Hi there
I've been away for a few days (in case you missed me!).
A friend and I have been to the New Forest. We stayed here in Lyndhurst. An absolute bargain to be honest, although we had to pay in full, up front, and there were no cancellation options. But it was perfect for us - there was no way we were going to cancel.
We did some walking. (Nurofen saw me through the painful foot bits!) Some shopping for Christmas gifts, we used the hotel pool and sauna. The rooms were clean and comfortable and the food wonderful. There may have been some wine, and there was definitely lots of chatting and a fair bit of laughter. Considering it is November, the weather was kind to us. No rain whilst we were walking, although it was very wet underfoot and it certainly rained at night.
It was a bit of a shame to come back to reality today to be honest, but I couldn't delay it any more, and Matt is singing in the Advent procession on Sunday which will be a great way to end the weekend.
x
I know I'm not alone, but I miss the bright sunlight at this time of year. So whenever, there is a glimpse of sunshine, I try and make sure I notice and enjoy it. Sort of breath it in, if that makes sense?
On Tuesday, as I was in the office, just doing the last few jobs of the day, I noticed that the sun was setting and creating a beautiful warm glow. My Miscanthus grass in particular looked spectacular as it was lit behind. Sort of glowing. I decided to stop work and grab my camera.
As is the case at this time of the year here, the light changes very quickly, and by the time I'd locked the office door, walked up the drive to my house, grabbed my camera, the light had changed and the grass was no longer catching the light. You will have to believe me it looked stunning. :)
I decided to try and capture the sunset as I spent a few minutes outside.
I hope you enjoy the photos as it's yet another grey day here.
x
Reflected in my kitchen window.
My new neighbour had a baby last week - a little girl.
I couldn't resist - a little blanket has been made. I knew there was a reason to have a stash of yarn. I had no trouble finding suitable colours and quantities :)
She popped round today for lunch, and I was able to give it to her. Thankfully she loved it.
I hope everyone is having a good week. it has been lovely and sunny today - I even saw a butterfly in the garden. The sunset was amazing. I will try and share those photos tomorrow.
x
Whilst I spent the day in London with my mum at Earls Court (photos to follow another day), Matt was asked to take part in the service in the village. I was sorry to miss this, but had already booked tickets for the day out. I know similar services took place all over the country yesterday, and I hope they continue for another 100 years. It is so important we remember those who gave their lives, and those who continue to put themselves at risk.
x
During half term I went to London with a friend to see the poppies. It is a truly amazing display - unlike anything I have seen or felt before.
My friend and I spent the entire day walking round the "installation" (she has a bad back, and I have a dodgy foot, so we weren't very speedy!) It was so warm we were able to stop and eat lunch outside, overlooking the river. We also enjoyed tea and cake outside. Who would have thought that would be possible in October!
I'll let the photos do the talking.
x
Last year, I was lucky enough to get a new camera for my birthday. Most of the photos I take are of Matt (and his friends) playing sports. I usually share them with the other members of the team, parents and school. It has become quite a "tradition" for me to share the days match photos by Sunday evening, and school have started using the photos on their marketing literature, which makes me feel very happy. So my new camera has been put to good use. Although the quality of the photos is due to the lens and camera rather than my skill.
I also have a macro lens which takes great photos of flowers in my garden.
But if I'm honest, the "everyday" lens doesn't get much use and despite my good intentions, I stick with the various auto settings, playing it safe whenever I use my camera.
A few months ago, when glancing through my National Trust newsletter, I saw that they were offering an Autumn Photography class at Nymans Gardens I think it was around £15 for the morning but I may be wrong, but I don't think it was too expensive. I booked on, thinking it would be a fun thing do, and hoping I would get some hints and tips for taking some better Autumn photos. I had assumed that my foot recovery would be slightly further ahead than it is, but I was determined to still go. So my slightly dodgy foot and I set off yesterday for a morning of photography, in the sunshine. Wasn't I lucky! I was just hoping for a dry day (my camera isn't happy in the rain), but I never imagined I'd be walking around in a t-shirt and jeans with my sunglasses on. The only downside was that on such a beautiful day, the gardens got very busy, and they even had to close the car park as they were full!
Anyway, I digress. It was a small group of 9 of us, plus the course leader, an experienced photographer. It was quite scary turning off the auto settings, but with guidance and encouragement, after a classroom session, a group walk, we then set off on our own to take photos before coming back to "The Potting Shed" to discuss and share what we'd achieved, whilst eating a slice of cake and drinking a cup of tea. I learned so much. In fact, I now want to learn more. My camera can do so much more than I thought. I now just need to understand more, and be a bit braver and more confident.
Would you like to see some photos?
Here is a small selection.
If you would like to see all the photos I took, you can follow this link. I know my followers are lovely people and won't abuse it, so will leave the link open "publicly" for a week or so.
Aren't I lucky, another day doing something for myself, and today I took my Dad's wife to a card making class. :) Tomorrow will be a day of catching up with the washing and hoovering before going back to work and school on Monday.
Wishing you a happy weekend.
x
