Above

far from home

I look up to see

Summer leaves

~

Joining in with our 52 week Photo Challenge : prompt word ABOVE

And Yippee!!!!! combining it once again with Ronovan’s Weekly Haiku Challenge: prompt words HOME and LEAVES.

Have a go – it’s a great brain teaser to combine the two challenges.

Of course it is ok to stick with the Photo Challenge plain and simple.

Leave a link in the comments of this or Nanacathy’s post to join in and be in the weekly round-up.

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Photo Challenge Round Up: Heat

The season for Open Gardens is here in the UK, so good to be able to go into so many beautiful and quirky private gardens. I think this is a geum in hot colours, but could it be a potentilla?

Love that dark star at the centre. Joining Cee’s ‘Flower of the Day’.

Also getting hot this week:

Jane at Rainbow Junkie……. …………… ……  cook

Cathy at Nanacathy…….. ……. ……….. …….desert

 me at Wild Daffodil……… ……… ……….  card

💜 Melissa at The Aran Artisan …………………. fire

 Denis at Haiku Hound…….. ……….. ……sunset

Christina A Look at the Little Things ……. …90s

⭐️ Srivi at Piscean Me……………. ………… ….Mumbai

The  denotes a post that is also joining in with Ronovan’s Haiku Challenge – it’s fun to combine the two.

The  denotes a post with a poem or haiku written to go with the photo, but not using  Ronovan’s prompt words.

Please let me know if I have missed anyone

Thank you everyone for your steamy entries.

Four fab photo fiends created the 52 Week Photo Challenge, we are:

• Cathy from Nanacathydotcom
• Jane from Rainbowjunkiecorner
• Melissa from The Aran Artisan
• Sandra from Wild Daffodil

Thanks to Rainbow Jane’s bit of coaching I have created the links slightly differently so that they open in a new window – I hope this is helpful. Thank you Jane! 😀

Update:

An entry from my sister of her dog Bentley cooling off in the heat of the day by having a swim, he looks a bit knackered! Poor old Bentley!

Update 2 from Dig with Dorris, using glorious hot summer colours in a vase and joining Cathy’s In a Vase on Monday.

 

Join in any time

Next up is the Photo Prompt

PLAY

 Photo Challenge – click on the link to find out how to join in and see all the subjects set out for the weeks ahead.

~

Heat

cheering in the ninth

from hot and muggy Iowa

created by K

~

Just as I was putting together a post about iHanna’s Post Card Swap and simultaneously wondering what on earth I was going to photograph for our Photo Challenge prompt of HEAT – what should come skidding through my door puffing and panting but this postcard all the way from Iowa! Serendipity!

The ninth to arrive out of a possible 10 – and a very welcome addition to the collection with perfect timing. Here are the other 8:

This card was sent to me by Kirsten in California- I love a good quote. It was one of the first post cards I received in the swap which I wrote about back in May.

This one came from Emma in Rapid City, South Dakota. I have never been to South Dakota but my son went to a rodeo there when he was on his gap year back in 1998

It feels so good to be connecting with other creatives from all over the world and getting these gems through the post.

We are all given 10 addresses and so should receive 10 cards in return, if all goes well, but sometimes I guess life and other commitments get in the way and this year eight 9 little works of art have arrived.

Going clockwise from top left, these cards came from Valerie in California; Kirsten in California; Gertrude, Lake Ontario; ‘Fanciful Flutterbys” by Judith Pennsylvania; Emma in South Dakota; Julie in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Pam from Fargo, North Dakota and the hearts from Tina in Florida.

This one by Gertrude seems to be made in a similar way to my post cards. Such a perky little bird drawn on layers of collage, painting and stamping. I like its interesting background and the simple cheerful design. I also like the way Gertrude has gone all round the card’s cut edge with black pen, I’ll try to remember to do that on my cards for a good finish.

This one from Tina uses layers of stamped and printed designs for the background, creating a similar effect

and comes from sunny Florida where in May, Tina wrote, it was already ‘too hot‘, but she was enjoying seeing the ‘neat birds and gatars in the back lake’. A wonderful glimpse into her world.

Joining in with Ronovan’s Weekly Haiku Challenge, where he is celebrating his birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY RON!

prompt words: CHEER and BIRTH

cheering in the ninth from hot and muggy Iowa

from hot and muggy Iowa created by K

I have used ‘created’ as a word connected with ‘BIRTH’.

and

our 52 Week Photo Challenge, created by Cathy, Jane, Melissa and me

Join in any time, next week’s prompt is

PLAY

~

Photo Challenge Round Up: NATIVE

Mint moth on

pear leaf after rain

a welcome sight

~

As far as I can discover the Mint Moth is native to the British Isles. This one was a visitor to my garden this week. So tiny.

Also going Native this week:

Jane at Rainbow Junkie……. …………… ………juicy

Cathy at Nanacathy…….. ……. ……….. …….crafty

 me at Wild Daffodil……… ……… ……….  weedy

💜 Melissa at The Aran Artisan ……………..singing

 Denis at Haiku Hound…….. ……….. …  friendly

Christina A Look at the Little Things …….  goosey

Dorris at Dig with Dorris ………… …… …   admiral

The  denotes a post that is also joining in with Ronovan’s Haiku Challenge – it’s fun to combine the two. Click on the link to see his review of the week’s wonderful haiku collection using the prompt words: FRESH and WIND

Miss E (aged8) asked me what the prompts were this week and wrote this poem

fresh wind

fresh wind

blows in my face

fresh wind

fresh wind

sometimes in disgrace

fresh wind

fresh wind

makes a lovely sound

fresh wind

fresh wind

blows sand around

~

When I asked her to tell me a bit more about the wind being in disgrace she said she that is because the wind does damage and  “You don’t like it when it’s windy Granny”. She’s right, I don’t!

The  denotes a post with a poem or haiku written to go with the photo, but not using  prompt words.

Please let me know if I have missed anyone

Thank you everyone for all the NATIVE entries.

Join in this week the next Photo Prompt is

HEAT

(if only the weather would oblige)

You can join in the Photo Challenge any time, click on the link to find out how to and see all the subjects for the weeks ahead.

~

Layer

mossy layers invite

tiny dragons to lay eggs

deep in our psyche

~

A response to Our Photo Challenge prompt: LAYER

And Ronovan’s Weekly Haiku Challenge prompts: DRAGON and INVITE

With Miss E as a guest prompter this week – so exciting!

It has been wonderful for me to read all the intriguing haiku that have been created around these words – Miss E will be so thrilled and encouraged – can’t wait til tomorrow when we can read them all together.

A huge thank you to Ronovan for giving her this marvellous opportunity and experience.

The Haiku

mossy layers invite tiny dragons to lay eggs

tiny dragons to lay eggs deep in our psyche

I am a Scorpio Dragon myself – there is a fascinating post by ‘Work in Progress’ if you are interested in this sort of thing.

A bit stuck this week, I went through my photos and found this photo of a wall in Gloucestershire I took in 2010 and then it all came together.

To join in just leave a link to your LAYER photo in the comments on Cathy’s Post, or here, and I will include it in the round up on Sunday.

Next Week’s Photo Prompt

FERN

~

Photo Challenge Round Up – Happy

Doing this round up makes me feel very  🙂    HAPPY!   🙂

An extra photo from me, taken at the end of a blissful day spent with Big Bro and Little Bro pootling, pottering and beach-combing on Charmouth Beach  yesterday. Oh how lucky and HAPPY I feel on days like this

More photos for happiness:

Jane: a feast for the eyes in this post

Cathy: someone knows her well

Melissa: so much to enjoy in this post, with the huge bonus of an Irish poem written in Irish and with the English translation.

Rosalind: that dog is almost laughing with happiness

Christina: ‘Celebrate good times, c’mon!’

Ali at Thimberlina: this makes me beam – fab 80s fun.

Roz: Happy Hoppy!

Craftmanicmommy: has linked in with a Quote that fits so well with the theme. If you look at her profile picture – that would definitely fit the photographic element for HAPPY.

Denis at Haiku Hound: thought that the photo of his dog Charlie in this post was a good fit for the theme – I agree! Pop across and see what you think.

Andre: oooooo! yes those crystal clear waters would make me happy for sure! And there is also a Haiku to enjoy.

10 entries to see in our 52 week Photo Challenge this week! Yikes! That’s so exciting! Thank you so much everyone for joining in. I just love the variety and sweet glimpses of your worlds.

Can’t leave this theme without a link to Pharrell Williams’s wonderfully uplifting song:

 

Tomorrow our theme for the week goes live:

VINTAGE

I’m so looking forward to seeing what each person brings to the party!

❤

Photo Challenge Round Up – GAME

We are off to such a wonderful start with our 52 Week Photo Challenge and I have been wanting to do a little round up of all the photo entries, but have had to wait for my ailing laptop to have bypass surgery. It is now limping along and I’m not sure how long it will last before another symptom appears, but here goes ….

Our first week’s subject GAME:

Jane: a fascinating entry that could, in a way also qualify for Week 3’s subject – VINTAGE.

Cathy: showing her family’s love of ‘the beautiful game’.

Melissa: as ever, we see such a rich mix of family and island life and a haiku.

Ali: a wonderfully happy celebration photo from her archives.

Christina: a very assertive cat who knows how to get what she wants

Rosalind: fun in the kitchen

Roz: this makes me laugh!

And mine: playing board games with little ones is great training for life’s ups and downs, they eventually learn that losing is not the end of the world!

Celebrating 8 entries for our first week.

Please let me know if I have missed anybody out.

It was fun looking at them all together.

Go to the PHOTO CHALLENGE page to find out more about the challenge.

We’d jump for joy if you joined us!

Close

*

Loud colours excite

Vintage grey tones bring silence

And an eerie calm

*

This week’s photo prompt is CLOSE, crumbs I was stuck, what would you have photographed? And then I walked outside with my early morning cuppa and realised I live in a ‘Close’.

Definition – Close: a residential street without through access.

With a bit of playing around I got what I think is a vintage photo look – it looks a bit 1950s to me – what do you think? A bit spooky?

The Haiku prompt words, SILENCE and LOUD together with the photo, set off this train of thoughts inspired by summer’s early mornings, my favourite time of day……

 

The Close lies silent in the early morning light

And slowly comes to life with gentle stirrings

Birdsong and the soft footstep of dog walkers passing

As I take my tea to see which new flower opens.

Then, not too loud, my neighbours start their day

And chat in driveways checking all is well

We keep a distance and we keep in touch

Very different and with much in common

English village life, a challenge sometimes,

Has a richness, complex and connected

Weaving us all together in unseen ways,

A pleasant way to rub along for all our future days.

*

Other CLOSE photos: Cathy in a tight squeeze; Jamie, up close.

Next week’s Photo Prompt is SCENT. What would you choose to photograph?

One of my favourite Haiku this week is written by tjparis, who has beautifully combined it with the ‘In a Vase’ meme hosted by Rambling in the Garden – what a perfect combination.

Emotion

Ronovan’s Haiku Challenge: words of the week – TIME and NEW.

The tide takes its time

To retreat and then return

Refresh and renew

*

Bluedaisyz Photo Challenge: EMOTION

When my two friends arrived for a weekend by the sea with me, they were pretty darn happy!

Three friends together 

Emotion by the ocean

Hip, hip, hip, hurray

*

This photo was taken a few years ago at Ringstead. Happy memories!

Do you have a place where you can go to completely relax, a home from home?

Ringstead is bliss, but I needed to get a bit further away – and another favourite place is a delightful and slightly whacky Bed and Breakfast, Felingog in Solva, Pembrokeshire, Wales.

I have escaped, done a bunk, skedaddled (one of my 7 Wonder Words) – it was time for me to step away from the situation I was struggling with, I could go no further – enough! Recovery time is necessary, and Solva is the perfect place for me to rest and recuperate – there is no getting away from it, I need to be by the sea to recharge these flat batteries.

My Mum was born in this area of south west Wales and I always feel welcomed into the local community in a way that means my whole self just settles.

So many happy memories from childhood summers spent on the beaches, and building new memories with my grandchildren.

I am meeting my second cousin for supper tonight, I haven’t seen her for about 45 years! Emotion by the ocean!

Nearly a Haiku?

Time spent in Solva

A new sense of peace at last

As the tide turns

Other Photo Challenge Entries: Roz, with the sheer bliss of a good scratch!; Jamie, with a cute Valentine; Melissa, the cutest, cheekiest smile; Garry a strong image from Cambodia; Erika, so happy and proud!

And don’t miss Ronovan’s Review of the many great Haiku

Texture

Haiku Challenge to include: VIE and REACH

to vie for fairness

and reach quiet enjoyment

 should it be this tough

 

Metaphor

Hard slate, broken glass

Trouble lurking near softness

Today feels like this

*

Photo Challenge: TEXTURE – So many pictures vying to be here for this subject! But in the end I chose this one as there are several textures and I notice the feeling of tension/danger that broken glass adds to this picture against the soft bouncy-ness of the curry plant.

As I was composing the Haiku I realised what a metaphor it is for how my days feel to me right now.

I have hinted at a very difficult legal situation running along in the background of my happy, family, creative life. It has reached a critical point at the moment – the photo fits perfectly! Please send me loving vibes for a swift and satisfactory resolution PLEASE!!!! Thank you!!! ❤

*

Other Photo Challenge entries: Texture: Erika, extraordinary – creativity happens!; Melissa: you get 3 haikus and some more street art as a bonus in Melissa’s post; Jamie: a subject that always grabs me too; Garry, a beautifully soft look in the eye

Next Week: EMOTION what photo would you choose?

Gold

Bluedaisyz weekly photo challenge: As soon as I saw the subject GOLD come up, I knew I wanted to take a photo of my Welsh gold ring.

This is the ring I bought for myself in the shop near St.David’s Cathedral in Wales. I was divorced in 1987 and until 2007 very rarely wore a ring on the third finger of my left hand. Then I became a Granny, a status I am so very proud to have. It didn’t feel right somehow not to have a symbol of this wonderful new stage of my life, so I bought myself this celtic design in Welsh Gold. My mother is Welsh, and I am very proud of my Welsh ancestry

So this week’s challenge is a celebration of my Granny ring.

How to photograph it? Hmmmm????

I was just about to put this rusty old can in the recycling when the sunlight caught it and it shone like GOLD ………… ping ………an idea.

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I like the combination of precious gold and a golden rusty can and got quite carried away with the photo shoot.

Other entries: Jamie, fascinating, and something I did not know about before; Erika , such a beautiful smile!; Garry, great minds, again Garry!; Roz, and we get a song as well!

And then to combine this with Ronovan’s Haiku Challenge: the words this week are ILL and REST. Get well soon Ronovan!

Celtic gold design

A Grandmother’s status ring

Gives rest, wards off ills

*

Ronovan writes a weekly review of all the Haikus, it is fun to read through them, here is what he wrote for this one:  Sandra of Wild Daffodil: Time to get wild with Sandra. I’m already talking crazy and not even halfway finished? Yep, trouble ahead. Gold Granny. No, not exactly her title, but I’m going with it. I loved the story behind the Haiku and the images, especially the smaller one.

You can see his other reviews here.

Crisp

Crisp salad leaves grow,

A Permaculture triumph

Self-seeded, zone one

*

Ronovan’s words of the week: Sweet and Foul – here goes!

Sweet green lettuce leaves

Growing through foul winds and rain

Of Winter and Spring

*

 These salad leaves grow just outside my front door(Zone 1) in a Veg Trug – gardening at waist height – the way to go.

We would love to have a few more along for the weekly photo challenge – and all the subjects are already set out for you so you can plan well in advance. You can use old photos or fresh ones – each tells a story.

CRISP by Jamie, Roz, Garry, Melissa and Erika

Next week: GOLD               Go on give it a go!

Quite often as soon as I see the word of the week a photo springs to mind. I have enjoyed sharing old photos, giving them new life and a new story to share in blogland. I started adding haikus to the picture cos they just seemed to pop out!

And now I also include Ronovan’s Haiku Challenge, and like to see how the Haikus work together.

Melissa also combines the 2 challenges – in fact it was she who inspired me to do the same!

Shape

 

For Ronovan’s Haiku Challenge, which this week asks for Field and Beacon to be incorporated into a Haiku:

A beacon of light

Shining from sparkling eyes

Creates love’s force field

This goes together with this week’s Photo Challenge: subject SHAPE

I just love the shape

Their love for each other makes

A hug in a hug

 

Do the SHAPES show up better in black and white?
This is one of my favourite pictures of my son and his girlfriend – a purely spontaneous moment captured, a few years ago. They gave me permission to share it with you. Now they are married and the parents of Big Bro and Little Bro.

Don’t know who Big Bro and little Bro are? Let me introduce you to my grandchildren: First there is Miss E, Master R and Little Miss M, then Big Bro and Little Bro, and then living further afield Big Sister and the Twins.

It makes me beam from ear to ear to think of them all at once – how lucky am I!

 

Other entries in Week 11 in bluedaisyz 52 week photo challenge :

Jamie, Melissa, Garry,  Erika, and Roz

Next week’s subject: CRISP             Tricky! what would you photograph?

(the haiku in the photo challenge is optional)

I’m having fun combining the 2 challenges and seeing how both Haikus work together with each other and the picture.

Think

Mandala of weed

On a still, bright Autumn day

A meditation

 

Week 10 of Bluedaisyz 52 week photo challenge, subject : THINK

Other THINK participants: Jamie, Melissa, Erika, Garry

And joining in with this week’s Haiku Challenge from Ronovan which asks for the two words, Miss and Past to be incorporated into a Haiku:

Mandala calm gone

Time flying past, way too fast

I miss quiet days

*

* 

Added 16.March.  Ronovan writes a review of each Haiku in the challenge, which I really look forward to reading. It adds to the fun and the connection with the other writers. Here it is:

Sandra of Wild Daffodil: Think A good piece. I learned something with this one. I learned what a Mandala was. This was a Google moment. I love Google moments. Peaceful. I like it.

Read

This week’s subject, READ for Bluedaisyz 52 week photo challenge ,has made me think about the power of the written word ……

Crossing space: There is a scene in the film ‘The Mission’ when a native Colombian whispers something to one of the main characters, who writes this down and takes it to another who reads it out. The native is amazed. That scene has stayed with me as a wonderfully simple demonstration of the power of being able to read. (I searched on You Tube for the clip but could not find it – if you have a link to it please let me know).

Crossing time: I went to collect a whole load of 60s and 70s magazines offered on Freecycle. I thought I might find some vintage knitting patterns or good collage material. My sister used to work in advertising in the 70s and 80s, so when she came to stay I left a pile of these ‘vintage’ mags for her to look through. She devoured them!!! And was delighted to come across an article written by an friend of hers, Disc Jockey, Paul Burnett – anyone remember him on Radio 1? Click this link to see an interview with Paul Burnett in 2009, and then here he is  back in the day. My sister met Paul through her first husband, Golly, who was in the pop music world. They married in, June 1983, and the wedding made the front page of our local paper as so many Radio 1 celebrities were invited down to sleepy old Dorset.. Many of them, including Paul B (second from the left in the Echo photo, next to Peter Powell) stayed in my house over the weekend. Tony Prince (2nd from the right) took my boys for a walk on Weymouth beach. And behind Sue there is DLT and Mike READ, with Kid Jensen on the right and Golly, Sue’s husband, peeping over her shoulder. Doesn’t she look beautiful!

Sue and I spent a wonderful hour or so chatting over her wedding weekend and going through all the old ‘She’ magazines to find ones with Paul’s column in them. Sue was then able to take them and give them to him – apparently he was delighted! I love the way these magical little synchronisities work out! So… which is my picture for the photo challenge – it will have to be the photo of Paul Burnett’s column above.

And for the haiku (which is not part of the 52 weeks of photos challenge, but Melissa of The Aran Artisan and I are in cahoots about creating a haiku each week to go with the photo – however Melissa takes this challenge even further – she’s amazing! go take a look at how she manages to incorporate yet another challenge in her weekly post ) ……

Crossing time and space                                                                                            Words bring us together, once                                                                                   Again we connect

Time for a little review of this great challenge – each week there is a one word subject for a photo.

The whole 52 weeks are already laid out for us – I love this as I can plan ahead and start thinking about each subject way in advance. I like to have a creative project running as a seam through my everyday stuff, and this is nice and gentle and makes me look at things in new and sometimes surprising ways.

Week 1: New   Week 2: Cold    Week3: Light   Week4: Small    Week 5: White   Week 6: Smooth   Week 7: Blue     Week 8: Create   Week 9: Read

And next week the subject is: ‘Think’  – biggest challenge yet – nothing is springing to mind right now Then Shape and then  Crisp Please do join us, it is more fun than I ever thought!

And you will be very welcome!

And if you are looking for something to READ this book ‘When God was a Rabbit’ comes highly recommended by Sarah at So Here’s The Thing

Links to ‘READ‘ photos from the others: Jamie, Melissa, Erika, Garry

***

Hey – there’s a lot to READ in this week’s post – hmmm, funny that!!

Create

First use of thimble,                                                                                                              Her constant companion                                                                                              Held close as ever

 

for Week 8: Create in bluedaisyz 52week photo challenge

Miss E has recently joined Beavers Club, where they have badges for everything – she wanted to make a tractor driver’s badge for when she is on the farm with her Daddy. We had such fun designing and creating this together.

 

‘Create’ with Jamie, Erika, Melissa, Roz, Garry.

Blue

Raindrops on petals                                                                                                          Iris and limnanthes bloom                                                                                                In perfect harmony

 

For bluedausyz 52week photo challenge, this photo was taken some years ago in a former garden of mine – I miss those gorgeous irises and hope to grow more the garden I have now.                                                                                                    The woman we bought that house from, Mrs Barnes, was a farmer in her 80s. As she showed us round the house, before we bought it, she said in her broad Dorset accent,  “I’m not one for dusting, dusting takes your life away, but you can grow with a garden” – a woman after my own heart!

We have 6 regulars in the challenge now, it really is such a lovely thing to share each week – want to join in? We’d love to have you along!                                    Next Week’s subject: Create

Jamie’s ‘Blue’, Roz’s Blue, Erika’s ‘Blue’, Melissa’s ‘Blue’, Garry’s ‘Blue’

Smooth

Smoothest pink petals                                                                                                  Erotic design to lure                                                                                                             In to the centre

 

Bluedaisyz  52weekchallenge

Smooth by Jamie, Roz, Garry (great minds … Garry!), Erika

GARDEN DIARY                                                                                                       Pruned the apple tree. I cut up the prunings for kindling.                                      The second day in a row that I have gardened til the sun went down – in February!!!! Fab-u-lussssss!

White

White goddess stands tall                               In blue anemone flowers                              She basks in nature

White goddess sits down     Amidst pink polyanthus         She glows in nature

 

 

 

 

Week 5 (gosh these weeks spin round so quickly!) of Bluedaisyz 52 week challenge. It’s so cool to see how each of us interprets the subject each week, I really look forward to the Monday posts. Click on the link and join in – it’s fun!

There are 6 of us in the weekly challenge, at the moment, it would be great if you would like to join us, there are no rules, just a new subject each week. Here’s our take on ‘White’ : Jamie, Melissa, Roz, Erika, Garry

An previous weeks: Week1, Week2, Week3, Week4

Small

Big hand, tiny foot                                                                                                          Held with love at first meeting                                                                                  Seven years ago

 

Bluedaisyz 52 week Challenge                          Week 4

‘Small’ by Roz, Jamie, Melissa, Erika, Gary

GARDEN DIARY                                                                                                             Last February, I planted around 200 snowdrops, and I have been just a little anxious of late as I could see no sign of them coming up, I thought they might have been devoured by moles, voles, mice or squirrels as there is evidence that these animals are about! I don’t mind sharing the habitat with my fellow creatures but ……!  Yesterday to my delight I have found some tiny shoots pushing through the ground – going nicely with the ‘Small’ theme. Phew! I’m so relieved. If you click on the February link you can also see my magic rotary compost maker – one of the loves of my life! Ha!

I picked sage and thyme (for a beef stew), parsley for a white sauce and rocket to mix in at the last minute for ZEST!

The sound of rhubarb growing – listen here – a treat!                                                 As seen on the KnitterlyArts blog, recommended by Mrs.ThomasinaTittlemouse