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 26 2012

Belfast Skyline

Snapped these first two recently whist driving past. I’ll rephrase that! I snapped these whilst a passenger in a car driving past 🙂 They are the famous Harland and Wolff Cranes that can be seen in Belfast docks area , now called the Titanic Quarter. They were built in the late 60’s, early 70’s around the time I was born and are called Samson and Goliath.

They are truly massive erections 🙂

This photos shows both and gives you a better idea of scale.

Apr 18 2012

Sparrows

These Sparrows have been doing a grand job of keeping on top of the insects on a few of my trees. Supposedly on the decline in the UK, my garden is full of them. That’s great until you moss a tree for a show

Apr 16 2012

Malus in Flower

Malus just reaching it’s peak of flowering.

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.

Stephen snapping away

Gorse/Whinbushes covering the quarry face

Blackthorn in Flower

The next Rory McIlroy, Darren Clarke , Fred Daly or Graeme McDowell.

Northern Ireland is the promised land for golf’s best players 🙂

This is Scrabo Golf Club. A tight course!

Some of Strangford Lough’s 365 Islands

Patchwork Quilt, County Down

Wild Flowers

Scrabo is famous for it’s bluebells. These are among the first to appear.

Blackthorn Hedge

Spring is Sprung

Doggie Dust Trails 🙂

Amazing trunk on an old Hazel

Apr 6 2012

Pleione Orchid Accent

This Pleione Orchid is emerging and will flower in the next few days. Short lived flower but worth it.

Apr 2 2012

Heads in the Sun

A few Trees in the Sun. I usually take photos in the garage but sometimes it nice to get a little natural light on the tree.

Japanese Larch

Shohin Hawthorn

Another Hawthorn

Fuji Cherry Finished Flowering

Apr 2 2012

Malus Coming Into Flower

Here are a few photos taken of 3 Malus that I have just coming into flower.

A few other Spring photos to enjoy too.

Mar 26 2012

Big Bumble!

Managed to snap a few quickies off when this big bumble bee paid a visit to my Fuji Cherry. Focus not great but he just refused to sit still 🙂

Mar 26 2012

Cotoneaster Air Layer Repot

Some of you following the blog may remember me air layering this cotoneaster last year.

The original Post can be viewed HERE

Today I decided to repot the layer to allow spreading of roots and to get it into a more suitable pot. I had picked up a Stone Monkey Pot for it at the BSA Auction and was keen to get it potted up.

This is it after 7 months after removal in a training pot.

I was able to comb out the roots and remove the bulk of the layering sphagnum moss. It had even issued roots from the lower branches into the soil! This is the Stone Monkey pot ready for the tree. What I love about this little pot is that even though it’s small time has been taken to add wire holes. A big help.

And the little tree potted up. It needs clipped in a little further but I’ll let it settle in it’s new home for a few months before I do anything else.