Category Archives: Photography

Shadows and Reflections

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I am endlessly fascinated by shadows and reflections and have been inspired by Helena’s Look Up Look Down post this week to post some images I have made recently.

On my windowsil
Plants7x5
B7W plants7x5

In the harbour
Reflection boats7x5

At the zoo
reflection.flamingo b&w

In the birds water bath
The reflections you see are reflected in the water which you can’t see, I wonder, does that make it a shadow?
Water bath

In the harbour
Bridge7x5

In the Park
Park 5x7

Rags to Stitches update: Nellie the Elephant has wandered off…It may be next week before I track her down. Apologies if, like me, you are now humming that song!

Weeds are flowers too…

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Once you get to know them

I was walking with my brother towards Lavernock Point along the cliff top overlooking the Bristol Channel. I was admiring the view of course and enjoyed pinpointing where we were. We live on opposite sides of this stretch of water (almost) opposite each other. We can both see the same islands in the channel.
I was also busy taking pictures of the wild flowers along the way as I usually do when he asked me what I was looking at.
I showed him and he wondered why I was taking pictures of weeds.
“I’ll send the pictures to you when I get home” I told him. “Would you hold this one for me? It is too low down for my back today”
We continued our walk with him looking out for photogenic ‘weeds’ that were growing too near the ground for me. (Yes he is a wonderful brother).

In the pub garden afterwards:) he said how much more interesting the walk had been with a camera in hand, he had never noticed the flora growing along this walk before.

I was thinking about the quote that Helena uses on her blog from Improv Wisdom by Patricia Ryan Madson.

Celebrate the obvious – what is ordinary to you is often a revelation to others.

I sent him these pictures

I know the AA Milne quote I used for my title usually gets interpreted as a metaphor, but sometimes I like to use it literally.

Seen anything ordinary lately?

Thank You!

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I have been very touched by so many messages while I have been away, thank you! You are lovely x

How to get back to blogging then? Believe me I have thought of so many ways over the last few weeks but confidence alluded me.

Then the rain stopped and the sun came out and I decided to begin as though I had never stopped. How does that sound?

The only plants surviving in my garden are the nettles and the bindweed. The rain has spoilt my roses just the same as everyone’s, except “The Fairy”. She just keeps blossoming and blooming and protecting the now giant nettles that wind their way up through her thorny branches.
I have given up fighting them and decided to photograph them instead.

I love learning new things, do you? here’s some things I didn’t know about stinging nettles:

The British species of stinging nettle, belongs to the genus Urtica from the Latin, uro, to burn.

It is a strange fact that the juice of the nettle proves an antidote for its own sting, and being applied will bring instant relief: as does the juice of the dock, which is usually found in close proximity to the nettle but you must slowly repeat this charm:

‘Nettle in, dock out.
Dock rub nettle out!’

(Oooh I love spells!)

Rubbing the part of you that is stinging, with rosemary, mint or sage leaves may also cure the sting of a nettle. That sounds much nicer than dock in my opinion. Although you can’t beat a good jump up and down shouting about not wearing gloves and other such things!

In Britain more than thirty insects feed solely on the nettle but flies don’t like the plant, and a fresh bunch of stinging nettles will keep a larder free from them.

Do let me know if you try this! It is the sort of thing that Mother-in-law would try, where as, even if I had a pantry I would sting myself reaching to get something!

I am adding my picture to The Dictionary of Image over on Flickr. Take a look if you have a moment. There are some great pictorial definitions to look at. I have also linked to Texture Tuesday today over at Kim Klassen’s Café

How’s your garden surviving?

About Stinging Nettles