Beasties – Page 36 – My Photo Blog

A really lovely day – 20 April 2016

Posted on April 20, 2016 by Zogman

Today was a lovely day from start to finish – unless you were a Rangers supporter because they were beaten 3 – 2 by Hibernian for some cup or league or other. Personally, I couldn’t care less.

Stayed in in the morning waiting for the postman to bring my second camera strap. This one destined for my E-PL5 or ‘5 as it’s now known. While I was waiting, I put my boots on and went and cut the front grass. It seemed a shame to just sit there on the step soaking up the rays when I could be doing some useful work and since Scamp had a muscle pain in her arm, the grass cutting would probably make it worse. Postman arrived just as I was finishing and he did indeed have the strap. A bit wider and more colourful than the previous black one. I’m quite impressed with the quality of these straps.

After a quick bite to eat I rolled the bike out and went for a run. The weather couldn’t have been better. Almost no wind and a blue dome above me. It’s a while since I’ve had a chance to wander over one of the wilderness walks and a bike is the only way to get there. No parking places nearby, so a bit of exploration and some exercise too. Didn’t do very many miles today, only about 6 miles all in, but hopefully I’ll get more done during the summer. I meant to mention in yesterday’s blog that I saw my first swallows yesterday. Three definite sightings.

As I was leaving, Scamp started painting an old orange box that will hopefully hold her sweet peas. The orange box must be over 30 years old and came from my mum and dad’s house. It’s wooden, probably beech and originated from Cyprus. It might have been my brother Alex’s toy box at one time. Notice the carefully mown lawn in the background!

While I was out I managed to get the shot of the spider hanging from its web. I liked the translucency of the body with the light shining through it.

Before I went out I took the preparatory shots for the Weemen picture and finished it off tonight in Comic Life via Photoshop. One more to go in the series.

Salsa tonight was easy as far as moves were concerned, but hard on the legs and feet. Scamp says it’s because of the concrete floor. I don’t know if that’s true, but it was sore on my wee feet.

May go in to Glasgow tomorrow if the weather holds.

Not very bright intervals – 21 March 2016

Posted on March 21, 2016March 21, 2017 by Zogman

Well, there were a few bright intervals today, but they were few and far between. Since Scamp was going for lunch with Gems, I got the bus in to Glasgow to get my hair cut and have a wander. The barber was a laugh. He was a political hot wire with an opinion and a conspiracy theory about everything. While I didn’t agree with everything, in fact with very little to be exact, it was a laugh and the time passed quite quickly. He recommended the film Idiocracy which I might just look out for. Wandered round the town looking for inspiration but found none.

I’m on the bus home now earwigging other folk’s conversations. Well, if they don’t want other people to know about their Tesco “disciplinary” then they shouldn’t talk about it on a bus and they definitely should reduce the output volume. It seems to be the case now that people talking on mobile phones in public assume that they are inaudible to all around them. If they were speaking to an actual physical person in their vicinity would they speak as loudly? I sometimes wonder if there is anyone at the other end of the phone connection.

Went to salsa tonight and noticed when I was sticking the parking ticket on the windscreen that the time on it was wrong. When I checked the time of issue, I found that it was almost an hour out. I wrote a note to the blue meanies that the machine was issuing tickets with the wrong time. I went back and photographed the display on the machine as the iphone would timestamp the image with the correct time. What else can you do in such a situation? If you don’t have evidence of the mistake, it’s your word against the blue meanies and we know who Glasgow Council will believe. I’ll check the time on the machine next time, and every time for a few weeks at least.

For the umpteenth time and the first time this year, I got a sheep tick. It appeared on my wrist underneath my watch. It always seems to be when I’m wearing the same jacket. I like it, but I think I may dispose of it now. These things are a menace.

Sitting in the Sun – 19 March 2016

Posted on March 19, 2016March 19, 2016 by Zogman

Sitting in the sun for a couple of hours at Loch Lubnaig. Taking foties, doing sketches and being amazed at the difference a day makes. Yesterday, all was grey, but today there’s blue sky all around.

We couldn’t decide where to go today and last night had almost settled on a trip round the shops in Stirling. This morning when we saw the bright blue sky, we re-evaluated our options. Finally we settled on Callander with the option of travelling on to Lubnaig if the weather permitted. The weather did permit and we did take the Lubnaig option. We drew in at the first of the new parking places which are so much better maintained than the old ones where the dobbers would overnight camp from Friday to Sunday. Buckfast bottles and who knows what else left behind. The only good thing about it was that it was free, but you didn’t wander far from your car in case it was propped up on bricks when you came back. Those days are gone now, so are the dobbers and the Buckfast. Now you’ve got to pay to park, but £1 for two hours is worthwhile for peace of mind.

I had hoped to see the seaplane land on the loch, but I think that company has now moved to Loch Lomond. What we did see were mountain climbers on a ridge, canoeists on the loch and a beastie on my painting. First time for a long while I’ve painted in public. It wasn’t the best effort, but it was a sketch and it was in the open air – I won’t use that arty-farty French expression, but it was fun.

An hour of good light – 9 February 2016

Posted on February 9, 2016 by Zogman

We had intended going to Ayr today, but the weather said NO! It rained all morning, then as predicted by the weather men (and ladies) it stopped at midday. Too late to go to Ayr, or anywhere else really, so we took some rubbish to the council tip. Hmm, not exactly exciting or scenic. However, it was worth a walk over to St Mo’s.

I spent an interesting and worthwhile hour in St Mo’s. The light was good, the ISO setting was reasonably low and I got quite a few shots. From the 70 odd shots I distilled the four above. Top left is a group of Cladonias lichen which will forever be called Green Trumpets by me. Top right is a wummin walkin’ her big dug. Try getting Google to translate that! Bottom right is a coot looking for some bread. I had none today. Bottom left is a rare Scottish Pink Haggis – the female of the species. It was grazing on grass near the old BMX track. They will feed on grass if there is no heather available.

Hoping for more sun tomorrow.

Monday Blues – 24 August 2015

Posted on August 24, 2015August 24, 2015 by Zogman

Have you ever had one of those days when you just don’t feel settled from the time you wake up? That’s how it was for me today. I just couldn’t settle down to do anything. I was a fidget!

Eventually I went out for a walk late in the afternoon and finally got some stuff done. It was still a bit breezy, but I got some insect pictures and some flower pics too. Instead of using the 70-300 lens, I used the much more reasonable and useful 105mm macro. Horses for courses, that’s what it’s all about.

Salsa as usual, but boring dance moves. Couldn’t get interested.

Tomorrow WILL be better

A full day – 18 August 2015

Posted on August 18, 2015August 18, 2015 by Zogman

It was up early as the weans were going to school and the teachers realised that the phony war was over and it was now the real start of term. I was determined to make the most of this auspicious day. 😉

After breakfast, the day started with the Gym & Swim thing. Gym was fine, but there were toddlers and their mums in the pool along with a really annoying teacher singing to the weans. Not the way I wanted my day to start, but I’ll know better for future. Avoid the baby swim time.

Went straight from there in to Glasgow. I did think that I should do a drive past of the school, but decided that was a step too far.
<Rant>Took a ticket at Cowcaddens and went to find a parking place. There were none. Why does the machine give out tickets when there are no spaces. Isn’t it simple to issue the number of tickets equal to the number of spaces? Is there a problem with this algorithm? It would appear that Glasgow Council just issue tickets to everyone who asks and if you can’t find a space, tough luck, that’s just the way it is.</Rant>
Anyway, sat ‘poaching’ and waiting for someone to leave and got a space 5 minutes later. Just went for a daunder round ‘the toon’. Got myself a mudguard for my bike and two posh cakes for pudding tonight from Patisserie Valerie. It was a good choice, judging by Scamp’s face when I got home. While I was there, I saw a healthy food stand in Buchanan Street, selling coconuts and advertising free WiFi. Healthy? Coconuts? FREE!!! WiFi? In Glasgow? What’s the world coming to? Where are the deep fried Mars Bars and the pints of heavy? I despair!

When I got home, the sun was still shining so after fitting the mudguard, I took the bike out for a run to try to find some puddles – not usually a problem in Scotland. I could not find one puddle to splash in because the magic weather fairies were still in charge. Apparently the magic weather pixies plane home had been delayed due to an air traffic controllers strike in Eastern Zogland. They are expected tomorrow.

Bummer

I see sunshine – 7 August 2015

Posted on August 7, 2015August 7, 2015 by Zogman

Yes, it’s been sunny all day. Completed a watercolour painting this morning. Not a new one really. It was one of the first ones I did in acrylic, but I always felt it would look better in watercolour. I’d done a sketch of it earlier in the week and it looked ok., Bits of the finished watercolour are good, the sky for instance, but there are other areas that look overworked to my eye. Onward and upward!

We took a walk down to the pub for lunch. Rather than the usual fish and chips, I had a carvery and just a little bit too much. Scamp was jetting off on the bus to the ‘toonie’ while I walked home, then went out to annoy the deer in St Mo’s. Saw and captured Mr Grey – the heron – a couple of dragonflies a froglet (or toadlet) and finally two deer. I imagine they were quite young, because they let me get quite close and didn’t run away far when I got too close. Two little Bambies!

By the time I got home, Scamp was already ensconced in the garden, so I set Lightroom to import the pics, and build the 1:1 previews while we decided it was Pimms o’ clock. A very enjoyable hour or so sitting reading in the sun with a Strawberry Pimms. Sometimes life is good.

Ants – 13 July 2015

Posted on July 13, 2015July 13, 2015 by Zogman

I was putting some old fruit in the compost bin today. When I opened the lid I was shocked to see a load of white eggs and hundreds of ants. I fed the fruit to the composter and put the lid back on then went in search of Mr Google to see if he had any thoughts on the problem of ants in the compost, and possibly a solution to get rid of the beasties. I was surprised to find site after site extolling the virtues of ants in the compost. Apparently they help with the decomposition of the vegetable matter. They also help aerate the compost and save gardeners the trouble of turning over the compost as they do that themselves. WIth that information, I returned to the composter with my Nikon and a Sigma 105mm macro lens and took the Shot of the Day, then put the lid back on. Welcome ants, friends not foes.

I got a watercolour sketch done today. Not entirely satisfied with it, but that’s the point of a sketch. I’ll try it again tomorrow. I’m not sure now if I will proceed on to a full size watercolour. I may change it to an acrylic using a technique I’ve read about in a book. If I try this technique and it works, I’ll write more about it later in the blog.

Lunch today was the pulled remainder of the meat from yesterday’s dinner. I’ll share a secret with you. It wasn’t really a dinosaur bone, it was an Aberdeen Angus Rib steak. It was delicious again today on a roll with brown sauce. I tried it with mustard too, but it wasn’t as good. Thanks JIC for introducing me to this.