Byker Wall 09/06/2014

The Byker Wall - detail 09/06/2014

The extensive and radical Byker Wall development of residential flats was built in the 1970s by Newcastle City Council. The now iconic project was greeted locally with howls of outrage fading to mild derision, while being feted in the international architectural press and magazines as Domus. As a young graphic design student at the time, I was fascinated. A recent survey of the residents reported the curve-linear complex as being a wonderful place to live, many of the original tenants are still in residence . Just goes to show.......

Chiffchaff 28/05/2014

Hilary and I tried to catch up on a bit of gardening yesterday afternoon, weeding and hedge cutting.

Just before we stopped for the day, Hilary came across a Chiffchaff nest, so I went back out with a camera and just about managed to get a useable shot.

Green Nettle Weevil 28/05/2014

We had a lovely sunny morning a couple of days ago, perfect for crawling round in one of our nettle patches with my little camera!

A productive morning from which this little Weevil was the star.

Rhododendron and Birch 23/05/2014

This rhododendron is at the end of the garden at the cottage, standing in a group of Jacquemontii Himalayan Birch and is looking wonderful this year, I have played with the camera and editing a little to make a softer more atmospheric image.

More Flowers 21/05/2014

It is a lovely sunny morning here in Northumberland, nice to spend a short time pottering about taking photographs the field and beside our little burn .

Hilary is back from a long weekend at Preston Montford, another of her Msc Bio Recording courses, and most importantly has remembered to bring my camera home this time! I would normally use our Nikon D50 DSLR but after my Samsung compact was, err "borrowed" I bought a used Lumix DMC-FS35 compact on Ebay a couple of years ago and it is possibly my preferred camera for every day use. For a £60 (I think?) secondhand camera, the results are quite pleasing.

So impressed with the Lumix Compact range I have now got my eye on a replacement, the Lumix TZ60. When is Christmas?

A fern frond about to open

Broom

Germander Speedwell

I was hoping to have a trip over to The Lakes tomorrow as Hilary has another course over there, and spend the day exploring with the dogs but the forecast is dreadful. Will see how it looks in the morning.........

Is Greater Lesser, or Lesser Greater? 19/05/2014

I have finally got round to working out the difference between Greater and Lesser Stitchwort. This is Greater - Stellaria holostea. Lesser is much more delicate with a very pronounced star-like flower whose petals are separate to their base.

Learn something new every day, exciting.....!!