Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head

Well, to be honest, I wasn't expecting any photos of note today. It's dull and raining in this little bit of the UK. Cold too. I've actually put on my heating which is unheard of for me at the end of May.

However, there is beauty in all things if you take the time to look. Just see what I found today:

Poppies

If you regularly take a look at this blog it won't take you long to realise that one type of flowers I love are poppies. They are in fact my third favourite flower after tulips and daffodils. The bonus though of poppies is that they grow in the wild so I can take photos of them without trespassing into someone's garden!

It is in fact poppy season here so here are some poppy scenes so far:

My Favourite Log...

I love this log... well perhaps not the log itself but the many views it has presented to me! It is very similar to the one in my post Come Walk with Me but this is my favourite!

Actually, if you look closely you can see some huge mushrooms (toadstools?) growing on it.

Sunset through the Bedroom Window II

This room really does have the best view in the house of an evening. I was looking for a way to make a page dedicated to these photos. I could make a page but could not find a way to make separate blog posts on that page. So I'll just post them in the normal stream. It irritates me because it's not how I want it organised but maybe you readers don't mind!

Photo Effects

Since I have been doing (I was going to say writing but there isn't normally an awful lot of writing going on!) this blog, I have rediscovered Google+.

I say rediscovered because I had previously thought of Google+ as a failed Facebook. Then on looking into it as a way to share my photos and my blog I have found some amazing global art and photography communities. There is so much talent out there worldwide it makes me feel quite humbled.

It is also interesting how many different photography styles there are. In this day when decent editing tools are available to any person with a smartphone, everyone seems to be using them to great effect. I personally use them to enhance a photo and to make it seem more true to what my eye actually saw. Given that nearly all my photos are taken while I am walking my dogs, I normally see a scene that takes my breath away and snap it as quickly as possible before the dogs run off and get into mischief. I don't have time to check everything a professional photographer might. So when I get home I tinker to get the photograph as close to what I actually saw as possible. For example, I took this picture recently:

I loved this scene because the line of the clouds almost directly followed the line of the trees and it looked like a mushroom cloud coming from the top of the trees. I have a thing about clouds by the way, which may well come to light if you follow the blog!

Imagine my disappointment when I came home to discover that the photo I took was actually mostly just dark shapes and smudgy clouds. I really didn't think I would be able to save it but with Google Photo Editor I achieved this... exactly the scene I had seen!

But other people use photo effects in totally different ways. Colours and other aspects can be changed to be almost unnatural, with stunning effect. It enables photography, for those who want it, to be like other art forms, less a copy of what is seen but more a personal interpretation or representation of the scene taken.

For me though, I shall stick with effects that show you what I have seen. Walks with my dogs have unearthed beauty around me that I didn't know existed. I have literally gasped out loud sometimes when confronted by it and it is this that I want to share when I share my photos.

Come Walk with Me...

Today I took my dogs for a walk and there were so many sights to behold I wanted to share them all with you.

Come walk with me!

Our path was marked for us by flowers

As we turned the corner we were met with the sight of the inclement clouds saturating the landscape with vibrant colours

The view opposite of saturated, vibrant colours

Flowers guarding the entrance to... I don't know... A brave new world perhaps...

I love poppies and it's poppy season!

More poppies

Another poppy!

Rolling fields and clouds

To finish, half hidden and nestling in the trees, Home Sweet Home... Unfortunately not mine though...

Camouflage Quiz Time...

Spot the mating butterflies... Hint: I've made it easy for you...

PS They may be moths, I really don't know.

PPS They may just be courting or playing...

The Lovely Elvie

This lovely lady inspired me with her art tweets to pick up a pencil for the first time in about 25 years. It's only done with a school pencil on printing paper because that's all I had in the house at the time.

Bales in the Woods

Rolling Fields on a Stormy Day

The fields on the downs around here could be the very personification of "rolling fields".

This was taken on a stormy day. What I love about days like this is they make colours more vibrant in contrast to the darkness of the skies.

Sunsets through the Bedroom Window

This view of the church from my house is always comforting because I know my dearest friend can see it from her house too, albeit from a totally different perspective. It reminds me that we are connected still, even if we don't see each other as often as we'd like.

Every Cloud has a Silver Lining

My Dream House

Approaching Village Life

Nice Weather for Ducks

Aslan's Resting Place

Whenever I walk past this I think of the bit in the book "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" where Lucy finds Aslan slain. I can picture it being here.

Twee...

Some parts of this village are so twee.

A butterfly before it fluttered by...

Floral Sunshine

In the absence of real sunshine this field of brightness was like walking through the sun... Without the heat obviously...

Barmy Dog

Jamaican Leaves

Almshouses at Dusk

Almshouses at Dusk