Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Wheelie Wednesday - Judy, say Hi!

"Hi!
Anyone out there???
It's me, Judy!
Mummy Blue says, I should say "Hallo!"
Go away!
Not you folks, it's him...
I said 'Go away, Bailey' - it's MY turn.
Brothers!
I'm not staying blogging too long.
But, Mummy said, it was my TURN this Wedesday.
Bailey - behave!
As you know, my 'wheelie' start wasn't good.
Just look @ me in my travel, box...
And, I've been 'wheelie' wobblie with my poor paw.
But, I'm getting 'wheelie' stronger day by day!
Big 'brother' is okay - big pain really.
I said... Go away Bailey!
He & his best buddy Skipper, I'm going to have to watch...He's particularly, upset with me right now, because I can go where he can't. Hee Hee Hee!
Mummy's off visiting friends & I get to fit in her suit case!
Sooo, I'm all set to meet the 'Taffster'...
And, 'Marvalous Miss Molly'!
We were going tomorrow but...
After Mummy came back all upset, after her blood tests & thingys @ the Doctors; we're now heading out on Friday!
Boy, is Bailey gleeful about the delay.
Mean doggy, I say!
Ooow, stop nibbling, I didn't mean it!
As, Mummy say you can go off folks.
And, that sure includes 'wheelies' Bros!
Till next week.
OOOoo... whelps; the following week, I meant.
Boy!
Bailey - luv you!
I'll sort him out; you, just wait & see!
Foxy love & wheelie wishes!
I maybe small, but I'm sure am feisty!
Judy
x"

ABC Wednesday Round 3 - M is for...!

With this week's letter being M, I should maybe, have saved my Sunday post "Fungi Festival" for today & called it Mushroom Market!
Hindsight is a marvelous thing.
S0, my M instead, is for Murals!
A suburb of Dreamingspires, tired of ugly graffiti, in a means to minimise it & attempt to bright it's miserable underpass walkway under, it's busy high street, had a series of murals painted.
They colourfully & imaginatively mimic the local shops...
Plus, show the JR Hospital's, Casualty/ Accident & Emergency unit...
My doggy M, this week is not for 'mutts' or mongrels.
I have multiple, well two, marvelous Miss Molly's!
My Airedale 'niece' Molly, who I'll be seeing to-morrow...
And, Jackson's Irish Terrier girlfriend Molly, who I hope to meet @ the end of the month...
ABC Wednesday's manageress is Denise.
Many more M maybe seen via the blog HERE!

Tuesday, October 14, 2008


Bigger, better, bolder, brighter - maybe!

Yesterday, I remarked @ the end of my post, 'Fall near Stampedeville'; that I didn't understand why my photo's didn't enlarge, when 'clicked' upon, as other bloggers did.
NOT, that I think, all my photograghs are worthy of that CLOSER inspection; but, as I'd earlier in the day, emailed friend Dragonstar, a copy of my 'Todays Flower's' reflection photo, because of this fault [she wanted a more detailed peak] it made me think about the problem.
Anyway, 'Odd Shot' host Katney, thoughtfully suggested via a 'Comment', that I didn't compress my photo's for the Web; i.e. download them as medium image size onto Blogger; as when she does this, they too won't enlarge; but if left @ full resolution [Large] to load, they will.
So, I've experimented & it works on my test blog!
I'm amazed & delighted.
Thank-you, Katney, for the welcome advice.
I promise not to over use this facility; besides which, I'm already @ 90% photo capacity, in just eight months on this blog [dare I ask, what this means???]
But, today I can't help myself; have to post pictures from my Autumn album to see how they look...Err!
It didn't work on this blog - back to the drawing board!
The answer, it seems is also related to posting location!
I always choose to centralise my photo's on my blog.
Is that a 'No, No' re Blogger imaging.
Gosh!
The learning process goes on & on...
Vanity speaking here...
I'm quite impressed, seeing my photographs this large!
I may just, have to take back my words about not using this format regularly!

Two fer Tuesday - Autumn leaves!

Am short of inspiration today!
So, I'm continuing with the Autumnal theme, with a few more shots taken over the weekend around my locality...
Two fer is Jonna's concept.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Fall near Stampedeville!

Where did our lovely blue skied Autumn UK days go?
Suddenly, it's overcast & grey...As, today's Canadian Thanks-Giving, and I DO miss my time there... I could be indulging in my cousin Headmistress's Roast Turkey, with all the trimmings & Pumkin Pie - ERR, now I feel I am really missing out, but the exile is self inflicted for personal reasons.
Anyway, I'm posting some of Little Buddy's CA photographs.
Now, retired from flying, he's taken up biking...And, river rafting; this is a friend of his preparing for a trip...These are his recent shots of the Bow River...I'm hoping, seeing his photo's here, will encourage him to take more!
Why?
Because I like receiving them; plus, I think he has a good eye.
This one has down town Stampedeville, Alberta in the distance...I've no idea why my posted images don't enlarger, when clicked on. Advice would be welcome.

Monday's memes - Reflections!

Once again, I'm centring all my photo's around a single theme!
I love reflections & trying to capture them on camera.
And, as I'm a 'window shopper', rather than an actual shopper, I often notice more than just the goods for sale in the window.
Last Friday was a such a day.

My Odd Shot, is this...
These rather unusual Cat models, dressed to kill, caught my attention immediately. As I couldn't decide which pair amused me the most, I'm showing both...
They certainly struck me as an oddity, with a bonus reflection.
Odd Shots is hosted by Katney @ her Kaboodle!

So, to my Monochrome Monday entry!
Just a few shops down, I captured this...
It looks far better transposed to B&W, than it is original form.
This meme is the photochild of Aileni.
Thanks to him, I'm experimenting more, with my current photo's.
More Monochrome maniac's can be found HERE!

Finally, for Today's Flowers, to bring the reflections theme to a close, I'm reshowing a photograph taken this Summer.
I have no idea of the flowers/plants name or rather didn't.
It's a tropical creeper; a small cutting was 'stolen' by my late Mother, when on a garden visit, x number of years ago!
She nurtured it, & even under my very non-green, uncaring fingers, it still produces multiple waxy flower heads.
Each are made up of clusters, of small individual, exotically fragrant star like florets, that produce nectar, which forms in large sticky droplets.
Here my kitchen garden window is reflected in one...Today's Flowers was created by Luiz Santilli Jnr & now managed by him & Denise B Castro HERE!
Postscript:
Per a helpful 'Comment' from my friends Maggie & Mitch, I now have the flowers name; it's Hoya carnosa [Wax-plant].
Thanks guys, your are brilliant!

Reflections
Looking through the glass
Reflections of the past
What do I dare to see
Staring back at me.
Reflections bounce off window panes
Images of what was gained
Reflections of the past
Memories broken and lost
Reflections of the present
Haunting memories not so distant
Reflections through the tears
Through the looking glass all the fears
From the shadow and from the light
All these reflections sudddenly take flight.
Lorie Robertson

Happy Canadian Thanks-Giving!

Wishing my Prairieland family & friends, a GREAT day; & I'm not forgetting my other Canadian contacts.
Hope you all get-together with your loved ones to enjoy good food, good wine & more important good company.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Fungi Festival!

It's been another glorious 'Blue Sky' Autumn day; not something, so, I wondered out to enjoy it.
I had, been invited to 'lunch-time drinks', but declined.

Anyway, my walk, as usual eventually brought me into town; where I discovered there was a Mushroom Market on!
Italian chef & restaurateur Carlo Carluccio, the other year opened a branch of 'Carluccio's', his cafe chain, in Dreamingspires Castle complex.
He was sponsoring the foody event, to advertise his books & food...The market was also, on yesterday, when I missed an hour long cookery demonstration by the man him-self, which was a real shame.
Today, besides every type of mushroom imaginable available...There were lots of anti-pasta, Italian meats & Parmesan for sale...I succumbed to some tasty olives & Parma ham.
And, also sampled 'Risotto ai funghi', made with fresh wild Ceps; new to me, but the said 'King' of the Italian mushroom world. It was delicious but very rich!

I really fancy dinning in Carluccio's Cafe'/ Restaurant, so I peaked in.
The entrance takes you into a deli, which stocks a range of upmarket Italian foods including freshly-baked cakes, cheeses & cooked meats.
It's a bit like his market stalls today; ie with lots of dried goods, books & untensils too - a tempting mix.
As for the menu - a range of Italian delights but no pizzas.
On afternoon's like this, I wish Little Buddy was around!
We'd wine & dine & be so happy there together!
Why?
Because some of our happiest moments were in Italy!

Camera Critters Sunday - PC Caesar!

Whilst visiting the regular Thursday Antiques market this week, I found one of Dreamingspires police horses was on duty there.
Met Caesar...
I've seen & admired him before, out on day to day street patrol.
He signed up for duty with the Thames Valley force in 2006.
Caesar, a magnificent dark bay gelding, stands 18 hands tall @ present, but apparently is still growing!
Quite the gentle giant; he tickled my fingers when I went to stroke him; however, I imagine he & his rider would be a force to be reckoned with, under different circumstances.
A regular duty is to marshal the local football club's matches to prevent clashes between the rival supporters.
On one such occasion, not Caesar but another horse was repeatedly stubbed with lighted cigarette butts & worse has happened.
They are such brave animals, heroes!
In my view, the city is fortunate to have a Mounted Constabulary.
To me it's a real pleasure & privilege to see them, though others complain about the manure bundles they leave behind!

Camera Critters host is Misty Dawn.
To access more animal shots, check out the blog HERE!