photography – Page 129

little things in life

A fellow blogger and friend has been posting some images of spring in Australia including close-ups of moss starting to sprout. It prompted me to take my new macro lens down to the river where I knew moss grows abound and where I had seen some tiny fungi growing just the other day. Unfortunately it was quite dark by the river (it is flanked by a high cliff and trees on the one side) and moss isn’t as attractive in its latter stages, but I did find the fungi and a few interesting little things to photo. They are not the sharpest of images, but as I have mentioned over on the flower blog where you will find more macro images, I am happy to record my journey with the new camera with the hope that as time goes on I will improve!

We will start with this quite small leaf covered with tiny hairs on which there were beads of moisture – from the early morning fog I imagine.

Next a look at some fungi – note that the puff ball ones are actually very, very small, probably the size of the nail on my little finger.

Then some moss – again with the droplets – ferns and a couple of flowers. I had not realised until now how much the spores on a fern look like tiny eggs.

Maidenhair Spleenwort (Asplenium trichomanes)

Herb Robert

Spores on harts tongue / Asplenium scolopendrium

Green Alkanet (Pentaglottis sempervirens)

Moss with droplets

Spores

Moss

And finally one insect (there was a spider too but the quality of that shot is far too embarrassing to post here) a bright red-brown fly. If you click on him to enlarge the image you will see the hairs on his back.

Bench series #39

For the month of September I’m looking for a Metal bench

Quatrefoils — Quatrefoil bench in Autumn

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: September
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 October.

This is the last week for your metal benches, next Sunday we start looking for ones with someone or something on it.

My Picks of the Week:

Kaz, another lady who lives in Sydney, took a photo of this bench some time ago, but it is metal and it is a beautiful shot so I am including it in my pick this week. Tish invites you to join her in a circular argument. Debbie is feeling chilly in Margate. Klara is back with a contemporary bench and Lori has another sculptural bench whilst Violetsky brings us something a little more normal from Scotland this time and Elaine heads back to New Orleans.

As always there are so many delightful benches to view, I hope you will check out the other links within the comment section.

This post is my 500th on this blog which is really weird because I have reached the 500th post on my flower blog too. I obviously take too many photographs! I would like to thank all my followers and readers for their likes and comments and all the wonderful conversations that occur on here. Who knew that blogging could be so much fun. Thank you all 🙂

Misericords of St Laurence – Part VI

The Parish Church in Ludlow is famous for its 15th century misericords in the chancel stalls. These ignored carvings are found underneath choir stall seats and are mostly found in areas of the country whose wealth came from the medieval wool trade. The largest collection is housed at Salisbury Cathedral (106) compared to Hereford Cathedral (40) and the 28 intricately carved designs here in Ludlow.

Finally I have managed to get some decent photos of them all, so let me introduce you to them:

South Side 11 – 15

S11: This is another famous misericord showing a drunken tapster drawing wine from a cask while holding the bung in his left hand. It shows the trusted servant who abuses his trust and was a well-known moral tale about a monk who grew addicted to the wine and ale under his charge.

S12: This one appears to be a celebration of the wine barrel, but is likely to be a homily on the perils of drink. The detail is exquisite – the diamond-shaped purses, the brass pots and jugs and the barrels with the wooden hoops.

S13: The figure here is either a pupil or schoolmaster at the school run by the Palmers Guild, which later became the Grammar School in Ludlow. The hooded masks at either side are puzzling. One male the other female which may indicate parents.

S14: Plain

S15: This appears to have been reconstructed from fragments and attached to a new seat, perhaps around the church’s restoration in 1860. The centre corbel is almost intact with a finely carved rose and fetterlock – an obvious Yorkist badge – by the same carver as N15. The single twisted ring may have been part of a garland of flowers representing York’s Garland which was too damaged to salvage.

Source of text: Historic Ludlow ” The Misericords and Choir Stalls” by Peter Klein (1986)

Misericords of St Laurence – Part V

Finally I have managed to get some decent photos of them all, so let me introduce you to them:

South Side 6 – 10

S6: Again flanked by two leaves, the swan was the badge of the Bohun family, although here it lacks the crown around its neck. Mary de Bohun married Henry Bolingbroke, later Henry IV who perhaps also used it.

S7: Some series of misericords represents the seasons and this one looks to be from January or February as it shows the finely depicted countryman at home by the fire and his stores nearby (the bacon hanging in the larder).

S8: This scene represents the medieval sport of wrestling, although it has been badly mutilated. On the right hangs a purse of money with a woolpack beneath; on the left is a saddled horse. Both would be prizes.

S9: This particular misericord is so badly mutilated that it is difficult to interpret. It appears to show the body of a fox surrounded by birds and possibly a scene from Reynard the Fox, which was popular during the Middle Ages.

S10: A beautifully carved Griffin is supported by griffin heads on either side. This creature is said to be the offspring of a lion and an eagle and said to watch over hidden treasures. It was adopted by Edward III as his badge, though in French moral tales the creature is symbolic of the Devil.

Source of text: Historic Ludlow ” The Misericords and Choir Stalls” by Peter Klein (1986)

Bench series #38

For the month of September I’m looking for a Metal bench

Clandon scrolled bench — Curvaceous in Claremont

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: September
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 October.

My Picks of the Week:

An absolute darling of a bench from Violetsky this week and please welcome Mike to the group with a bench to meditate on. Another newbie, Gillian, joins in with two pretty benches at Hidcote, one of my favourite gardens. Pauline finds a green one in another garden and Lisa has a lovely red Meccano set for us.

As always there are so many delightful benches to view, I hope you will check out the other links within the comment section.