Category: Photo

View From The Conservatory


Topped up the bird feeders earlier today. Threw a bit of feed on the bird table and just for a bit of sport spilled a bit onto our wonky feeder over the bird bath. Just making sure that the birds had plenty of options open to them.

I knew that arch criminal, and bird food thief, the squirrel would be doing the rounds to help himself. If only a few minutes ahead of those big fat bird shaped vacuum cleaners, the wood pigeons.

What I didn’t expect was that, having already visited the bird table, the squirrel would move on to new pastures.

Feed Thief
Feed Thief

Feed Thief, Who Me ?
Feed Thief, Who Me ?

I don’t mind them filling up. All wildlife is welcome and they do tend to leave the feeders on the house walls alone. So there is plenty to go round for the Robins, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Coal Tits and Dunnocks that are our regular visitors. Even the Carrion Crows visit although they tend to gather the flickings from the bird table. To be quite honest I think they prefer the curried rice which I have taken to putting out.

Slow Snow, Slow Slow Slow


Against my better judgement, I drove my wife to work today. Normally the round trip, not accounting for waiting time, is around 30 – 35 minutes. Today, due to the inclement weather conditions, the whole journey took around 130 minutes. Of course I moaned all the way to my wifes place of work. Problem is that I had no one to moan to on my way home and that was by far the longer and worst part of the journey.

I took a few snaps during the journey which was punctuated by many tedious stops.

snow
Stakes Hill Road approaching Purbrook Way roundabout.
snow1
London Road, heading towards Widley
snow2
London Road atop Portsdown Hill, waiting our turn to dive down towards Cosham
snow3
London Road heading down the south face of Portsdown Hill
snow4
A3(M) Heading north on the Junction 4 slip.
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A3(M) Heading north, still on the Junction 4 slip. Matrix says 40. You’ll be lucky. I think they display motorists wish lists
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Purbrook Way and the College Road Junction. Thanks to the guys in the fluorescent jackets who were trying to keep us all moving. The road here was very icy under the snow. You can just see the car on the other side has gone askew.
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View from my front doorstep. Boy was I glad to get home. Only a two-hour round trip. And I have it all to do again later today.

Topping Off


Tree
Getting Started

Temperatures were barely making it above zero during the last couple of days. That didn’t stop these fellows lopping the tops off my neighbours trees.

Tree1
Taking A Breather
tree2
Is That The Last Bit ?

Cheerio Pippa


Our house is a much quieter place since Pippa the Shih Tzu was picked up this morning. She has gone back home to be with her Mum who had been in hospital following an altercation with a paper boys bicycle.

Pippa

We think Pippa new something was afoot. Something in the way that she was following me around, being more of a shadow than usual. However, when she was collected she ran out the door and was gone without a single look back.

How is that for gratitude after we took you in ?

We will miss her company and her funny little ways but she is where she should be. Her Mum has missed her and they will be good company for each other.

View From The Conservatory


Tufty Fluffy Tail

I was peering out into the garden where the weather is decidedly foul when I spotted this fellow, young Tufty Fluffytail, sheltering from the wind and rain.

How many of you out there remember the real “Tufty” ?

How many joined the club ?

A Dull Afternoon


A rather dull afternoon, weather wise that is, spent between Portchester Castle and The Royal Victoria Country Park at Netley. This was the day that I smashed my lens. Portschester Castle Keep was closed as was Netley Abbey , another venue on our itinerary.  Just few snaps taken in poor conditions before we retired to The Fishermans Rest at Titchfield for a spot of lunch/dinner.

Tall Tales


On Wednesday we had a glorious sunny blue sky day, which was the ideal opportunity for a quick trip down Portsmouth, so that my grandson could get some pictures of the Spinnaker Tower at Gunwharf Quays. I of course took a camera but only my little Canon A570. The view is stupendous, unfortunately from a photographic standpoint having blue tinted glass is annoying. On this day the sun was shining directly into the front of the viewing levels so the glass was also flaring.

The following are a few snaps that I took both from outside and inside the Spinnaker.