Easter Sunday 5th April 2015

What a wonderful warm sunny day, shirtsleeve weather all day, beginning to end.

We had my Mother for lunch, a bit tough but the young folks seemed to manage with their sharper teeth...!!!  A day of curlews and deer in the field and a glorious, dramatic sunset......

[caption id="attachment_2999" align="alignnone" width="300"] Curlew[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3000" align="alignnone" width="300"] Photo: Hilary Porteus[/caption]

Spring is Apparently Here..... 3rd April 2015

After several days of rain and sleet, yesterday the weather was warm and sunny and Hilary and I were able to get out and transplant more daffodils and snowdrops from the front garden at the cottage to the new orchard above the burn.  Part of the front garden is about to disappear under the new driveway the planners say we need before work begins on the alterations and extension to the cottage.



Hilary had advice from her little band of helpers.....

So far we have managed to plant about two thirds of the new fruit trees and hopefully the rest, mainly "Heritage" varieties will arrive from Scottish Heritage Fruit Trees in the next few days.

Apart from the constant chatter of the wild birds and the ducks laying again, Spring is also heralded by wild flowers starting to bloom.

[caption id="attachment_2989" align="alignnone" width="711"] Coltsfoot[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2987" align="alignnone" width="715"] Germander Speedwell[/caption]

It could be a good year.......   Anyone want a pound of apples?!!

The Moon 1st April 2015

We had a clear and crisp evening a few days ago and the moon was beautifully clear, I couldn't resist another shot.....

Such a change to the weather we have had here the last couple of days, back to the winter with cold, wet and sometimes snowy North Westerlies.  Brrr......

Sage Arts Center, Gateshead 16th February 2015

I love this building, this shot taken on my phone this morning.

Egger Plant, Hexham 16th February 2015

A few photographs from a couple of days back.

The Egger plant in Hexham on an atmospheric afternoon.  If you buy chipboard in this country, chances are that it came from here.

[caption id="attachment_2974" align="alignnone" width="711"] Egger - Hexham[/caption]

Later on the same day, this misty sunset viewed from our kitchen window.

[caption id="attachment_2975" align="alignnone" width="720"] The Shire[/caption]

Smiddy Shaw and Hishope Reservoirs 3 February 2015

After a trip to Lanchester today I made a detour on my journey home over part of the North Durham Moors near Consett.

[caption id="attachment_2968" align="alignnone" width="739"] Smiddy Shaw Reservoir[/caption]

When we were kids we used to picnic here and paddle in the edge of the water, I don't know about the picnicking but the paddling was banned years ago.

[caption id="attachment_2969" align="alignnone" width="740"] Hishope Reservoir[/caption]

This shot of Hishope Reservoir just a very short distance away shows just how inhospitable these moors can be at this time of year.  A third reservoir, Waskerly, is behind me, all but hidden in the gloom.....

Re-work, Re-model.... 1 February 2015

With the withdrawal of Aperture and I-Photo due sometime this year, I have been looking at other options for processing on the Mac.  Adobe Lightroom is a possibility so I have been having a play with a trial version this evening.  Lightroom seems a bit fiddly and lacking to me but perhaps in conjunction with Intensify it may be quite interesting to use.

Tried a little re-work of this photo from 2011, seems to work...

[caption id="attachment_2965" align="alignnone" width="745"] Northumbria 2011[/caption]