autumn wren - bedgebury forest

I caught this wren the other day, she was singing beautifully.

Orange - TP

This mask is placed outside a Theatre in Canterbury UK, Its made of steel and has rusted really well. If you catch the light on it in a sunny afternoon it looks amazing.

Have a great Orange week over at written Inc

anniversaries - memories - goodbyes - my Dad. X

My Dad (right) his mate Ian (left) in Spain when they were lads.

Its coming up to the anniversary of the end of my Dads journey, I only call it an anniversary because I cannot avoid it as it comes around each year, someone told me it gets easier as time goes on but I don't agree, it just gets more distant.

I cant say I had the best relationship with my Dad but he did OK, the thing is you see once he was gone that was it, I had so much more left I wanted to do with him I wanted to feel old enough to challenge him more on his ways and I even looked forward to the day that I could get out the car and help him out but those days are gone.

Not a day goes by without me thinking of him, I have a picture on the wall at the foot of the stairs that reminds me of a time when I felt old enough to tell my Dad how I felt about growing up, It was my wedding day and a few months later I reached the age of 21 and my Dad wept on my shoulder and told me he loved me, something I had longed to hear for many years. I know he loved me because I can recall times when he really stuck his neck out for me and my brother. Sometimes I am not really sure what I miss, is it him or is the memory?

One thing I do know is I long to hold his hand and tell him I love him too, again. It wont happen in this life I know that but maybe, just maybe we will meet again.

He didn't often give me advice but I remember a time when he said if you want success go for it, don't go backwards go forwards and you'll reach it. That might not make a lot of sense to the reader but to me it meant everything and I will cherish the words.

So all I have of him is memories and a few photos and quite often dreams of him being peaceful and happy, something which he longed for, something which like all of us he deserved.

That anniversary will always come around and one of the memories which I wish I could forget is the phone call my brother made to me early that morning to tell me that Dad was gone, some memories are just not comforting at all. Although I said goodbye 8 years ago it seems like yesterday, time moves on but it feels like I'm standing still.

I love you Dad and I miss you.

every cloud has a .....

alone again

autumn webs - bedgebury forest

autumn colours - bedgebury forest

poppy - staplehurst arts festival

I am exhibiting some work this weekend at the local arts festival and we were asked to make a poppy no bigger than 10cm squared. I like making stuff but I wouldn't say I was a sculptor.

This is my effort ready to be added to the sea of poppies raffled off to the public in aid of the Royal British Legion. Its made of aluminium (courtesy of coke) and steel with a yellow bouncy ball and some glass beaded pins.

All I want for Christmas is my teeth back! - Travel

I apologise if this leaves a bad taste in your mouth (excuse the pun).

This weeks theme over at TP written Inc is "Travel" and Carmi asks if you have been away and took pictures he wants to see them.

This set of teeth I found on our recent travels on the beach in the Costa Del Sol, I found many other random items of which I didn't photograph, condoms, a catheter, sanitary towels, tampons and yes you guessed it human feces.

Can you believe that we pump these items into our beautiful sea, criminal.

So who's teeth are they?

red hot - TP

Still celebrating the RED week over at Written Inc

waiting for her lover

As I sat watching the sun go down and occasionally glancing at this young lady wondering if she was waiting for someone she loved, I was right someone did turn up and they, ate, smoked, drank and laughed together. What more could one want? (apart from the smoking that is)

stonechat - winchelsea

I was out on a shoot on Saturday and whilst I was taking a break two beautiful stoats popped up their heads in front of me, smiled and scampered off. I just wasn't quick enough to capture them. This Stonechat however was happy enough to pose for me, he is beautiful isn't he?

lest we forget - poppy day 2009

Next week I am exhibiting in Staplehurst where we will be remembering what I have always known as poppy day. I found this in my archives and it matches up with my recent poppy images. It is available as an A4 print complete with white wooden frame and glass front for £20 where I will donate £5 for every order to the appeal.

sharing the space

I am someone who likes my own space, I was amazed to see how swimmers, jet ski's, and fisherman all shared the same space.

alone & red - TP red

If you didn't already know (lol) its red over at TP and because I took so many photos that are so red from our recent travels to the south coast of Spain then I cant help but share, hoe you like them.

This guy was out at sea from 6am in the morning fishing all alone which alone is crazy but not as crazy as the scuba diver I caught on camera swimming more than 2000 metres from his dinghy all alone. It might be normal I'm not sure but I thought it was pretty crazy.

It got me thinking of loneliness and some of us just have to deal with it, life goes on and just like these fishermen they have to fish alone or not.

I am pretty nosy, so.....

I am a pretty nosy person and I just had to see how my inhaler actually works so I took it apart and look what I found, all this machinery lasts me 2 to 3 weeks and then another one comes along, what a waste!

locals fishing - togetherness

I took this shot in Marbella Puerto where I came across a group of locals who seemed to be a whole family fishing drinking eating and laughing, including dog!

What struck me was there sense of relaxedness & togetherness which probably are not even words but they say exactly what I was experiencing that day sat on that rock listening and watching.

gibraltar - TP red

As we sat down to eat our evening meal looking out towards Gibraltar from Marbella it was a beautiful sight to watch the sun disappear and leave some of the most beautiful reds I have ever seen. I tried to capture the moment as best I could.

This weeks theme over at TP is red, go take a look and see what others are doing you might even post a red of your own there.

role reversal - TP red

I love a good sunset and this is no exception other than it makes me think of the role reversal of the sun & the lighthouse, only the sun has to bring light to someone else now. This shot is from the Costa Del Sol, Nerja looking out towards Torrox and we have only just got back from 2 weeks of beach, food & laziness it was amazing. Thankyou so much to Gary & Jennie for the use of their apartment X.



This weeks theme is RED and I have a lot of red photos to choose from.

horizon - back again

Just back from our holiday in the costa del sol and reminiscing the days I got up to watch the sun rise.