Wishful Thinking

Gail and I went on a bit of a ten day road trip around Devon and Cornwall a few weeks ago, but I haven't got around to editing many of my photos yet, due to other commitments. So I have two weeks missing from the blog. But hope to start filling in the missing days from tomorrow.

So I thought I would make a bit of a start tonight, with a street scene from St Ives in Cornwall. With it's quaint little streets, and of course the harbour and beaches, meant that I took an awful lot of photos. Gail did too.

One of the highlights was to see our dear friends Stewart & Julie renew their wedding vows after ten years of marriage. Stewart is a photographer and blogger like me, while Julie's main passion is textiles.

A few months we received our invitation to join them in St Ives for their celebration, and as both gail and I have never visited the west country, we jumped at the chance.
It was a lovely sunny day, and everything seemed to go perfectly, right down to the pub meal afterwards.

Wish we were back there, as it's a fabulous place.

Sun, Sand And Stripes

This week Beeston has had it's very own seaside called Beeston Bay, as the council has turned Broadgate Park into a costal resort.

It's been great for the kids, with sand, games, entertainment and stories to keep them amused during the present holiday season.

Today Beeston Bay has become Party in the Park, with live bands, fairground rides and water boats. There has also been a giant mermaid walking around and squirting people with bubbles. It's been lovely and sunny too.

It's a shame that the event has only been on for the week, as it has given the children and parents something to do, and without having to spend bus fare on going to the one in the Old Market Square.

Seaside Stripes

We are off to Suffolk today for the weekend. Ipswich in fact. We've not been there before.

It wasn't a bad three hour drive down. Mostly on the motorway.

We arrived at the B&B that we were staying at to drop off our luggage. Then we decided to go to the seaside town of Felixstowe, which is about 10 miles away.

I was pleased to see a sandy beach and lots of different coloured beach huts. One had been painted in many different colours, as you can see.

Tuesday Tidy-up

Here's last week's Headbanger Challenge silver medal winning photograph.

The theme that I came up with, as it was my turn to choose was stripes. And so I took this photo of some striped candies that were for sale in the Old Market Square.

Tomorrow is of course Wednesday, and so the new theme and photographs will be revealed. Although I have changed my header already; as I know what the theme is!

Stripes

Apologies to all, but Gail and I have been a little late with our Headbanger Challenge entries this week. This has been down to spending a great Wednesday evening talking photography to friend of ours. We stayed longer than we intended, but he was so interesting to talk to, and he showed us how Lightroom worked and what you can do with it. So this may be the next piece of software we buy for our Macs. Thanks Jurgen, you're a pal.

So this weeks theme is mine, and I've gone for stripes. Quite a good subject to show, as you see stripes absolutely everywhere. So I wasn't short of ideas. But I saw this display of stripy lollypops and candies for sale in the kiosk around the Old Market Square that arrived with the substitute seaside a couple of weeks ago.


The sweets on sale adds to the idea of being at the seaside, although we only see pigeons in the city centre, rather than seagulls. They look rather eye-catching and so I thought a photo of them would make an ideal header.

Do pop over and see the others' ideas and work of how they have interpreted my theme.

Flash Flood

Whilst I was out at lunch today, I got caught in the most torrential downpour. I managed to dive for cover, whilst the heavens opened.

So I stayed undercover whilst I took a few photos of the people running about with their umbrellas looking for somewhere dry.

I was going to save this photo for Wednesday's Headbanger Challenge, but hopefully I'll be able to find something else by then.

Travelin In A Fried Out Combi

Due to me having to be in London yesterday, I was unable to post this week's Headbanger Challenge photo. It's Gail's turn as well, and she has gone for 'tattoo'.

Something different, I'm sure you'll agree. I was hoping to come across a really artistic tattooed person on my travels, but that illusive illustrated man (or woman) didn't make an appearance.

So instead I've had a look through my archive, and remember taking a photo of this model, who I shot during one of fashion shows that we attended sometime last year.

Although there are a lot of tattoos on her arms, they do seem quite tasteful. I wonder if her left arm isn't finished yet, as it's not so heavily decorated as her right one.

I don't think I'd ever want one. All that unnecessary pain. I wouldn't know what to have either. My late father had a couple on his arm. Nothing too outrageous, although I can't really remember now what they were. I think one might have been an anchor, as he joined the merchant navy when he was about 18.

Please click on the links, and see how the rest of the gang have interpreted the theme. Also enjoy this great piece of rock music while you do so.


I read on a recent Twitter post that the camper van that is used in the present theatre production called 'Grandpa In My Pocket', would be parked outside the Nottingham Playhouse for people to pose and take photos of it.

The play is aimed fairly and squarely at children, and is based on a children's television series of the same name. It is about a grandpa that can shrink when putting on a magical flat cap. So I just had to go and see for myself. And what a lovely vehicle it is. Brightly painted with a seaside theme. The vehicle actually comes from the TV show and is called Mr Blue Sky, or Campo.

I was talking to the owners about it. They run a company called FREEBIRD CAMPERS and is based in Wiltshire. They hire out these campers, so people can have touring holidays, and go where they like during the rental period.