what is my thought process, but to be honest, I have none, I usually have an idea on what I would like to see, but prepared for anything to be honest, why I usually have 3 lenses with me, just see, what mother nature gives me. I probably only get asked, as I never accept a fee, yes I am cheap.

My last visit was to listen, it was poetry reading. I t was really good , the poet has changed over the year, more upbeat, quite funny as well. She is also a beanie thief, that is another story.

In quiet times today, decided time to go to Glasgow, see my accountant and lawyer, time for the inheritances that have not been touched in over a decade to get sorted, the interest mounts up , time to do a lot of good. half will go into the foundation that is the only thing decided. Maybe I will buy a wood, that one will be a complicated process. For I know, if I approach the person, he will never sell to me and he owns a part of said wood. Will need to put a plan in place..


A shot with the macro lens, it is a stacked image using the part of a few others to get the sharpness, I have thing for shooting flowers after they have flowered, there is some crazy hidden secrets to find.
I mentioned in status today, that I had went to see a therapist, but photograpy is my therapy, it is the biggest reason that I will not really take it to the next step and just keep it where it is.

This picture says it all, let's reflect.

I have had a cold, I never use to get them, till I had my Stroke and the medication that I take must be a factor. Yesterday and last night it kicked my butt big time and no way did i get to work, will be one more day off as well probably.

I get closest to being bored at moments like this but there is always things to do, one was just deleting all the emails that just never get opened, this is the second go and in 4 days, think I deleted over 1400. Then my computer monitor, has been getting so cluttered with all the pictures, time to put them in the files, that where they should be.

I ordered a little zine, one to add to the collection, I will order 2 more books before Christmas, my gift to me.

I have been reading a series of books , this one is the 13th in the series, now is it the unlucky one for, I am struggling with it or am I just changing . is my viewing of the photography books too blame, wso few of these actually has much writing in them, most are just pictures, I ponder on this one.

I went for a wander this morning, it was cold, perfect to test out my new jacket, like everything it takes me ages to decide on what one, in the end I ordered a Keela Solo, it is an insulated jacket by a company here in the Scotland, I had one there Belay jacket before and still wear it, but have lost as much weight, new one time this one differs in it has a hood, first impressions I really like it.

I only took on lens, but I did get my picture for my weekly photo competition, only 4 more weeks left for the year now, I would like to finish with a coastal shot, started the year with one and nice to end it with one.

My entry went into the art club, that I am a member off, I was not going to bother, but in the end I did, I won the overall last year, it was one of the best, that I have taken, but next year, my focus is going to change, I am going to start on a new project, I have already bought 2 new SSD to store it on, that means backed up 4 times lol, overkill, but this is the important one.

I am also getting back to doing my limited edition calendar, been asked if I can help out on another one as well.


So much of this summer and all the ones, that I get to see, will be taken up taking up taking pictures of the wee things and flowers. This one was taken in my own garden, planted wildflowers to attract them and boy did it, just sitting at them and waiting to see, what came ws such a simple pleasure, but such a joyous one and then throw in the flowers as well, so another 7 areas are going to get planted next year.

Today was one of those days where me and the camera was not one. I got one keeper out of 7 pictures, it was a stack of 40ish pictures , but when shooting fungi, easy to fire of 600 or so pictures, but getting to one of those times of year when the fungi get harder to find.

Tomorrow morning the forecast is for frost, but I do have a new jacket to try out.

I have accepted the fact that where I am after my Stroke is as good as it will ever get, accepted that for I am lucky in so many ways, so many things will just never work the same.

But you waken in the morning and just take what comes.


Fog is rare here, I was lucky to be off this day, so getting the chance to get somethings that might never get again. One shot is a large panorama, it worked because all the fog hid my the houses in my village, now what to do with that picture, one day, it will get printed

I keep my photography in a sort of perspective. I post a picture and that it is. A few weeks ago, I posted one, it got picked as one of the best pictures of the day, it has got over 7000 views, over 300 favourites and 30 odd comments, at the time I took another from that small area it has got 111 views, 9 favourites and no comments, but which was my favourite, the second, but the most important thing off all, I enjoyed my morning.


When you are standing and you have that feeling you are being watched, you turn and yes, some cows have came over.