Photo Challenge – Page 214

When the world was Brown

Ed is a truck driving photographer from Tennessee who hosts a photography challenge blog called Sunday Stills here on WordPress.

This week Ed would like to see something BROWN.

Ed wants us to think outside the box – now that comes easy to me as I am always thinking of unusual ways to interpret a challenge. So perversely my entry this week is quite safe – images of the North Norfolk coast in last year’s winter snow when everything was bleached of any colour with the exception of a natural brown palette.

(click on an image to enlarge)

Hogweed

Something from the War

Ducks at Blakeney

Blakeney

Getting your Ducks in a Row

I admit to using a sepia effect on the header photo, but the rest of the images are as seen, with some slight processing of saturation and levels.

Unusual Things You Find Inside a Garden

Ailsa of “Where’s My Backpack?” has been pondering her visits to gardens around the world this week. If you would like to join in with her challenge then please do. Everyone is welcome.

And I am combining this with the Weekly Photo Challenge from WordPress: Inside.

As some of you will know I do have another blog which is specifically for flowers – Earth Laughs in Flowers – and if you click this link you will be able to read about some of the gardens I have been enchanted by and see some lovely flowers and plants.

But for this challenge I am going to show you some of the odd sculptures and statues that have caught my eye whilst wandering inside the gardens, beginning with the infamous Eden Project in Cornwall.

(click on an image to enlarge)

Next is a visit to the National Botanic Garden of Wales.

'Pi' by Rawleigh Clay — ‘Pi’ by Rawleigh Clay

And finally a few sculptures that have appeared in my favourite garden, RHS Wisley in Surrey.

What unusual things have you found in a garden?

A Lingering Look at The Round Market

This weekly challenge is hosted by Dawn from ‘The Day After’ who invites participants to post pictures of any windows that they find curious, inviting, photogenic, or in some way tell a story. Visit her blog to see more windows and/or to join in with the challenge.

When visiting Tenbury (Wells) we grabbed a Tenbury Heritage Trail map from the tourist office and set off to admire the buildings from Tenbury’s past. After looking around the Pump Rooms (last week’s post) we carried on into Market Street, which leads into Market Square and where we discovered another unusual building that was also built by James Cranston.

The Round Market (which is actually oval) was built to enable the farmers’ wives to sell their butter and poultry inside, with walls to keep out the wind and rain. Market Days are still held on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday.

But as usual I was drawn to the wonderful windows – just look at the shapes above the gateway! And the trefoils and quatrefoils at the top of each window (click image to enlarge). Divine.

(source of information from Tenbury Tourist Information Centre )

Nature in Black and White

Cee’s Black & White Challenge: This black and white challenge is topic related and this week the theme is Found in Nature .

One of the most amazing places that I have been to is Yosemite Valley. The incomparable scenery, soaring cliffs, spectacular views and cascading waterfalls moved me so much that I wrote this piece about my feelings.

(click any image to enlarge and see the details)

Here are a few photos from that natural wonder. I hope they make as much an impression on you as they did on me.

*Mount Watkins Reflection at Mirror Lake*

J for Jawab

frizztext hosts a weekly A – Z Challenge

Event Type: General Blogging

Start Date: Tuesdays, recurring weekly

Description: Every Tuesday I offer the “A to Z challenge”, walking step by step through the alphabet.

If you would like to join in then please click here

The Taj Mahal, still one of the Seven Wonders of the World, attracts millions of visitors each year. The traditional southern view of the white domed mausoleum doesn’t always demonstrate the sheer scale of the building, nor take into affect the remainder of the integrated structures on the complex and its harmonious proportions.

Jawab - facing west — Jawab – facing west

At the far end of the complex, there are two grand red sandstone buildings that are open to the sides of the tomb. These identical buildings flank the main tomb effectively and help to present the white marble monument in an aesthetic setting and form an integral part of the Taj design.

At the western side is the mosque (masjid) facing east, reported to have been built by Isa Muhammed 1631-1648. More about this when we reach M. On the eastern side is the Jawab (literally “answer”; a building mirroring the mosque) and providing aesthetic balance to the site. At the time of my visit the Jawab was covered in scaffolding, so I wasn’t able to go inside.

One of the most beautiful structural compositions in the world, the Taj Mahal was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983.