Day 5

Through my car window on a rainy day in Ireland. Spotted this school bus coming down the street so grabbed the camera and took the photograph.

Thank you for viewing.

Day 4

This evening it was play around time, Bluesmaster  Harmonica and a leather wallet. A speedlite and softbox for light with a small side light to throw a warm reflection in the chrome work on the harmonica. Play around in Lightroom, still learning on that front. I enjoy the learning and experimenting process, with my images.

Thank you for looking.

Working late tonight, so it was dark when I left work. On the drive home I remembered seeing St Andrew’s was now lite up at night. So with a little detour I had the place to my self, a lovely night warm and mild. Hope you enjoy the photograph.

Thank you for viewing.

Day 2

Stopped to look at a round tower in the Village of Drumbo in County Down in Northern Ireland. But the light was gone and looking over a hedge I spotted a few sheep. Got one shot off before they high tailed it across the field. So meet the  star off today.

Number One

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The 1st November is here and I post the first Photo for my challenge. Have sat and thought about what it would be, what will be my first photo. Thought about something to do with motorcycles or the great out doors, that didn’t happen. Well was sitting in a friends house and  spotted this cute little teddy sitting on the fire place. So got a post-it, grabbed a marker and there you have it. Well come to The 365 Shutter release challenge 2015.

Thank you for viewing.

George

My 1962 Triumph Tiger Cub 200cc racing bike. retrieved from a shed

and after many hours work it rolled out, restored back to how it looked on it’s last race

many years ago.

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Now what has this to do with Photography, well I locked my self into the shed to work night after night on restoring the little motorcycle. A little bit of history from my childhood days, Here in the North of Ireland motorcycle racing was on closed public roads. Complete with walls, trees and every other piece off roadside furniture, it was and still is a dangerous sport.

I was thinking about doing a 365 project, but wondered where I would get the time from. And then I thought back to the time I rebuilt the Cub. I had less time then and I got it done. So from the first of November 2015 I start my new project.

The plan is to publish the photograph’s twice a week, and have a write up about how it affects my day and my thoughts behind the picture’s taken. To look at it every couple of months and see what or if there is improvement in my photography.

Again the photographs will be linked to Flickr and viewed in Monthly albums. Now’s the time to see how I will work this project, weekly projects or monthly ones. Random weeks with themes running and other weeks where the subject matter is  wide open. Looking forward to the challenge and the out come of The 365 shutter release Challenge

So parked  at this bridge over the Grand Canal out side the town of Daingean, Co. Offaly. With a short climb up onto the bridge by a steep bank. There you will find part of a rail system that transports the peat that’s removed across the bog.

The stripped Bogs of the Irish Midlands

Peat bogs take thousands of years to form,  Dozens of plants and animals, uniquely adapted to life in peat bogs, are found nowhere else and with the bogs disappearing fast so is this unique habitat. European and Irish law stopped people from cutting turf for there own use has a heat source. Something they have done for hundreds of years, Some still cut and dry the turf defying the law.  These bogs are stripped to supply the West Offaly Power Station while people are banned from cutting there own turf.

A peat bog that’s been striped and mounds off peat awaiting transport.

The ground is drained and leveled, while other parts have become wind farms with public footpaths where nature reclaims it for its self and wildlife.

The turf being cut up with tractor machinery. Note the twin wheels front and rear to help spread its weight on the soft ground.

And the rail track continues for miles/km’s

Its not just the top they remove, the peat could be a couple of metre’s deep. That is a large tonnage that is stripped from the earth and burned to supply power every year. When it’s all gone where do the government and the power industry turn to next. Will it be shale gas, if so I hope the pain we do to this plant does not become our pain in return.

Thank You for Looking

Memories
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To Share your Lunch, with one’s best friend.
From nature’s table the view is free.
While wave’s lap at the table’s edge,
And seal’s they watch, from their place of rest.

The sun warm’s my seat of rock,
no man made sound to be heard.
But now you have gone, from nature’s land.
So my friend, let’s enjoy this bread I share.
Where your spirit and this island meet.

Taking this shot of the gull brought back some memories of a close friend

Who I spend many years exploring the hills and islands around Ireland.

Dedicated to John, long gone  but always here.

What a lovely afternoon for a walk, Only the colour change lets you know it’s an autumn day and not Spring. The low sun brings out the colour and texture of the park, Here are a few of the photographs from the  walk.

Step into the Japanese Garden and enjoy the texture’s and colours

The reflection in water

The little visitor’s you might meet

No I’m with him ahead of me

Problem’s for some, tar spot is a very conspicuous fungal leaf spot disease of sycamore and some other maples

Alder tree

Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park

Thank you for looking

Coming north through Co.Kildare, I passed through Carbury. Over looking the village  is Carbury Castle. Stopping at a spot I have looked at before I took a couple of photographs has the sun was starting to set and a ground mist rising.

Was going to Photoshop the poles for the power lines out but then, like the field fencing they are part of the landscape.

Heading on up into Co.Meath passing through the town of Enfield. Taking the R159 to Trim I stopped and shot another couple of photos of The Church of Assumption. From where I was the ground mist was just starting to become visible over the fields.

Another taken from a few hundred metres up the road.

With a few hours driving to go and the evening closing in, I continued north.

Thank you for looking