Lets Try Again

29-04-23

It’s been such a long time since I posted on WP. Last year was really one to forget for me, I was so glad when it was over. I know I shouldn’t wish the time away but three friends passed and both my beautiful cats. My enthusiasm for photography ebbed, but I managed to stay positive even after reaching three score years and ten in October.

I bought a few cameras and lenses in 2022, including a Nikon F80, Cosina CSL, Holga 120, Praktica BMS, and a lovely 1954 Aires 35. Will post about them soon.

Here are a few digital images from late last year and spring this year.

Autumn 2022

Olympus E400

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Olympus E400

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Olympus E400

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Olympus E400

I was lucky that there had been a rain shower before I set out.

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Spring 2023

Took these on an old Sony S80 compact that a neighbour kindly gave to me.

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I really miss my two cats, the house felt so empty after they passed. They kept me company so well during the dreadful lockdown time. I now feed six homeless cats that have taken up residence in my garden, the last one appeared about three months ago, not sure if it’s a male or a female, so I’ve called it Cloe/Claude, it’s very affectionate and comical. I’ll write a blog post about the waifs and strays that have turned up.

Cloe/Claude

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It’s good to get back to WordPress and get some inspiration from the Blogs I follow.

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R.I.P. Fleur

10-04-22

It was with a heavy heart and tears in my eyes that I had to have my lovely cat Fleur put to sleep. She will never be forgotten. At least she is at rest now and out of pain.

Consequently I haven’t felt like blogging or taking photographs, but managed to take a few on Friday on my way to see friends at the music pub.

Bashed, Bruised, and Fragile

16-03-22

Shunter/Switcher, Olympus E400, from the archive.

Bashed, bruised, and fragile, that’s how I feel at the moment. My lovely cat Fleur isn’t very well at all , she’s had steroid injections but I’m not sure she will make it, this seems to have taken it’s toll on my immune system as my flu/chest infection has come back with a vengeance. Managed to drag myself out of the house today for the weekly supermarket shop, and as a precaution went for a Covid test. I’m lucky to have friends that have or have had cats and understand how I’m feeling.

Stray Cats

11-11-19

Cats have been a part of my daily life since the early 1980’s, I think they are lovely animals and can’t imagine a life without them. As I’m writing this post Fleur is on my lap purring away helping to keep my blood pressure in check and legs warm.

As well as my own two beasties a little stray has started coming in at night for food, she taps on the cat door at around 11.45pm, (the time I usually get ready for bed) to let me know she’s there. I put a dish of food down for her but she is very wary and doesn’t come into the kitchen until I switch out the light and pull the door to.

Stray

She’s quite small but feisty, and  eats every last scrap of food. I managed to get this photo of her by sticking the phone through the cat door and hoping for the best. She really needs a home, hopefully I can get in contact with Cats Protection this week and see what they can do for her.

Semi Stray

I’d just got back home this morning after running some errands for myself when the black & white lad appeared through the cat door, he consumed a dish of food and then snuck upstairs for a sleep. He must be being fed by someone as his coat is in good condition and he has a such a lovely nature. There are at least another 3 strays in the neighbourhood which I see walking through the garden from time to time !

Monochrome Wednesday

09-10-19

Fleur With Feather

Olympus E620 Digital Camera – PP in Silver Efex.

Fleur had proudly captured this feather. Image taken earlier this year in my garden.

Gardening & Eyebrows

25-08-19

Gardening

It’s been unseasonably hot the last couple of days, 26 deg C / 78 deg, it feels much warmer. I thought it was about time I tackled some of the pruning that I have been putting off for far too long. With the strange weather we have had this year the garden has in parts gone into overdrive. To relieve the boredom I took a few quick photo’s with my old Olympus E400 and Zuiko 35mm macro lens.

Hips

Lavender

The Lavender has really gone berserk this year, good for the Bee’s though.

Bud

Still some buds on the Roses.

Blackberries

They are trying their best to take over the garden this year.

Liked By The Bees

Eyebrows

The visiting cat is getting a bit cheeky. At 4 am on Saturday morning I felt a gentle nuzzling on my eyebrow, it was the Black & White lad wanting some breakfast. He comes in everyday now and occasionally has a sleep over! my two cats fortunately are quite tolerant of him most of the time. During the day on Saturday I was working on the front garden, I went in to make myself a cup of coffee and as I looked back to the open front door there was a mother cat and two tiny kittens. The mother cat (long haired very dark Tortoiseshell) has been sneaking in and clearing all the cat food dishes (she’s very wary), I leave a bit of extra food down for her as I’m sure that feeding two little ones she needs it.

New Box

15-08-19

New Box

Fleur & Mimi

Solar Flare

24-07-19

It’s been really hot and humid (I can do hot but not humidity) in my part of the UK, approaching 30C (86F) and according to the BBC weather forecast it could reach 34C (93F) tomorrow.

In The Shade

Fleur spent most of the day inside sleeping on an old camera bag, just getting up for some wet food from time to time. Mimi (her daughter) was in the garden under a shady shrub and like her mum just coming in every now and again for food.

The solar flare was leaking light seals (hope it’s not the shutter) on my Minolta X700 film camera, can’t complain really as it only cost me £4.99p a few years ago. This came to light (pun intended) last week after developing a film I had just ran through it.

Operating Table

It didn’t take too long to replace the seals, just a bit messy cleaning off the old ones.

Caterpillar Cafe

Wildflowers

Clingy

These were fine as it was quite shady where I took them.

Light Leaks

The last two images were taken in brighter conditions, I quite like the building shot though.

Went out yesterday and put a roll of film through the camera to test out my light seal repair. Was hoping to develop the film today but the developer was at 30C (90F) The plan is to get up early (if I manage to sleep) tomorrow and hopefully the developer will be at a more manageable temperature.

Cat Dreams

13-04-19

Fleur

While I was editing the following images Fleur was sleeping on my lap, she was dreaming, her ears were twitching and her paws were moving. I wonder what she dreams about, I’m guessing it’s chasing other cats from her territory as we have had quite a few new cats passing through. When she wakes she looks around and seems amazed she’s on my lap and not pursuing the interlopers.

First Signs Of Spring

Spring has been slow this year, the weather has been changeable so I’ve not been out Photowalking for awhile, just nipping out into the garden trying out my new secondhand macro lens. I’m finding it hard to get it to focus exactly where I want it to, but I’m getting there.

Weeds

Shy Bells

Sure Sign Of Spring

Hermit Impersonation,

06-02-19

and Weird Scenes Inside the Gold Mine House.

I’ve been doing a very passable hermit impersonation over the last couple of weeks, the weather has been pretty bad for photography. The forecast for today was quite good so last night I got a couple of film cameras loaded up and set the alarm for 7 am. The best laid plans ! at 3 am there were loud cat fight noises emanating from downstairs, I got up just in time to see Fleur seeing off a cat through the cat door, so many semi feral cats around here, back to bed and eventually sleep. At 5 am someone was knocking on the front door, thinking it was a neighbour in trouble I got up again and opened the door, there was a young man that resembled (without my glasses on) a triangle (base upper most) with a football on top, “can I use your toilet” Me calmly, “no it’s the middle of the night and I’m half asleep” door shut. Very weird, possibly checking to see if anyone was at home. I managed to get up at 7.30am and set off to Dams Spinney the place I visited a couple of weeks ago with some friends.

Last PhotoBuddies Meetup

Me admiring my photobuddies light painting images, they are really good.

I Wonder If They Will Leave Any

Midnight Visitor (He had just eaten a dish full)

Fleur

Been listening to lots of music over the last couple of weeks, my tastes seem to be getting more eclectic, Frank Zappa, Electronic, Madonna, Robben Ford, and Robbie Robertson to name a few.

Chillin

Love that paw.

The walk in Dams Spinney was lovely, there were early signs of spring arriving and I managed to shoot a roll of film and finish off a roll of homemade Redscale. On the way back this field was full of ponies, what a pleasant surprise.

 

There were more coming over the hill and a young foal was thoroughly enjoying itself galloping around the others.

What a great end to the walk, according to my phone app it was 5 miles, I needed it, I could feel myself slowly seizing up.