Nasturtiums

I don't normally photograph the garden. but this year's display of Nasturtiums are something else! I shall definitely be collecting seeds! Thanks Tom - cracking Christmas pressie of seeds! 

Red Pike: High Stile and High Crag

A good day in the fells! We parked in Buttermere and followed the direct path up to Bleaberry Tarn. The path through the wood was paved, steep and slippery, but once out onto the fell the views were spectacular and the heather in full bloom. Then onto Bleaberry Tarn and up onto Red Pike. The path was scree and rocks towards the top - depending on your point of view - good fun! It's a steep way up the Pike. Cloud began to obscure most views but it was a lovely ridge walk and what we did see was great! Lots of Dwarf Willow, but despite searching no Thamnolia and very few Club Mosses. To our relief the path down from High Crag has been paved - last time we went up it was horrendous - steep, grassy and erroded! Back then to Scarth Gap and down to the lake. Despite the number of people Gatesgarth kiosk was shut - the alternative - the icecream at the farm in Buttermere was worth the wait. 

On the way up to Bleaberry tarn, looking back to Fleetwith Pike - and below.

Gorgeous path and the first views of Red Pike. 

Plenty of Heather! 

Looking east. 

From Red Pike towards High Stile. 

High Stile summit. 

The ridge. 

Mating dragonflies. 

Looking back at High Crag. 

My favourite type of view! Cloud, mountains and bog! 

Looking down Scarth Gap Pass.

Looking across Buttermere - the fells still in the clouds. 

..and then the sun came out! 

Playing ...

I don't know where the time seems to go and recently I have been doing a lot of the normal reproducing prints etc, but last night I had a play ...I don't do water-colour, so this is very much experimental! ..and fun! Somehow I keep getting drawn back, excuse the word-play, back to Norfolk. 

Buttermere

As always, with an early start to avoid the crowds, a lovely walk around Buttermere...

 

Nice to see hay being made. 

Fly Agarics.

Rowan berries.

A moth trap - at last!

Finally, a night (8th - 9th August) with a zero percent chance of rain and minimal wind! So a moth trap - not large numbers, but good enough: Burnished Brass 1; Common Carpet 2; Common Rustic 7; Dark Arches 3; Dotted Clay 2; Drinker 1; Early Thorn (second gen); Flame Carpet 1; Flounced Rustic 2; Gold Spot 3; Lesser Broad-bodied Yellow Underwing 1; Large Yellow Underwing 5; Lesser Swallow Prominent 1; Magpie 1; Rosey Rustic 1 and Small Square Spot 3.

Lesser Swallow Prominent ..and below.

Drinker.

Gold Spot.

Early Thorn. 

Small Square Spot.

Dotted Clay. 

Rosey Rustic 

Using an embelisher

With a meeting coming up, where we sahll be looking at the use of embellishers, I thought that I ought to metaphorically, dust mine off. An embelisher is like a sewing machine, but rather than an threaded needle that goes up and down, it has pronged needles that 'needle-felt' flet nad fabric into a background. although there is a lot more you can do with them I am sure - and hopefully will find out just what next week - watch this space! In the meantime ..and 'dusting off' here are three ice inspired semi abstract pices - made with an embellisher, incorporaating marino tops, dyed muslin and other fabrics and wool and  then a bit of machine stitching was added. What to do with them next is the question, as they are ok in their own right, but shall I chop them up and incorporate them into another piece? 

Wedholme Flow: Dragonflies

 With the poor summer weather, I haven't had much time to photograph dragonflies.

Darter sp.

Darter sp.

Darter sp.

Hawker sp.

Darter sp.

Darter sp.

Hawker sp.

Darter sp.

Chaser sp.