Photo Challenge – Page 166

The difference a year makes…

Last year I was involved in a fascinating project run by Lisa of the blog NorthWest Frame of Mind to show what was happening in different parts of the world at the same time of day. One of the most interesting and challenging projects I have participated in. Anyway, one of my ‘hours‘ was to show the back of my Ludlow house and the abandoned allotment.

Last year poppies flourished and all matter of ~~weeds~~ wild-flowers grew. This year the plot is smothered in Valerian of all shades – deep red, deep pink and even white. Of the poppies there has been no sign. But the most magnificent rambling rose is tumbling over the wall and the potting shed has practically disappeared from view as the ivy reclaims it.

Last Year

Wild flowers flourish

Nature reclaims

The demise of the potting-shed

This Year

Lovely elderflowers

Beautiful roses

Valerian on the wall

White Valerian

Somewhere amongst this there is a potting shed

And a neigbourhood cat has claimed it for his crash-pad.

I shall link this post to the WPC Muse as Ludlow seems to have been a major source of inspiration for my photography over the last four years. The history of this Medieval town is fascinating; its importance hundreds of years ago when royalty lived in and visited the castle; the battles fought here in the War of the Roses. Its very position on the Marches – the turbulent Welsh/English border. With the rolling countryside surrounding the town and the wonderful open-air markets selling local produce along with all the festivals held each year this place has contributed enormously to my blog. I just hope I haven’t bored you 😀

Pendeen Watch

It was our first day in Bojewyan – a bright cornflower blue sky, cloudless and bright. Though the wind was sharp for the time of year and lazy at that as it cut straight through you. We walked the mile into Pendeen for a cooked breakfast at Heather’s café and sat outside in the minuscule courtyard, sheltered from the wind, basking in the sun and ate a full English along with a mango smoothie, followed by a flat white. It tasted good. It felt good. And it set us up for our stroll down to the coast to look for a lighthouse.

Looking back at Pendeen from the lighthouse road

It’s only about a mile, but it took us a while as we stopped every few yards to take a photograph. So much to stop and look at. Chimneys on the horizon of abandoned and disused tin mines. Drystone walls brimming with wild flowers. A ruined cottage. The sea. Interesting gates featuring roses and an engine house. Continue reading Pendeen Watch

Bench series #26

For the month of June I’m looking for a bench with ‘Art Effects’

lake burley griffin — Split screen, monochrome and colour – Lake Burly Griffin, Canberra

(This month I want to see photos with some post-processing – use your imagination, it can be subtle or bold as long as it includes a bench or even part of a bench!)

If you would like to join in with the Bench photo challenge then please take a look at my Bench Series page. No complicated rules, just a bench and a camera required 🙂

Create your own post and title it Bench Series: June
Include a link to this page in your post so others can find it too
Add the tag ‘bench series’ so everyone can find the benches easily in the WP Reader
Get your post in by the end of the month, as the new bench theme comes out on the first Sunday in July.

This is your last chance to post your arty benches as next week we move on to another theme 🙂

And for those of you who are interested here is the original:

DSCF8549 — Cropped at right-hand side to reposition the Carillion more to the right and the pathway on the left. Contrast adjusted, then Creative effect ‘Helena’ applied in Pixlr which splits the image into two B&W sections and a colour section in the middle.

My Picks of the Week:

Karen has been playing around with arty effects. See if there is anything you fancy here.
Jo sneaked in with some delightful edits at the end of last week and only a slight hint of rebelliousness.
Aletta has produced a pretty effect with her bench
Gilly has gone Gothic on me and Lisa (Daily Musings) has created a comic-book effect that is rather impressive. Finally one from Sylvia which is not only an amazing photo, but also beautifully enhanced.

Thanks to everyone for joining in with the creative benches, I have enjoyed seeing the results of you clever, artistic people and realise I need to ~~play with~~ learn how to use software editing packages.

Bench series #25

For the month of June I’m looking for a bench with ‘Art Effects’

kent railway 50s — Kent Railway Station platform reliving the 1950s – india ink in colour

(This month I want to see photos with some post-processing – use your imagination, it can be subtle or bold as long as it includes a bench or even part of a bench!)

If you would like to join in with the Bench photo challenge then please take a look at my Bench Series page. No complicated rules, just a bench and a camera required 🙂

Create your own post and title it Bench Series: June
Include a link to this page in your post so others can find it too
Add the tag ‘bench series’ so everyone can find the benches easily in the WP Reader
Get your post in by the end of the month, as the new bench theme comes out on the first Sunday in July.

And for those of you who are interested here is the original, not a great image I’ll agree, but sometimes a little creative editing can restore something you would like to keep:

DSCF2623 — Through a grimy train window. Image straightened. Contrast adjusted then applied the India effect in Pixlr with a 40% opacity to allow the colours to show through.

My Picks of the Week:

Take a look at Issy’s impressionist bench
or maybe Pauline’s water-colour is more to your liking?
I have a soft spot for Elaine’s dreamy image, now that would look nice in a conservatory.
Ruth blames for me for ~~wasting~~ enjoying time spent applying different effects to a few of her bench photos – see which you like best
and Meg accuses me of unleashing a demon! What can I say?

As always, thanks to everyone who has joined in. I find it fascinating to see what benches you all have in your digital shoe-box and how creative you can be this month 🙂

Monthly Photo Challenge: The Changing Seasons #6

Midsummer: Why midsummer? Here in the northern hemisphere summer has only just begun (1 June according to meteorological terms, 21 June in astronomical) so midsummer should surely be mid to late July? However, it actually refers to the summer solstice and is regarded as a very important holiday in the Scandinavian countries – 24 June this year in case you are interested.

Tourists have arrived now in their hundreds. Usually during this month the Ludlow Arts Festival is held, but due to economic reasons there isn’t one this year, a shame as I always enjoy the outdoor Shakespearian play. However there is a Fringe Festival so all sorts of odd things are going on around town.

The lime trees are fully in leaf now and you will notice that the benches are quite crowded today.

Date: June 14 2015
Weather: sunshine, cloud, thundery
Temperature: Warm (18°C)
Time: 13:30 – 18:00 PM

We’re going on a slightly different ‘walk’ today as it is the Secret Gardens opening and, as many of you will already know, I crave a garden so how can I resist a nosey into the backyards of my fellow Ludlovians? You may recognise parts of previous posts as the route covered some of the same ground, just not around the river.

Fringe band in Castle Square

Shrub roses in the churchyard

Scallop Shells

See that honeysuckle? (June)

Along the Teme

Green Alkanet (June)

Yes, it is almost time for Wimbledon

Millennium Green is very busy. Children paddling in the water (on Ludlow Beach) many others sprawled on the lawn where some arty thing is going on. I couldn’t quite make out what was being built, but it was sure colourful.

Ludlow ‘Beach’

Arty thing…

And I can show you a different view of the river as I am in a garden which backs onto it. A bit too close for comfort in my opinion as this river does flood on occasions.

Some of the lovely summer blooms I encountered.

Lots of roses

My favourite garden

Garden lights

Geums and Clematis

Another pretty rose (June)

Wasn’t expecting one of these though!

Herbs for sale

Especially for Pommepal

My final stretch is along Mill Street this time where I find an interesting statue and more evidence of the love of flowers people living here seem to have, as more containers line the front of their houses.

More containers (June)

Interesting statue (griffin?)

The Cardinal has decided to have a photo project going throughout 2015 – a blogging event, a monthly photo challenge. Find a location near your home, take somewhere between 5-20 photos and post them in a gallery in your blog. Continue to do this every month. The idea is to capture all the changes: the seasons, the weather, different times of the day, some night photography perhaps?