Monthly Photo Challenge: September

One thousand, nine hundred and seventy-five miles and I am finally back home in Cornwall. Not spent enough of this month at home to do a challenge post on the Cornish blog, so here is a summary of my September elsewhere in the UK.

Colchester Castle
Colchester Castle

Starting with a wedding in Colchester, Essex and then winding slowly northwards along the eastern side of the country to Edinburgh, where I met up with the delightful restless one – fellow blogger Jo who has now retreated to her home in the Algarve for a rest. Finishing with a relaxing week in the “Country of the Big Trees” – Perthshire and a brief stopover in Shrewsbury to visit the mother-in-law.

The wedding went off fine, a lovely bright and sunny day after a couple of humid and grey ones so the ceremony and the buffet were held outdoors. A beautiful cake made up of dozens of flower-iced cupcakes, unfortunately I prefer my cake to have more cake than icing and this wasn’t the case. Looked incredible though. And neither the bride nor her father managed to trip over on the uneven flooring!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Weather-wise it was a pretty good month. Began with hot and humid in Essex, a wet day in Norwich, sunshine and clear skies in Lincolnshire, back to hot and humid in Durham followed by a couple of days in the murky fog and damp, before becoming sunny and bright once more in Scotland. Rained pretty much all the way home, but you can’t have it all!

Glamis Castle, Scotland
Glamis Castle, Scotland

I will write about each of the places we visited in turn, once I have sorted through the hundreds of photos and caught up with stuff back home – not least the garden which appears to have gone wild during my absence.

[the header image is of the skyline in Edinburgh – for some reason the skyline caught my eye there more than anything else – all those spires and chimneys]

The Cardinal is continuing his photo project throughout 2016 – a blogging event, a monthly photo challenge. Read his blog for the new rules this year (he is running two versions) and to view his interpretation and those of other participants.

Benthall Hall

Situated on a plateau above the gorge of the River Severn, this fine stone house has mullioned and transomed windows, a stunning interior with carved oak staircase and decorated plaster ceilings and oak panelling. National Trust

DSCF4040
Benthall Hall – front view

It is always a good idea to look up at windows, you never know what you might see. Like the carved figure heads and hands.

DSCF4062
The side view – from the beautiful terraced garden

And an interesting Dovecote with a window

There is also a little Restoration church

DSCF3987
Restoration Church which includes an apiary

DSCF4041

This monthly 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.

Explore the Elements

Travel Photoblogging Challenge

Thomas Cook are looking for bloggers to publish photographs they’ve taken which best represent one of the four elements. All the categories are open to your interpretation, so you can be free to take a picture of anything you feel showcases your chosen element.

Thank you Julia’s Travels for nominating me.

(please click on an image for a larger view)

Earth

Represents the hard, solid objects of the earth. Associated with stubbornness, collectiveness, physicality and gravity

Earth

The incredible uplifted, tilted and eroded geological formations in Zion National Park in USA  demonstrate the shifting of layers upon layers of our earth.

Water

Represents the fluid, flowing, formless things in the world. Associated with emotion, defensiveness, adaptability, flexibility, suppleness, and magnetism

Water

The common harbour seal’s movements were fluid and beautiful to watch, causing the reflections of the boats at Fisherman’s Wharf, Victoria, BC Canada to distort and bend into a myriad of patterns.

Fire

Represents the energetic, forceful, moving things in the world. Associated with security, motivation, desire, intention, and an outgoing spirit

Fire

Dawn and a fiery sky over the Shropshire countryside. Red sky in the morning = Shepherd’s Warning and true to form later on in the day it rained.

Air

Represents things that grow, expand, and enjoy freedom of movement. Associated with will, elusiveness, evasiveness, benevolence, compassion, and wisdom

Air

A skein of geese flying  south at the end of a Canadian summer move with grace. The V formation they often fly in greatly boosts the efficiency and range of flying birds, particularly over long migratory routes.

How to enter:

  • Entrants must follow the online ‘Explore The Elements’ instructions to create their own blog entry.  Those entry instructions form part of these competition terms and conditions.
  • Only one entry per person is permitted. Multiple entries will be invalid.
  • Entries must be received by Thomas Cook by no later than 23.59 on 16 March 2015.
  • To qualify for entry, entrants must also nominate 5 of their fellow bloggers within their blog post.

My five nominations are:

  1. Another Day in Paradise
  2. A Word in Your Ear
  3. Beyond the Brush Photography
  4. Earth Under My Feet
  5. Memories are made of this

Good luck if you decide to join in 🙂
(and you don’t have to be nominated to enter)