Sunday Pic Spam - mostly green and blue...

[curiouswombat]

It has been a lovely week, weatherwise. Dry and sunny almost every day. Good camera-carrying weather. Th result is rather a surfeit of pictures - mainly sea, hills, paths, flowers, a stream; that sort of thing.

A lot of it is rather elvish, I think. So -

Actually, I am starting with some pictures which are not in any way elvish -

This tranquil picture is a yacht in Douglas Bay, earlier in the week.



And this, equally tranquil one, was taken on Thursday, on the coast near Port Soderick -



And then, I turned around, just in time to catch this -



One of our narrow gauge steam trains passing by.

This one was taken from the Cooil Road - just a nice pattern of fields and farming -



And this was taken from almost the same place - looking towards Crosby.



And now for something rather Elven. I like to think this could be a path in Ithilien, or maybe Rivendell...



And if you had just walked down it towards the camera you would have seen...





Closer look...





Yellow flags, just by a small pool. More yellow flags, later... but now we come to the stream.









Not content with that particular Elven glen, I also have pictures for you of another Elven pathway - I think, perhaps, a corner of the Great Greenwood - or possibly a corner of the Shire and a more hobbity pathway...



And these are some of the flowers along the verge...








Some beautifully delicate cow parsley -




Some wild roses, taken for bojojoti, but sadly I didn't get close enough for the flowers to really show - there was a ditch, and they were quite high up...





And - more yellow flags. It is a good year for them this year -









It is a beautifully green time of year. Although, as my mother pointed out, if the sunshine continues unabated things will start to look very brown instead... How did you guess she is of farming stock?

I have spent most of the morning singing loudly, in a big tent, with about 2,500 others - not my usual way of worship - but rather fun. There is a music festival on, and the organisers offered the use of their enormous tent to the combined churches of the island so that we could get together. Not something for every week - but it would be good if we could do it annually!

Then, this afternoon, I have been complaining of a sore neck and shoulders; until I realised it is the very discomfort I used to get when I went to rock concerts... I had been bopping as I sang!

Comments

[ningloreth.livejournal.com]

Oh, beautiful pictures! I love the stream -- the colours in the second one are stunning -- and then the grassy path.

I've saved all the Ithilien ones and will use them (and credit you), I'm absolutely sure! [I'm actually planning the next part of Winter Magic at the moment but, of course, that's snowy...]

[melegyrn.livejournal.com]

I am...so envious! Sunshine. Blue sky. Oh!

Well, it's raining today. Cold. There's mist in the trees on the hill across the way.

Anyway, I'm a sucker for paths, and that first elf-path is tantalizing. I want to walk it!

I like the pic of the little golden flower, and the sky reflecting in the stream, and the yellow flags--they've been beautiful here as well, even with all the grey skies.

The second pic is quite nice as well. I like the color and detail of the water close to shore.

Thank you and well done!

[gillo]

Beautiful. We've had some good weather this week too, but not quite so consistent.

[brutti-ma-buoni.livejournal.com]

You know I adore your sea pics, but I'm starting to stalk your pathways too! The stony stream almost looks like very difficult stepping stones (if the river were wider, and higher). And I adore that daisy-strewn grass. Lawn-tenders may tut, but I love daisies!

[vilajunkie.livejournal.com]

All that and they filmed LotR in New Zealand! Of course, I don't know how you locals would have taken to orcs and elves and hobbits running around in your backyards. ;)

The stream is my favorite!

[nutmeg3.livejournal.com]

As usual, I love all your quite magical pictures, but even more, I love the idea of you bopping in church. :-)

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

It has just been such a good week for pictures; the light and the colours have been good, and I've had time to take a few minutes here and there to stop and get the camera out.

Feel free to take what you like. And more Winter Magic would be wonderful.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

We have really arrived in summer here now - it is mainly dry, and light until after 10pm. I do hope you get the same, soon.

I like paths - like the gateways you can always decide for yourself where they might be going.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

It's just been lovely - about 17 or 18C, dry, sunny. I am so glad that my job takes me out of the office so much.

[cbtreks.livejournal.com]

They look so nice and cool. *wishes it were nice and cool here* The one with the path and the following ones with the flowers make me think of the Anne books by L. M. Montgomery, especially Anne of Avonlea and Anne of the Island.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

There are a lot of little glens and pathways - and they have the same effect on me as the gateways; I like to imagine where they might lead.

And the daisy strewn grass, with the marsh buttercups behind running back to the trees, was more beautiful in real life than in the picture - I, too, am rather fond of daisies.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

We'd have been desperate to play orcs and elves, or hobbits, dwarves or Rohirrim - but I'm not sure we could quite supply the rolling grasslands of Rohan...

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I wasn't the only person moving along with the music - it was such fun to be able to sing REALLY LOUDLY and put your all into it; because if you were out of tune no-one would notice amongst 2,500 people with a band using the full, music festival, sound system!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

The temperature in the shade has been about 18C (65F or so) most of the week - which is pleasantly warm to us, and would be pleasantly cool to you!

I remember reading a couple of the Anne books as a child, but haven't revisited them in years.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Thank you - the place is beautifully green at the moment so it does look very nice.

[just-ann-now.livejournal.com]

Oh, so pretty! I envy you the yellow flag iris; all mine are various shades of purple.

[petzipellepingo.livejournal.com]

Very lovely - and elvish - looking woodlands.

[bogwitch.livejournal.com]

I thought you were steering us to a clump of nettles.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Oddly I've rarely seen the yellow ones in a garden - only wild, as these ones are. Garden ones usually seem to be purple here, too.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

There is something very elven about quite a few of our little glens, I have come to realise as I have looked at them with my camera.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Would I do that to you? No... don't answer that!

[keswindhover.livejournal.com]

The flowers and streams are lovely, but I really like the first four pictures - such nice clean horizontal compositions.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

You've got me sussed - I really like nice, clean, straight horizons!

[bogwitch.livejournal.com]

That depend on how sarcastic I am.

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Your pics so bring out the yearning to go exploring! Beautiful.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Thank you - I rather like the sense that some of those paths could lead almost anywhere.

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

Just beautiful. I can just imagine Elves might be around somewhere.

[ayinhara.livejournal.com]

I loved your pictures, as usual. BTW I was pleased that I identified the yellow flags as an iris. We have wild irises in Colorado also, I posted a photo of one last June:
http://ayinhara.livejournal.com/82173.html#cutid1

[jerusha]

Those pictures are just idyllic! So, so pretty.

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

You know me and paths... I love the ones you've taken here. And the flowers are beautiful. As are the sea photos. I guess I should simply say they're all stunning and leave it at that!

And that must have been a very lively and fun worship service. :)

[slaymesoftly.livejournal.com]

Lovely pics! As you say, very elvish!

[kazzy-cee.livejournal.com]

How pretty! You're clearly having lovely sunny days up there, and we're sitting in gloom and cloud down here! *pouts*. It's cold too!!!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Thank you - in reality a family with a dog is more likely - but they really do feel and look as if there could be an elf around somewhere.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Your wild iris is more delicate - really pretty. I don't know how many other species of wild iris we have - the only ones I have ever noticed are the yellow ones.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Sometimes I worry that I make the place look too idyllic; we do have road works, traffic jams, and so on too - but we are so lucky to have the little glens and paths to escape to.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I rather like paths and gateways - there is the sense that they could go somewhere exciting... but the sea is an irresistible subject, too.

It was a good service - a chance to sing both familiar hymns like 'How Great Thou Art', and some newer 'chorus' type ones, as loudly as I could - and it does seem to encourage you to move a little more in time to the music... :~)

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

It is just the right time - everything is beautifully green - but sunny.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

It's nicely warm, not hot, but it's been so bright and clear. This morning is a bit grey, but it is probably going to be clear by mid-morning.

On the down-side, our office has a window-wall, and gets unbearable hot in the sunshine - we have open windows, a fan, and still overheat. It's not always the best office for four ladies between 45 and 55!

[bedawyn.livejournal.com]

Oh, these are indeed lovely! I especially liked the first forest path, the wildflowers right after it, the first yellow flags, and the stones in the creek. Reminds me of a few I've taken at Four Quarters Farm and elsewhere, but I'm lucky if I get one really good picture every five years or so! :-)

[bedawyn.livejournal.com]

Just noticed this... and this is insane given that I lost the job where I learned this... but did you know there are films you could have installed that would cut the heat significantly? They're not like dark windshield films or the reflective silvery stuff you see on big buildings; older glass films were like that, but today you can get films that will cut the heat and glare while being almost invisible and still letting in the light and not obstructing the view. If the heat's bugging everyone, the folk-in-charge might want to look into it; find the right film, and it can help cut heat loss in winter, lower the office utility bills year-round, and help guard against storm damage, so it's generally considered an expense that will pay for itself in a few years. Okay, now I sound like a salesperson. *g* Seriously, though, I didn't know transparent solar control films existed a year ago, so in case you didn't either, I just thought I'd mention it. :-)

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

That's worth knowing - I will look it up and perhaps suggest it - especially if it might save money in the long run. I work for the government so money is tight.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Thank you. They somehow invite me to get my camera out, those wee paths and flower patches. I'm very lucky.

[bojojoti.livejournal.com]

What a delightful island you dwell on!

Your posts are always enjoyable, but this one was extraordinary. I'm sure that wild rose was fragrant...