St Mo’s – Page 97 – My Photo Blog

Unsettled – 11 September 2015

Posted on September 11, 2015 by Zogman

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For the last ex-work day this week, I was up and out by 7.20 to wander St Mo’s. Took some old bread to feed the ducks, but they didn’t seem all that interested. The swans were happy to snap up their allocation, but the ducks raced halfway across the pond, then just sat there watching. Look ducks, coots and sundry waterfowl, this is just any old bread, this is Marks & Sparks bread. Ok, have it your own way (or don’t actually), but the seagulls will be mobbing in a couple of minutes for it.

No deer, and the light just wasn’t what I wanted this morning. I can’t explain it, it just wasn’t right. Yes, it was bright and directional, but I didn’t find it creative.
I got a few shots of a spider on its web and another of backlit leaves. My third one is one of a flock of birds that kept flitting across the trees. The rest of the shots were deleted. The images from both the Nikon and Oly are taking up an amazing amount of space on the drive and I have to be more exacting in my attempt at reducing the amount of junk photos on the drive.

Scamp thought I was looking a bit fidgety and took me out for a coffee at lunchtime. I have to agree that I was a bit restless this afternoon. That’s what happens when you don’t get the photos you wanted in the morning!

Larger versions of today’s pics are available for viewing on my Flickr account. All photos copyright of Donald Campbell and are digitally watermarked and therefore are not available for use by anyone except me. If you wish to use them, please contact me in the first instance by using the comment section on this page.

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

Formula 1 and a walk in the park – 23 August 2015

Posted on August 23, 2015August 23, 2015 by Zogman

If yesterday was a lazy day, today was even lazier. The ‘highlight’ of today was watching a boring Formula 1 race from Belgium. After that, I took a walk to St Mo’s where I startled a deer in the chest high grass, not two metres from me. Unfortunately it was a young deer and as the grass was thick as well as chest high, I couldn’t get a clear shot at it – with the camera. No animals were injured on this deer hunt. I walked to the small pond and found not one, but four common hawker dragonflies circling the pond edge and occasionally dogfighting above it. All were too quick to catch. Well, I did catch one on camera, on the wing, but the image just wasn’t good enough to post. I may go out tomorrow if the weather is good (unlikely it seems 🙁 ). I didn’t feel like chasing the deer today, so settled for a few flower shots and one of a hoverfly. Difficult shots to get as it was warm but very windy. More frames than normal ending up on the cutting room floor.

Dinner tonight was braised Short RIb. Similar to the Dinosaur bone and almost as tasty.

Lazy days are good too.

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.

Settings Sorted – 3 August 2015

Posted on August 3, 2015August 4, 2015 by Zogman

I went out today to get some photos in the afternoon. The morning was spent painting in my case and that mysterious action “tidying up” by Scamp. I got one painting completed and one sketch done. Scamp got some ‘tidying up’ done, and yes, I did notice the difference. The photographs today were better than yesterday, much better. The ISO was higher, but at least the aperture and the shutter speed were what I had programmed. No deer today, but the dragonflies were out in force as were the damsels and some hover flies. All in all, a successful foray into the jungles of St Mo’s. Dancing class at night and knackered after it.

Sitting in the sun (without a raincoat) – 14 July 2015

Posted on July 14, 2015July 14, 2015 by Zogman

The day started like any other Scottish summer day with drizzle then heavier rain. It didn’t matter to me because I was waiting in for Yodel to deliver a parcel for Scamp. I used the time wisely by starting another sketch from the Italy cruise. One day I will be confident enough to sketch or paint from life rather than from photos, but not today. Watercolour in the rain? I don’t think so. I wasn’t very confident about Yodel, having had a parcel just before Christmas, simply disappear and have to her replaced. However, the parcel did arrive just after midday.

Since the rain had stopped and the sun had come out, Scamp decided to cut the grass. After that she wanted the gladioli to be tied up to prevent them being blown down and broken. This was my task. While doing it and getting cut to pieces on the roses that border the gladioli, I found a stray damselfly on the grass. I don’t think Scamp had mowed it with the grass, but the beastie wasn’t looking at its best. I carefully lifted it up and put it on a rosebud, hoping that it would find some aphids for lunch, but all the aphids on the roses were dead. The damselfly clung on to the rosebud and as far as I know, it’s still there.

After the gardening, we got out the lounger (for Scamp) and the camp chair (for me) and we both decided it was Pimms O’ Clock, and had a little refreshment reading and sitting in the sun. I sat for a very pleasant hour or so before I got itchy feet and went for a safari in St Mo’s. I got a few shots of Mr Grey, my favourite is here. I also was lucky enough to get some shots of a dragonfly in the classic dragonfly pose with wings out. There were a few damselflies out, but not as many as in the past few weeks. As July wears on, it’s usual to have a decrease in the numbers of damsels and an increase in the population of dragons. I don’t know if it will be the same this year with our cold summer. We can only hope that today is the start of some warmer weather.

A pint of beer and a fish supper – 10 July 2015

Posted on July 10, 2015July 11, 2015 by Zogman

Up at 7.30am and out for 8.00am for a Gym and a Swim. The weather at that time of the morning was very misty and there was little to see from the panoramic windows round the swimming pool. By early afternoon the mist had lifted and the sun was making it a much more pleasant day. We needed milk, so Scamp and I walked down to the garage to get some. On the way we stopped at the Broadwood and had a beer and a fish tea. Well, I had a beer but Scamp opted for the more ladylike glass or red wine. Very nice and not too expensive either.

On the way back, I took a detour into St Mo’s and managed a few shots of Mr Gray cooling his feet in the pond. It seemed like he wanted to ignore me and didn’t fly off in a strunt like he usually does. I think he knew he was safe standing in the mud in the middle of the pond.

Walking back from the garage, we had noticed that the traffic was much heavier than usual on the local road. When I walked to the motorway bridge, I found out the reason. For miles in both directions it was wall-to-wall cars. Presumably a lot of these were hoping to go to T in the Park. It looked like it would be a long journey. I hope it was worth it.

A Morning Walk – 9 July 2015

Posted on July 9, 2015July 9, 2015 by Zogman

I had intended to do the Gym/Swim thing this morning, but I’d had a fair deal of pain in my hip during the night and it (the pain, that is – the hip was there too!) was still there in the morning, so I decided to give it a more gentle exercise with a walk over St Mo’s. An early walk too. I had hoped for some pics of the deer, but they were nowhere to be seen again. I did, however get a couple of shots of damselflies in their mating embrace. By contrast I took a contré jour shot of a jaggy thistle. Other than that, it was a warm(ish) day with no rain for a change. Typically, as I write this, it’s raining. However it did have the good grace to keep away during the day.

Larky, plants and some beasties – 2 July 2015

Posted on July 2, 2015July 2, 2015 by Zogman

It was a noisy night, with thunder and lightning in the wee small hours. Torrential rain too. Got up early and out to the optician in Larky (honestly, I think I’m up and out earlier than I was when I was working).

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After the tests were done and the new reading glasses ordered, I waited until my eyes had returned to normal after the drops the optician had put in to dilate the pupils, then drove home. I intended to go in to Glasgow on the way, but couldn’t be bothered and also my eyes weren’t really ready yet, so came directly home. Scamp decided she wanted some plants for the garden, so we took ourselves off to Dobbies near Bearsden. Laden with horticultural species, we returned an hour or two later. Scamp was eager to plant out her plants – if you get my meaning. I felt that it was a bit late to get the bike out and took thelazier option of a walk around St Mo’s.

I took the Tamron for further testing, but on the off chance that there would be dragonflies around, packed the 105mm macro lens too. Found a couple of butterflies, some damsels and a spider, but no dragonflies. Packing the macro lens was a good idea, it beat the Tamron hands down, but then it is a prime and a really sharp one at that. On the way home the rain started. It didn’t last long, but at least it would help to set the new plantings for Scamp.

Coffee and Pizza – 26 June 2015

Posted on June 26, 2015June 26, 2015 by Zogman

Today was slow to start. That’s what happens when you go to a birthday party, have a ‘gang bang’ (explanation will be forthcoming later people!) and drive home just before midnight. Am I getting too old for this nonsense? Anyway, we went in to Glasgow to get some decent coffee beans from Thomson’s. Couldn’t decide what to do after that, so we went out a bit further to far flung Newton Mearns where everyone talks funny and did some shopping (or messages as a plummy Englishman called it last week) then came home and had a late lunch at Milano’s. I got the wanderlust later and walked over to St Mo’s. It was a lovely early evening walk. Met Mr Grey and took some photos. It was dry, but the grass was holding a lot of rain from yesterday and this morning, so my trousers were soaked. Also, unfortunately were my feet as my long serving boots are letting in quite severely. I think I’ll have to bite the bullet and get a new pair. No deer today, but I did glimpse a dragonfly, not a damsel, but a dragonfly. That augers well for a good hatch over the next few days. My head is severely confused this week. I keep on thinking it’s Saturday today – it is now, but that’s because it’s just past midnight – but all day it’s felt like Saturday. Jetlag? No, just Numptylag!