Some images and thoughts right now.

Spring has arrived on the common, and the dance of the wildflowers has begun. One of the first stars of the show is the lovely Cowslip, waving gently in the breeze. This is the reason I carry my camera everywhere. It's a light camera and I have a special camera bag, which looks like a normal shoulder bag, it's padded and keeps my camera safe. It has room for my phone and purse too. So I am never without it!

The more I learn about editing, the more I realize I have to learn. Now a days, I only brighten the photo a little and increase the contrast a touch. Sometimes I use a filter, and sometimes, as in this picture, it's just fine as it is. The light and the moment I wanted to capture are all there. The camera I use for blogging is a Canon EOS 100D. Now this is not a sponsored post in anyway, but it's a great simple little camera and I just wanted to tell you...  

When you walk somewhere almost everyday, you get to see the subtle changes and feel the joy at new happenings in your familiar territory. A emerging wildflower is happy sight. Blossoms, spring leaves, meadow grasses, the colours of the sky. The moody greys and the bright blues. And the views...It's all so lovely. Clean air, friendly dog-walkers, good vibes, it's truly kind of addictive...and the dogs...it's just the nicest place for them.

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Sometimes I find a sunny spot on the slopes, to sit, out of the wind and take in the view. I try not to sit on thistles.... Occasionally enthusiastic dogs will come hurtling down the slopes chasing a ball, before it's lost down the hill.... But a sunny, quiet moment, lying on the ground in the spring sunshine, is magic.

At home, I caught this shot, as the sun went down and shone it's pinky light across the valley, onto the trees. The cabin is there. The other day I saw my sweet cabin lady wondering around putting little twigs in the ground around the Cowslips, so the guys who mow the grass will see them, and mow around them.

The cabins were already here when I arrived. Probably about fifteen years old now, they are not well insulated, but they have woodburners and character. First I thought I would run them as a B & B....that was 10 years ago, and since then they have had permanent dwellers in them the whole time!

If one becomes available, I might list it as a Airbnb. I watched the tedx talk of Joe Gebbia, the founder of Airbnb recently. I had a look through the 200 or so in my local area, which was slightly voyeristic,... but interesting to see what's out there.

Crafty and creative updates:

I have had to do some more visible mending on my jeans...the other leg decided to tear too. I thought I would catch it quick before it ripped all the way across. It's got a patch underneath now as well so it should hold up.

Talking of clothes, I recently got out my two bags of summer clothes. Seeing them in their see-through bags, all squashed together and old, leaves me feeling as though I might want to give the whole lot away and start again. I can see things which never really fitted right, or that never got worn for whatever reason. So I have decided to not open them yet and think about it.

Am I really brave enough to just let them go, without opening them.... And how will I find the new fresh feeling I am looking for? how do I want to shop and where do I want to spend my money?

Foodwise: I have discovered Papaya, and that it's very photogenic, and I love it. It's great for making smoothies, with banana, and almond milk, and for breakfast. Yum. I find myself just still wanting to eat warming, comforting food, like baked potatoes, every night... I need to feel full and fed. I've been reading about raw food and vegan food. But I'm not quite ready to take it on yet.

I've been walking by the canal. I feel drawn here now to have my dose of boats and water. It's very relaxing to watch the canal boats chugging up and down.

There has been some pink sunsets.

Some cloud wings appeared.

Some pink daises on the lawn.

I enjoyed the sunlight in my messy kitchen:-) haha...not so pretty, but look at the light coming through the curtain...The paintwork is a bit tired but it's homely in here and I like it..

 And new makes: a pile of wristwarmers, just ready for the.... summer!

I am working with a new kind of wool. They were just gorgeous to make.The pattern is a closed shell stitch, which I had to work out how to crochet into a round. It worked. I'm happy with them. I used the gorgeous hand dyed wool made by the Indie wool company Fyberspates. Each ball made two sets of wristwarmers, I'm pleased to say, and thankful because, oh the price...! The colours are incredible and you can read more about them in my Etsy shop, if you would like.

So I have to say that as I have written this blog post....stopped to walk the dog, eat breakfast, make tea, open and close windows, that I have felt everything opening up in my mind that I wanted to talk about. As though it were a concertina of things which were originally squashed down and now have opened up, drawn in some air and made a tune.

I feel better for having brought them here and shared them with you. Such is the mystery and wonder of blogging....have a good week :-)

♥   

purple and green

I found this in the park today. What is it I wonder? it's beautiful.

Sunlight on a crocus patch, so nice.

On my desk. A little mouse cup. Not sure where it came from, it belonged to my Mum. I love it.

Out of focus rosemary. It smells good.

Moody skies on the day of Storm Doris and the entrance to our local nightclub. I've never been in, it looks kind of scary! I'd be more likely to go in the launderette, but thankfully I have a washing machine, so I don't go in there either ;-) 

Yarn bomb, not me...

pine trees and water drops

and a new wool, it's called Crocus, it's a hand dyed, luxury yarn (wow) and I love this too :-)

I've been taking my photos here and there, and I realise that although blogging does take a long time, I have to keep blogging. I always want to be taking photos and I need to have somewhere to share them. I'm very visual. I love words too. I don't think I could do one without the other. I also value story, even if I don't tell the whole thing here. I think you can read so much between the lines and feel so much in peoples images of life. Life moves on, that's for sure. I love to see a new energy or new step taken, showing through in someones work. You can feel it, things evolve. You just have to start somewhere. It's a process, love that. You have to be in it, to go anywhere!  First step.

And maybe blogging is kind of old-fashioned, but just wait for the revolution!! It will be a cool new/old thing....anyway, here I am. Still finding inspiration out there, which always amazes me at how what shows up is just the right thing, for right now. And if you keep going, you gradually work things out. Even things which have bugged you for years.

And inspiration, guess what, it doesn't go away. If you step into the flow of who you are and what your doing, even if no ones watching, it does show up, especially if you do. Even if you are in the midsts of a post Storm Doris day fence collapse, and you see a great shot, you have to take it. That's why you carry your camera, for just those moments, and who knows where it might lead.

I found another blogger recently, who I think has blogged for years, possibly since the beginning, not of time, but just since blogging on the internet began. I might have read somewhere it was around 1994. That is a really long time. On this blog, I find the combination of great photography, little stories, a business made up of lots of crochet and other creative works, really inspiring. Living in Berlin, adds a whole other dimension to the photography. I find it so strange that I never came across her work until now, but now is really when I can appreciate feeling that inspiration. And this lady works hard at what she does. I admire that. Anyway I have been reading and am smitten. You can see Sandra Jutos' blog here. Did you see the crochet?! I love that it brings me back to retro crochet too.

So, I have waffled here long enough today, have a good weekend. Take photos, make things, tell little stories, blog if you can. I know I hope to. See you soon.

♥ 

a week of images......

This week I turned off auto focus for the first time. I think this shot was a fluke because I had no idea what I was doing. There were no lights or re-assuring whirr of the autofocus, just myself and the lens.  This is what I wanted it to look like but I'm not sure how I did it.

I loved this scene in the park. I didn't want to get too close. It was such a brave idea for a March birthday. I was wishing for the sun for them. I love the girl in her pink party dress, greeting her guests. 

Light breaking through the clouds on the common. Sometimes I can see the rain coming in across the valley and have to run!

This yellow door. I parked my car in town and went back to get this shot. I love the colour. It's actually a therapy centre. I'm noticing so much more suddenly about my home town. This could become an 'appreciate where I live project'.

I think this is Honeysuckle. It was sweet smelling and I spotted my first Bee of the year there. I like the road signs and the gates and light at the end.

The silvery grey and brown of these Catkins against the Cotswold stone of the Musuem in the park. 

The green of the paint jumped out at me and the bike!

I like this street scene a lot. I like the blue sign, and then all the other signs and signals off down the street, and the passerby. These are very different kinds of photos for me to take. Town and people really calls right now, it feels exciting and different for me, to be seeing things this way. 

Red. Sign. Great message to find in the street in the street.

Playing with marbles. I like the light on the marbles and the colour and shape of the jug they are in. 

This little dog. Contemplating her next jump. I love the colour and light on the water. And yes she did get wet. I looked around to take another photo and there was a splash.  

Flattened glass I found in the carpark. I thought it was dazzling and had the texture I was looking for.

* * * 

All these shots are from the Photo Meditations course I'm taking with Susannah Conway.
You can see more on flickr.

Off to take some more! I love it. See you soon.

♥

hello....!

Hello everyone. How has this week been?.....good I hope. I have been in a bit of a photograph frenzy, which is all good. It's been a little exhausting, it feels like everything else is also happening at the same time. So in some ways it's been a tough week, tough but good. You know when that happens.

I'm feeling so drawn to making these hearts right now. Whenever I can. Maybe it's the fabric and the colours, I don't know but I just have to make them. I have popped some single ones with a little message in my shop if anyone wants one to dangle one somewhere! Each heart will come come attached to a little postcard and with a little envelope to match. Truthfully I have had an explosion of ideas around these little hearts! And I can't wait to set to. And do my photography course :-) 

Of course there are lots of little photo moments through out the day. The camera that I brought is making a huge difference. Although I still don't really know how to take it off auto. Other news, I have finally got myself on instagram.

I realize this is not big news for most of you in fact who are already there. But the teens 'old' phone appears to be up to the job. We have already narrowly missed having world war three over it and have drawn a line under the fact that I'm not allowed to ask him anything else about how it works and have to work it out myself. Which actually in the end is the best way anyway. So four photos in and I think it's going to be awright!

Which brings me to the next thing. I've noticed that for some people who were blogging, and are now on instagram, it really lights them up. It works really well for them. I've also noticed that sometimes it doesn't. Perhaps what they are already doing is working as it is.  I don't know where I'm going to land in all this yet. I can see it's quicker, easier and you can message and reply more easily. But it's still not blogging.

I think bloggers are having to work quite hard right now, since instagram's success. Many are quietly leaving their blogs and are off in the insta-world. Things are quieter here. Less people around, less comments. I'm not someone who believes we have to reply or visit everyone who reads our blog, but I do think we need to put ourselves out into the blogging community and acknowledge what we are reading and enjoying, whoever that may be. It shouldn't become a chore.

Which brings me to my blog reader. I have a lot of blogs on my reader, and I had a lot of blogs in my sidebar. I suddenly really noticed there were quite a few with no updates for several months, and I also felt suddenly sensitive to some of the photos. I can't keep those on. I'm sorry if that affects you. If you have disappeared on to instagram I think it would be best to leave an honest note with a nice picture. Which is what the lovely Hesta did! Or give us a wave and smile and an update like Millefuilles did. Then it may be okay to sit there :-) So I'll just keep it to about a month. I can always add people back on. I can still see your blogs in my reader, mainly. And if not I'm sorry, but I can't follow everyone and times change and people move on to new things.

It's about enjoying ourselves and not feeling over-whelmed. And whole-heartedly enjoying the connections we have made, the amazing inspiration and life changing ideas and people out there. That's what it is for me.

So look, instagram. Up till now it's just been me peeking in on a group of people who inspire me in some way, whether it's how they live, what they do, how they put their message out in the world. Or their creativity and perhaps how they represent something I want to be part of my life. It's an inspiration board. So far.

Blogging is my community. Flickr inspires my photography. Facebook I just see as a kind of necessary business platform, but it doesn't call me.
I will be on instagram, but I have to say that if I am already following and commenting on your blog then I probably won't be following on instagram as well. Unless I've known you for ever and ever!
I'm using INK 361 as my reader which I like. When I open up my reader I need to not just be flooded by too much. That's the thing.

Of course I may totally end up eating my words and wouldn't that be funny.

♥

P.S. please excuse the random nature of my photos, they are all recent I can't seem to think of words and photos in unison today!

finding my way through january

I have been feeling a bit cold and quite a lot sensitive. My head really feels strange. I've been wearing my very warm insulated Peruvian hat, like my head needs protecting! I'm not ready to emerge yet. I'm still in my retreated January space. I keep thinking I might be getting a cold, but haven't. I even felt a bit adverse to being on-line, like I needed to draw back into myself some more. I've made a little boundary between me and the world. I can wave, but I can't connect just now.

I am finding a new strength in that quiet place. Inside that boundary the new impulse for growth and life is quietly being nurtured. Just slowly. Sensitivity may be my middle name. Sometimes I wonder why it's there so much. Well I know where it came from. But what does it want from me now? What's it trying to say? I think it wants me to listen. I often try and barge on ahead anyway. Sensitivity squashed back down. Ignored. I think it has quite a lot of important things to tell me, and if I could just listen more, I probably would find myself creating easier situations that don't need to shout quite so loudly to be heard....!

So yes a sensitive January it seems. Perhaps it's a good time of year to notice this. Some things can make it worse I think. Noise, intensity of different kinds. I'm ready to blame the wi-fi quite indiscriminately. Who knows about that really? I am reading Brene Brown's The gift of imperfection. I am quietly opening up to her ideas about owning our own story and being 'good enough'. If you haven't watched her TEDx talk on The power of vulnerability it's definitely worth watching.

I am still stretching and doing crafy/shop things. I've fallen into a rythym where there is more emphasis on one than the other each day, a kind of taking in turns. But they are both still there. Today I need to stretch, I can feel that. Yesterday was a day of photos and editing. It's been so hard with the light.

'winter white' by my little red suitcase

This is my new 'winter white' cushion. I love it here with the light from the window, but the light casts a shadow. So I can't use the photo in my shop. I need to experiment with holding a white board and reflecting the light back. It's all a learning process, and I am actually enjoying it. Thank goodness for the new camera!

So near the end of January and we need little glimmers of warmth now. Small hopeful jollies of sunshine and friendly faces and yes that will include human interaction too. Here's looking forward to that.

♥

favourite photo of 2014

I was so happy when I saw this photo. Taken in the autumn it was one of the first I took on my new camera, (more about that soon).

It was such a relevation. Such a difference from my old camera. So long awaited. It jumped off the screen at me, like the happy autumn flower that it is. Just like this, no touching up, no editing, no filters, no anything. Just as I saw it.

I especially love the colours of the flower, really yummy, and the effect of the background. I love that it's not perfect and it shows the decay of the autumn.

Just an honest picture. Real photography rocks. (A good camera helps!).

♥