Jul 18 2012

Kurume Azalea Festival

Nekotoban was kind enough to share these photos with me in a recent email and I thought I would share them with you lot as well. Photos taken at the Kurume Azalea Festival back in April. What I’d give to go and see this for myself!

Jul 6 2012

Foliage

Sad perhaps, but sometimes foliage makes me happy 🙂 I love looking over the benching and seeing the different colours.

Yes, very sad indeed!

Jun 11 2012

Sunday Walk

Yesterday’s walk in the sunshine was along the coast at Belfast Lough. The dogs were bouncing around in the water which was about the only thing to make ripples on a day were it resembled a Mill Pond.

Loved this little sail boat that kept pace with us for a few miles.

Smudge cooling down.

A strange shark with a fin shaped like an elbow!

Walking buddies.

Herron on the rocks.

Pretty in yellow.

May 20 2012

Pioneer Tree

I spotted a photo on a Bonsai bark post the other day and it reminded me of a similar one I took back 2002 in Beleek, County Fermanagh [home of Beleek Pottery] It took a day or two to find it but I found it buried in a folder. It’s a little Birch taking root on an old jetty stump out on the Lough.

It was nice to look back at the photos of my kids fishing on the jetty with their Granda. If only they were still that size now!

This is the photo that got me searching.

May 5 2012

Dundrum Coastal Path

Managed to stop here for a few minutes the other day just to unwind. My wife Allison can be seen taking in the view on what was a very warm but hazy day. It would appear that only the locals know about this spot. One of these days I’ll have to walk the length of it for a better look.

Also spotted an apple in flower along the path.

May 3 2012

Pretty in Yellow

Spotted this field of Rape in flower today near Killyleagh County Down.

Not a great spot to stop the car, but worth it 🙂

May 1 2012

Sunday Signs!

On my usual Sunday walk I couldn’t help but notice just how often we came across signs telling us what not to do. I’m aware signs are helpful but I am getting a little tired of being ‘SHOUTED AT’ in capitals everywhere we go. For example….

and this one was kinda hard to miss!!

This was the only one I liked for obvious reasons 🙂

OK rant over, here are some more calming photos taken on the walk.

Wild primrose

Would love to know what this is..

A close up of the flowers

and now for the wildlife, Spotted this Pheasant in a recently planted field.

A Buzzard circling overhead.

Gulls

Mallard Ducks in flight

Hooded Crows

Evil looking crow 🙂

Pied Wagtail

Wood Pigeon

The hardest one of all was trying to capture a photo of a House Martin in flight. These are the only two that look even half right.

and this big fella to finish. He was keeping a close eye on my dogs.

Apr 27 2012

Majestic Scotties

It’s hard to beat a mature Scots Pine.

Great spot for a birds nest too 🙂

Apr 23 2012

Bet it Still Works Too.

Apr 8 2012

Happy Easter

Happy Easter, and as it’s Easter Sunday, I’m not taking my usual walk. However, here are a few from last weekend that I haven’t shared as yet.

I was just talking to Stephen on the walk about how you rarely see wild Primrose any more and about 100 yards later we see this 🙂

On Easter Sunday Scrabo Tower is a busy place to walk as many people attend a Sunrise service and in the afternoon many local children, mine included, roll their eggs down the hill.