Sound and Colour

My troublesome lumbar discs have been troublesome of late, hence my absence from Blogland last week.  I could barely walk properly, let alone sit down and type.  

Whilst swimming is usually the exercise of choice for loosening muscles, I took, what turned out to be a misguided trip to the pool.  Although my swim initially alleviated symptoms, they were back with a vengeance later that day and that evening, I found I was unable to turn over in bed without excruciating pain.  Ice packs and anti inflammatory tablets were the order of the day, accompanied by copious amounts of chuntering.  I even purchased one of those support belts, but eventually saw the light and brought forward my monthly tune up with Nigel the Chiropractor.  

On the walk down, I marvelled at the Cherry Blossom.  Call me a Diva, but I would like to walk everywhere, always, on a carpet of pink petals.

I'm still a little stiff, but the painful spasms have subsided enough for me to sit down for a type and a chat.  In terms of swimming, with lower disc problems, the choices appear to be breast stroke with front crawl leg kicks (although coming up for air can result in lower back pressure) or back stroke.  In the meantime, walking never hurt anyone!  We all know boots are made for walking and there's a stonking pair coming up shortly.

So what have I been up to since my last post?  Well, the teen of the house had a party during the last weekend of the Easter holidays and we were banished to the bedroom.  We would have gone out for the evening, but Gareth was in the throes of the dreaded lurgy I had magnanimously shared with him.  So, after an evening stroll, we snuck in through the front door, greeted a gaggle of girls in the hallway with the words: "You haven't seen us!" and promptly disappeared upstairs with a bottle of wine.  We left them variously gathered around the partially completed fire pit area (formerly dominated by a bramble entangled trampoline) and spilling into the house.

My memories of the past couple of weeks are sketchy to say the least.  There has been a great deal of admin and the kind of mundane day to day activities that I pretend not to participate in for the purposes of an entertaining blog.  

I took a few woodland-in-spring shots.  Pictured here are the highly invasive Spanish Bluebells....

....although we do have some native Bluebells dotted here and there.

Forget-me-nots.

Tree shadow puppetry.

Look!  Not one, but two Buzzards!

Other snapshots from this period include a flock of homing pigeons circling over some local rooftops.  

Last Saturday, I played second shooter at a local wedding, although my back was groaning after a short drive to an area of bluebells to capture the happy couple in all of nature's glory.  Still, it was a small price to pay for such a stunning scene.   Here are just a few shots from the happy occasion...

...and an experimental "colour wash" photo (I was probably high on painkillers at the time, but quite like the result).

It does seem a crime to do black and white edits of such vibrant spring colours, but I can't resist the drama.  What do you think?

When I returned home, Gareth surprised me with this pair of Loblan cowboy boots I had been eyeing up for ages.  The company was formed in 1959 and has carved out a reputation for quality raw materials and painstaking workmanship.  Priced steeply at £65.00 (second hand), I decided to monitor the situation periodically in the hope that they would reduce the price.  Finally, they had were reduced to half price and Gareth snapped them up.  They are a size 5 and I'm a 6, so I'm hoping they will fit.  In my decrepit state and with Gareth's assistance, I managed to get one boot on, which felt OK, but I will wait until I'm fully recovered before trying to wrestle these beauties on for a proper outing.

I also bagged a world famous 1970s Dartmouth Pottery Gurgle Fish Jug for £2.50 on the way back from having my back tuned.  It has taken pride of place in the upstairs bathroom in front of one of our old stained glass windows and does indeed gurgle, when water is poured from its gaping mouth.

As for the garden, spring is where it's at here at "Aifa".  Did I ever mention, we named our house after a woodland spirit?  I read years ago that Aifa was a woodland spirit.  Unfortunately, I can't for the life of me remember where I read this or now find any source to back it up, so you'll have to take my word for it.  Gareth made the sign which still hangs outside our front door.  I later discovered that AIFA also stands for the Association of Independent Financial Advisors and so, whilst the sign still hangs proudly, we don't tend to use it.  Thankfully, no one has yet come knocking, asking for mortgage advice.

As you can see, the wisteria is just starting to flower.  It's our one big gardening success story and we quite often have cars stopping to look at it during its fleeting performance.

Here's a sneak peak.

In other news, our new bird feeder hasn't deterred Squirrel Nutkins, caught in the act yesterday.

Lotte the cat also committed the ultimate cat crime by catching - and losing - a mouse inside the house.  When Lotte first decided she was going to live here, she would come in through the bedroom window (I like sleeping with the window open).  This arrangement shows no sign of changing and in the dead of night a few nights ago, we heard her come in through the window and announce her arrival, very loudly, all the way down the stairs (a sure sign she has brought us a gift).  For anyone wondering, we do have a cat flap, but it's programmed with the microchip number of our previous cat, Mowzer. We both instinctively know that it would be futile to try and remedy this situation and train Lotte to use it.  She lives by her own rules!  Look at her!  She has no shame!  

There has been less gardening, more pottering this week, with Gareth also seeking chiropractic torture for a neck and shoulder issue.  I say torture, because he was subjected to acupuncture, a knee in the back and a discombobulating neck manoeuvre.  

Still, it's clear that spring is officially early this year.  Everything is daring to bloom...from the raspberry ripple tinted tulips (yet again, I have forgotten which varieties I planted),  

to the bursting buds of Mexican Fleabane, ready to spill out of the chimney pots once again.

More Forget Me Nots (or Birds' Eyes) - no doubt deposited by their namesake.   I don't mind.  

They have even taken up residence in the herb planted wheelbarrow, 

which is also playing host to this little arachnid.

In the pond, the Marsh Marigold is vying for attention with the water lily...

..and the tadpoles (trust me, there are more than two!)

Leading up to the pond, you can see my tree peony in the foreground (bottom left).  It's alive and kicking but no sign of any flowers yet.  It's only in its second season, so I need to be patient.

These native British grasses I planted in the rockery around the steep bank at the rear of the pond recently, catch the light beautifully.

In fact, the light this morning was exquisite.  I do love a bit of bokeh!

To finish off, I'll leave you with some sound, colour and light play, captured on a recent walk along the canal and shared as an Instagram reel.  

 https://www.instagram.com/reel/CcabSHwD9WJ/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Speak soon!

Cold, Cold Heart

 

I find that whenever I have to set an alarm, I sleep lightly, stirring frequently in the hour or so prior to the designated wake up time.  Last Saturday was no exception and so I was ready when the 7.30 am alarm call sounded.  I think adrenalin and excitement had kicked in, as I was booked to accompany a lovely local wedding photographer as her second shooter.  My role was to cover the groom's preparations and capture the bridal party's arrival at the wedding venue.

For once my ageing Sat Nav behaved and we were on the same page when it came to the route to the given address, so no "do a U-turn" monotone mantras for me!  I arrived in good time and was greeted by a groom still in jogging bottoms.  

Inside, the best man, ushers and the groom's young son were all suited and booted...and so the preps began.  There is no time for awkwardness in these situations and despite it being well over 18 months since my last foray into the world of wedding photography, I was soon back into it, balancing precariously on a toilet seat to photograph the groom, over his shoulder, in the bathroom mirror and rearranging patio furniture outside to ensure clean lines and an interesting backdrop in the garden for the group shots.  

The 90-minute window flew by and I managed to snag one of the limited parking spaces outside the venue, bracing myself for heavy rain.  Thankfully I was able to discharge my duties before the heavens opened, the weather was abysmal and I felt for the couple.

As the principal photographer edits my photos to ensure that they are presented in the same style as her own shots, I don't have any I can share just yet.  It certainly wouldn't do to share them before the bride and groom have seen them.

However, couples are usually made aware that a selection of their photos might be used in the future for promotional purposes.  Having been bitten by the bug again, I re-visited some of my previous efforts with a view to updating my website and starting a separate wedding/events Instagram account.

Here are a selection of early efforts.  I have tried to apply a certain style to each set befitting my memories of the day.

 

The final batch were taken at my very first solo shoot in the summer prior to the pandemic.  This was a very relaxed affair - a stunning venue, natural light photography, not too many formal shots and the most welcoming wedding party who seemed to make it their mission to feed me.  It was a wonderful first experience.

Unfortunately, for the rest of the week, I have had my first cold for over 18 months and it was a beast!  A friend had reported having a cold and almost dismissing it as such before taking a lateral flow test and getting a positive result.  I had been taking daily LF tests which were coming out negative, but after feeling a little better, on the third day I developed a persistent cough and decided to book a PCR test.  Thankfully the test result was negative and I am much improved.  However, the accuracy of lateral flow tests is concerning.  Our son has a few friends who have in the last few months had Covid infections.  On each occasion, their lateral flow tests were negative, even at the peak of their symptoms.  Only the PCR tests proved positive.  Now, the UK government looks set to scrap PCR tests for travel in favour of lateral flow tests...

So, in the throws of a bad cold, I have pretty much kept myself to myself this week and only in the last couple of days, have I ventured out for a couple of solitary walks.  For the record, my really irritating, persistent cough all but disappeared after 24 hours.  This could have been pure coincidence, but I did indulge in not one but two hot toddies on Thursday night - hot water, juice of half a lemon, some honey to taste and a measure of brandy. (It was definitely a two hot toddy cold).  

As you may recall, I've been conducting my own experimental photography exhibition by placing photos I have taken over the last 18 months in and around the area - ideally close to the locations in the photos.  I do this sporadically, in batches and the results have been mixed.  Some have trickled in quite quickly....

....including a private message from the grand daughter of the owners of Enville Hall (pictured)...

...who discovered this Autumnal shot taken and placed somewhere on the estate.

Others remain insitu; overlooked (amazing when we live in an area of curtain twitchers) or collected, but not shared on social media channels.  I don't mind this too much - the recipient could well be an individual from a demographic not predisposed to embracing the world of online interaction.  As long as they like the photo and it brightens their day, that's good to know.

First thing on Friday morning, I headed through the garden gate and into the wood to capture the first of the early Autumn mists.

My favourite oak

Startled Wood Pigeon

Walker in the woods

On my return, I reached for a macro extension tube to capture some Autumn indicators in closer detail.

Morning dew

Tiny fungi

Abandoned, water-filled pigeon egg shell

Transitioning colours

Tangled up in blue - web covered lace cap

After spending much of the week feeling exhausted and dosed up on paracetamol, I decided my body needed to move.  My woodland escape was very leisurely, given that fresh air and photography were the priorities.  I reached for my long neglected nordic walking poles and headed to the hills - Kinver Edge to be precise.   I love walking, but they can often end up more of a stroll and the natural tendency is to adopt a more relaxed posture, whereas nordic walking provides a full body workout, because you have to move your arms into a handshake motion and then back and forth, keeping them straight, thereby giving the sticks purchase on the ground and working your upper body and increasing the heart rate.  I'm old enough not to give a hoot about funny looks and wisecracks.  Due to a couple of troublesome discs, my bothersome back has put paid to my running days, but I love to just put on a pair of shoes and exercise from anywhere without any pre-planning and so nordic walking's quite a good option for me.

Anyhoo, given that I had poles attached to my wrists, I was sans camera, but fear not, here's a photo from a couple of weeks ago, in sunnier times, of Kinver's resident long horns soaking up the last of the summer sun.

I haven't posted any outfit photos recently, but here's my latest acquisition - a vintage knit, purchased from a local charity shop just prior to my nordic walking adventure.  A true case of fashion informing life.  So something else I'm now clearly old enough for - a "fun" jumper.  Who'd have thought Gyles Brandreth would ever one of my style icons?  It's a slippery slope!

Last night's TV viewing was all about the final episode of BBC's The North Water and Colin Farrell's terrifyingly dark but Oscar-worthy performance.  Edge of the seat stuff!

Tomorrow, I am meeting up with a friend for a long overdue catch up.  It's madness considering we live less than five minutes apart and both simply have to open our garden gates to the woodland beyond if we want to go for a walk together.  Circumstances and work have kept us apart, but tomorrow, we will be wearing a groove in the path around the perimeter.  I predict it will be a two lap chat.

What are you up to?