TwentyThree - TwentyThree

Well that’s 31 days done only another 334 days to go.

I thought I’d try and catch some shots of the bad weather moving along the North Wales coast, so when the hailstone stopped for a bit I nipped down to the beach at Colwyn Bay with the dog.  The weather mysteriously improved, the sky cleared and there wasn’t a drop of rain or a single hailstone to be seen. Still as you can see the dog thoroughly enjoyed himself and terrorised a few seagulls while we were there.

Sorry didn’t have too much time today – had visitors coming but managed to get a few shots when I went shopping. Yes I know they are part of another car park – I think it might be Alans’ fault. (Shadowplay Images).

The sun was shining today, well in between the hail showers anyway. I decided to experiment with the zoom on the camera again, using a longer exposure to give me the time to adjust the lens whilst I’m taking the picture.

As always I like the unpredictability, not knowing what kind of image you’re going to get makes it more exciting I think!

Two of these were taken sat at the traffic lights near the train station in Colwyn Bay and the other is the view from my mum’s house in Rhyd-y-Foel.

Ventured as far as the garden today – still not done any gardening though – just flitting about finding something ‘inspirational’ to snap for you.

Got a little side tracked taking pics of bits of rusty metal, I am trying not to take photos of junk, I don’t think I’ll be able to keep it up all year though.

Anyway I spotted the catkins on my hazel tree – oh and next doors rusty shed in the background.

A short visit to the doctors surgery in St Asaph today, whose car park, yep car park happens to be adjacent to the “Left Bank” of the River Elwy, resulted in a couple of photos.

No mention of football any more – but the Rugby Six Nations is soon to start!!

Oh and Happy Birthday Mark, even if you are a Red!

It’s a miserable day outside today so I’ve not been anywhere – done not a lot of housework – done some sketching – done loads and loads of playing with my 7 month old grand-daughter, there is nothing like a cuddle to cheer up a miserable day and a miserable Grandma.

The house is slowly filling up with the never ending equipment and toys that a growing baby needs but gradually the colours are changing from pastel pinks to wonderful bright primary colours and I couldn’t resist taking pics of this playmat.  I’m definitely not a pastel pink person!!!

I’ve just realised that yesterdays picture was also taken from a car park, that is four in a row, I must start walking or cycling more. I found this little seedling trying to grow in a crack on a bench when I was walking the dog in Fairy Glen, Old Colwyn.  No doubt I am bound to post more images of plants growing in strange places throughout the year, (Hence Part I), I seem to spot them all over the place, and I’m fascinated at how adaptable they are to their environment.

I drove past Llandrillo College today in Rhos-on-Sea and I started thinking about a tiny little tree that I used to take pictures of when we were studying there. It was just on the edge of the car park and the football pitch and it was open to the elements and sort of growing to one side because of the wind. I intended to take a series of pictures at various times and in various seasons but unfortunately they dug it up and built a new building on the spot, so that put paid to that idea. Anyway I came home and sorted out some of the photos for you that I’d taken of the sad little tree that is no more.

My youngest daughter and future Son-in-Law have set the date of their wedding for the 31st July 2010. Between now and then, no doubt we shall be going shopping more and more, today was dress shopping in sunny Llandudno. There were only a few tears and they weren’t because of the amounts on the labels.

I chose to take some shots from the car park with probably the best view in North Wales,  the top of Victoria Precinct. Unfortunately the weather didn’t allow for a decent view of the mountains but you can see the new Golden Spire of the Oriel Mostyn. (Which incidentally re-opens on the 22nd May 2010 – Can’t Wait)

Sat waiting in the car for take-away was quite boring, normally I’d probably mess with the games on my phone but I still had the camera out so I decided to experiment with the only light source around, a wall lamp.

To write with the static light I had to move the camera to make the letter shape – it took quite a while to work out that I had to “draw” the letters not only back to front but also upside down.

It’s a good job it was a digital camera the number of attempts it took to get my head working back to front and upside down.

Not a lot of time to play today, it was Ewart’s birthday so took him to Maplin’s (one of his favourite shops) to buy a technical gadget for the dark-room!  That made him happy!

Thought I’d just take a different look at the car park, and make you exercise your necks whilst looking!

 It really is a cold wet miserable January day, they promised us snow and this is what we got. I had to make a fleeting visit to Rhyl and took a few shots in the dark, through the rain splattered windscreen, just for fun!

Mmmm, looks better like this!

I was not intending to ever mention sport on the Blog, but after watching the match tonight I really could not resist finding my pennant to show you all.

It was 40 years ago, the last time we won a trophy and I just about remember it.  Well I think I’ve waited long enough, sitting watching us get nearly there and then losing at the last minute (or 5 minutes later). Anyway I’ve decided we are going to beat United again next week at Old Trafford and then go on and win a Trophy again.

Well I can dream can’t I.

Check back next week – if there is no mention of sport again you will know what’s happened.

Spring is definitely on its’ way, the snow has gone and the garden is defrosted and muddy, I went in search of some proof and found these crocus hiding under some leaves by the bird bath, amazing as only last week it was all completely frozen. The leaves must have kept these cosy and warm, I think I might be tempted to cover them up again as I heard a weatherman mention yet more snow this week, aaargh!

We managed to get to the beach as you can see, and it was a lot warmer than I was expecting too. Tide was just on its’ way out and the rocks were full of all sorts of things, which I resisted collecting. I try very hard to collect images nowadays and not pockets full of junk, although there were a couple of really worn rusty hooks that were very difficult not to pick up and bring home. The picture below is a view of Old Colwyn beach looking towards Rhos Point, then I turned it into a negative, looks like a suitable home for some snowy penguins!! What do you think? Badge.

I think that might be it for the snow it has been raining all night and most of the day and all the white stuff in the garden has just about gone. It doesn’t look quite as nice now, looks like it could do with some tidying up really, but it can wait a bit longer.

Thought I’d have a play with some strange silhouettes, mostly to save me having to get wet out in the rain, it’s supposed to be nice tomorrow, might get down to the beach if I can.

Well it took a while but I have finally finished my grand-daughters cot, it has been stripped of all the old paint sanded and repainted. (Please note – repainted in a non gender specific colour so it won’t need repainting for a while).

This cot was bought in February 1935 by my Grandad whilst my Grandmother was in hospital giving birth to my Mum. It has over the last 75 years been used for Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, me and my 4 brothers and sisters, my nieces and nephews, my four children and now Lily-Jane is at this moment happily fast asleep in it.

In my book, that’s pretty good value for my Grandad’s money!

Weather wasn’t too bad today – bit of snow still up on the tops past Rhuallt Hill but apart from that not a bad journey. Took my Daughter and Son-in-law to the Heart Hospital for the afternoon and we snook off to Crosby with the baby. The intention was to educate her with an early introduction to the work of Mr Gormley and partake of some fresh sea air at the same time. It was pretty cold, with ice and snow on the walk upto the beach and even ice on parts of the beach, not that the baby noticed – she remained fast asleep and snug and warm for the whole time we were there.

This place definitely fascinates me – it’s so close to such a busy city and yet it feels like a different world. If you haven’t been, it really is worth a visit, we were treated to a truly magnificent sunset even if the temperature wasn’t upto much, think we could both do with some fingerless gloves to take photos in this weather!

Had to cheat and put this last one in cos I love it, but it’s not one of mine, it belongs to Ewart – I will link to a Website soon!