Another Saturday in the garden. There’s still not much to show for it, but at least the grass is now a respectable length. During one of the many refreshment breaks I found myself strolling about with the camera, and I felt it would have been a shame to have turned my attentions to Monochrome when there was such a lot of colour about.
Tulips and things – Panasonic DMC-LX2; Developed with GIMP
Lilac – Panasonic DMC-LX2; Developed with GIMP
Taking a momentary break from seeing things in Black and White, I noticed that May seems to be a particularly yellow month. Dandelions, buttercups and of course field upon field of rapeseed light up the countryside.
Rapeseed-1 – Panasonic DMC-LX2; Developed with GIMP
Rapeseed-2 – Panasonic DMC-LX2; Developed with GIMP
Rapeseed-3 – Panasonic DMC-LX2; Developed with GIMP
Today is Ascension Day. Quite a nice day weather wise, although it is raining as I write. This morning’s walk through the colourful Spring countryside was really quite pleasant, so it’s a pity I left the camera at home and missed many very promising photo opportunities. But as luck would have it I had a day off yesterday too, and took care of a backlog of garden chores in the warm bright sunshine. It wasn’t until early evening, whilst quenching my thirst with a cool beer and fiddling with sausages on the barbecue, that I decided to take the camera for a walk round the garden. Totally inspired and motivated by the latest issue of “Black + White Photography” magazine, I decided to do something in Black and White.
Smoker – Panasonic DMC-LX2; Developed with GIMP
Roof – Panasonic DMC-LX2; Developed with GIMP
During the last few weeks I’ve been walking past this building site a couple of times a day on my way to and from work. In the morning the whole site is a hive of activity, bulldozers shovelling stuff from one place to another and a huge lorry with big fat tyres driving purposely about, seeking some sort of load no doubt. In the evenings it’s all quiet, and the various machines are to be found scattered across the site, ready to begin another hard day the following morning.
Friday evening is, however, quite different. Before leaving the site the builders park their vehicles in a nice straight line in the middle of the site. All the bulldozers together, all the dumper trucks together, perfect and orderly.
Orderly – Sony-Ericsson W995 mobile phone. Developed with Gimp
The weather forecast prophesied rain for this weekend, so I decided to forget any ideas I may have had about cutting the lawn or trimming bushes in the garden, and concentrate my energies on shopping, drinking coffee and taking photos. That was the plan. But as I peered out of the window early Saturday morning and saw that ‘snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even’ I opted for ‘plan B’ and spent Saturday afternoon fiddling with Gimp. Somehow I felt that the last few months had seen enough snow covered landscapes.
Today’s photo was actually taken as a colour image together with those of my last posting on 18th April. But a bright yellow spring looking daffodil didn’t seem to fit in at all with yesterday’s weather mood.
Daffodil – Panasonic DMC-LX2; Developed with GIMP
Spending the last few days basking in the Spring sunshine, I thought it fitting to post a couple of colourful flowery images before the temperatures sink once again to almost Wintery values.
Primroses – Panasonic DMC-LX2; Developed with GIMP
Primroses – Panasonic DMC-LX2; Developed with GIMP
Once again I was strolling about the countryside at the weekend, and by chance stumbled across his fence and the heap of stuff.
Fence – Panasonic DMC-LX2; Developed with GIMP
Stuff – Panasonic DMC-LX2; Developed with GIMP
Whether the need for a new, multi-purpose, multi million pound village hall in a village with a population of only 2500 is really justified remains to be seen. I think there are many who are not convinced. But there’s no going back now. The school’s gym and swimming pool has now been demolished to make way for the new village wonder.
Local art – Panasonic DMC-LX2; Developed with GIMP
Digger – Panasonic DMC-LX2; Developed with GIMP
Time for something new – Panasonic DMC-LX2; Developed with GIMP
Chains – Panasonic DMC-LX2; Developed with GIMP
To be fair it is only just Spring, in fact it’s not even April, not quite. I’m sure May will be a blaze of Spring colours and the birds and bees will all be up to their birdy and beeish things. This Easter weekend I was hoping to be out and about with the camera, poking my lens into bunches of daffodils and struggling against blinding sunshine. Alas it was not to be. I did point the camera out of the window last night but was happy to close it again as soon as the shutter clicked.
Snow shower-Panasonic DMC-LX2; Developed with GIMP
Snow shower-Panasonic DMC-LX2; Developed with GIMP
When snowdrops bloom and primroses flower and daffodils eagerly try to make their presence felt before Easter, the town’s garages open their doors for a weekend to display their wares. This afternoon I found myself strolling around a few forecourts and showrooms, eyeing enviously polished bodywork and technical goodies. Despite all the streamlined, low slung and very fast sporty toys, in my opinion there’s nothing more attractive than the good old Landy.
If only those Euro Millions would come my way 
Rugged Beauty: Panasonic DMC-LX2; Developed with GIMP
Rugged Beauty 2: Panasonic DMC-LX2; Developed with GIMP