Once upon a Time on Lake Maggiore .................

Once upon a time there was a scotsman called Neil McEacharn who spotted an advert in The Times for the Villa Taranto. He bought it in 1931 and spent the next 30 or so years creating a rich a varied garden with plants from around the world, the most surprising feature of which was, in my view, the dahlia maze

Dahlias have never been one of my favourite flowers but this display caused me to think twice! Alongside the Dahlias were many more exotic plants such as these giant amazonian lilies

and an amazing field of lotus blossom - one of my favourites

There were also beautiful vistas

and some other visitors

McEacharn died at the Villa Taranto in 1964 and is buried in a mausoleum in the grounds decorated with his beloved flowers

close to these spectacular views

A Sparkling moment Captured!

“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add colour to my sunset sky.”

— Tagore

On Monday I had to go to London for a meeting. I took the train from home and arrived back in Salisbury at around 4:45. While on the train I had become aware of the beautiful light and wondered if there would be a stunning sunset to see on the walk home from the station?

The Walk home takes me past Elizabeth Gardens, which run down to the water meadows, and as soon as I got there I realised the sunset was shaping up to be something quite special.

I was completely taken by the fact that I was still in the middle of the city, on a routine walk home, and all this beauty was unfolding around me as if I were in the middle of the countryside.

In the distance the trees were highlighted the ridge of the hill displaying their pink tips like ladies fans,

but what really caught my eye was the way in which the reeds were lit up by the setting sun

This effect intensified as the sun sank lower until everything was aglow

As I resumed my walk home after this short detour I really felt that I had captured one of life's 'sparking moments' Hope you found some this week too!

We're going to the Zoo - Butterfly House

“Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.”

— Nathaniel Hawthorne

Last Sunday I visited London Zoo, I hadn't been for a while, around 18 years in fact, when we took our son. The zoo has changed a lot over the years and I shall say more about that in a future post. For now I will just say that the reason I was at the zoo was because the visit was part of a two day travel photography course that was a birthday present from my husband.

The post gives you a quick look into the 'Butterfly Paradise' exhibition.

This photo was taken with my 55-250cm zoom lens but I soon changed to my 50mm prime lens having left my macro at home. Most of the other shots were taken at f1.8 for those who are interested in the technical details.

There were lots of brightly coloured platforms to attract the butterflies,

but I thought they looked best on a more natural background.

and this was one of my favourites, which is yours?

See you back here soon!

Little Ladies and Other Animals

Little ladies, white and green,
With your spears about you,
Will you tell us where you've been
Since we lived without you?

You are sweet, and fresh, and clean,
With your pearly faces;
In the dark earth where you've been
There are wondrous places:

Yet you come again, serene,
When the leaves are hidden;
Bringing joy from where you've been
You return unbidden--

Little ladies, white and green,
Are you glad to cheer us?
Hunger not for where you've been,
Stay till Spring be near us!

Laurence Alma-Tadema

I have a tune in my head that goes with this so I think we must have sung it at school! Moving swiftly on, I did not intend to do another post about the snowdrops at Welford Park having majored on them last year. But we went again as I wanted to see them in the sunshine, rather than in the rain and sleet, and amazingly it was sunny last Sunday.

The scent was amazing, so sweet and woody - if you think snowdrops don't have a scent think again!

Snowdrops are not the only thing to be seen at Welford Park though, there are aconites,

bright reflections and Pussy Willow,

dogs,

big and small!

and wonderful wellies!

These were my favourites!

See you next week to welcome in the spring. Yay!

Contemplating Life Without a Camera

“The camera makes you forget you’re there. It’s not like you are hiding but you forget, you are just looking so much.
”

— Annie Leibovitz

Not long before Christmas I broke my camera. it was in its bag on the kitchen bench and somehow toppled off. I though it would be OK as although the bag was open it had padding and the camera didn’t fall out. However when I looked through the view finder I couldn’t see properly. It was impossible to compose a picture accurately and I couldn’t see the guides. It would take pictures, which was helpful in the short term, but I couldn’t see using it in its current state as a viable long term solution. It was going to have to go back to Cannon which even if it was reparable could take up to six weeks.

I panicked, aside from the cost, how was I going to survive for up to 6 weeks without my camera? It was at this point I realised how important my camera was to be and how much I dislike taking more than the occasional picture on my phone.

I realised that for me photography has become a spiritual practice rather than simply an interest. If I am feeling a bit down getting my camera out, even if only in the house or garden, never fails to lift my spirits. It make me look outside of myself in a positive way and enables me to notice the miracles around me.

Back in the spring I fell flat on my face while running for a train, smashing my glasses and cutting my face slightly. This all healed quite quickly but had the longer lasting effect of damaging my confidence especially crossing roads when I would have kind of mini panic attack concerned that I would fall over ( I had previously tended to skip across roads quite fast and I didn’t feel safe doing this any more). However If I was out with my camera I had no problems with any of this, it was as if my attention was absorbed in something other than myself that was more important than worrying about if I was going to fall over or not - my attention was fully engaged with seeking beauty in the ‘sparkling moments’

So I decided my camera was essential to my wellbeing and I couldn’t really mange without one for six weeks - what to do? an additional problem was that I was in the middle of one photography course with a local photographer and was due to start an e-photography course in January.

I went into work next day still wondering what to do and then I remembered that the shop I had bought my camera at had a second hand department. I quickly looked at their website and discovered an old Cannon body an a price that was just about affordable. Fortunately I didn’t have a meeting so was able to take an early lunch and high-tail it down to the shop as quickly as I could. Success! I returned to work with a new camera body (and anyway I reasoned it would be useful to have a spare for emergencies)

My camera is now with Cannon and is repairable at a cost that is just short of my insurance excess! It may not take the full 6 weeks to fix.

in the meantime I am using my new body to practice with the 1.8 50mm lens I got for Christmas (which I used to take all of todays pictures)

Enjoy your day!

Photographic Simplicity - Take 2

“As I have practiced it, photography produces pleasure by simplicity. I see something special and show it to the camera. A picture is produced. The moment is held until someone sees it. Then it is theirs.
”

— Sam Abell

Well I did it! just posted day 31 - athough I have to say I don't think I could carry on for another month. The days just after Christmas were the greatest challenge as I could only upload via my iPhone which I found very frustrating.

The weather has been pretty rubbish here heavy rain and gales so it was a bit tempting to keep photographing the Christmas decorations and lights!

though I did come across this little tableaux in the garden which I think of as 'essence of oak'

“I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures.
”

— Lao Tzu

This stick on the dots calendar seems to embody a combination of simplicity and style

Just as this Michelin Man I spotted on a vintage truck at the Christmas Market embodies a simpler bygone age.

Back to the Christmas tree lights, before going outside again to see the leaves under the rose bush

This Buddha was the only picture where I "arranged a set"

The following day I was struck by the light on this hand blown glass ball hanging up in the window and I took a series of photos during the day with the different light and looking in slightly different directions, I chose the simplest to post in the Flickr group

But thought you might be interested in seeing some of the others

“Progress is man’s ability to complicate simplicity”

— Thor Heyerdahl

This one I prepared earlier and sent to my phone so that I could post it on Christmas Day

And this was our Boxing Day walk in the woods

I thought our Norwegian Christmas Cake met the criteria because of its simple shape and simple ingredients; almonds, egg white and icing sugar.

Almost there now, next up was some brollies in Brighton although I don't seem to be able to access the picture I actually posted so this is a similar one

“I am completely attracted to the idea of simplicity, or at least removing things that seem unnecessary when trying to get an idea out there.
”

— Demetri Martin

An almost abstract steamy window - followed by party dresses on a street stall

And finally this is it! Todays post for 31st December 2013 (with a few added words) huge thanks to Kim Manley Ort for setting this challenge and a very happy 2014 to you all - take care and see you next year.