Author: Cathy

I enjoy getting out and about, reading a lot and listening to audiobooks. I love sharing the books I’ve enjoyed and I’m a member of Rosie Amber’s book review team which has lead me to lots of new authors I may not have found otherwise. Photography is a hobby I enjoy very much, especially now I’m using a camera instead of my phone and I take pictures wherever I go. You’ll find lots of landscape and wildlife photos on my blog. I’m an animal person and have had dogs for the last 30+ years. The breed of my heart is the German Shepherd but at the moment I have a LurcherXSaluki. Other things I enjoy are being by the sea, music, theatre and the odd glass or three of wine. I hope you’ll visit and enjoy browsing through the books and photos on my blog :)

Lens-Artist Weekly #PhotoChallenge #108 ~ Sanctuary #Nature #Photography #LensArtist

August 4, 2020 Cathy11 Comments

Lens Artist Weekly is guest hosted by Xenia Tran from Whippet Wisdom and Tranature, with the theme of sanctuary.

A sanctuary is a place of refuge, for people and animals. For me it means a place to feel comfortable, peaceful and safe. Especially appropriate at the moment.

Spending time in nature brings a sense of calm, healing and peacefulness.

Watching the birds and insects, listening to the sounds of nature

A favourite place to curl up and read

Being on a deserted beach with the sound of the ocean. All these things instill feelings of tranquility, renewal and peace.

#SundayStills ~ Beautiful Beaches around the UK #Nature #Photography #Coast

August 2, 2020 Cathy39 Comments

I’m delighted to be hosting Sunday Stills for Terry Webster Schrandt during August while she takes a blogging break.

This week’s theme is Beautiful Beaches and we have lots to choose from in the UK. I love spending time by the ocean. The beach heading the post is Bamburgh in Northumberland, overlooked by the impressive castle.

The photos above and below are images of Porthminster Beach at St Ives in Cornwall. We stayed there many times when we lived down south.

We also spent a lot of time at Carbis Bay which is just down the coast a little way from St Ives.

The beach at Rhos on Sea is much closer to home and great for building sand castles.

Lyme Regis on the Jurassic Coast has a beach of two halves—sand and pebbles.

On the pebble beach the ‘stone man’ as we used to call him, could often be seen balancing stones at incredible angles.

And the lovely stretch of Newborough Beach and sand dunes on Angelsey.

At low tide Llanddwyn Island is accessible on foot from Newborough. Llanddwyn translates to the Church of St Dwynwen. She is the Welsh patron saint of lovers and lived during the 5th century AD. The legend goes that after a failed romance and to avoid an arranged marriage Dwynwen retreated to Llanddwyn and lived the life of a hermit.

Sunday Stills Photo Challenge Reminders

Please create a new post for the theme.
Title your post a little differently than mine.
Don’t forget to create a pingback to this post so that other participants can read your post. I also recommend adding your post’s URL into the comments.
Entries for this theme can be shared all week. Use hashtag #SundayStills for sharing on social media.

#BirdWeekly Challenge ~ Birds at the Feeder #Nature #Birds #Photography

July 31, 2020 Cathy9 Comments

Week 8 of Lisa Coleman’s bird weekly challenge features birds at the feeders.

It was lovely to see this greenfinch. I hadn’t seen one for ages.

A couple of years ago I tried bringing the robins closer to the house with seed in a bowl on the patio table. It worked a treat with two arriving at once. It looked like they were sizing each other up initially but behaved very well and shared nicely.

A male house sparrow. Sparrows seemed to disappear for a while but they’re back in force this year.

Well, this was unusual. We’ve never had magpies on the feeders. At least there was two of them…

Lovely to see juvenile blue tits…

and of course, the adults

And last but not least, goldfinches

#SundayStills #FOTD ~ Yellow Flowers on yesterday’s walk #Nature #Flowers #Yellow

July 30, 2020July 30, 2020 Cathy14 Comments

Welcome to a late entry for the Sunday Stills feature created and hosted by Terri Webster Schrandt. The theme this week is yellow and I’m also joining Cee’s flower of the day (July 30th) although there are several flowers.

Yellow was the predominant colour yesterday. There were countless groups of each of the flowers and they made a lovely bright display.

#FOTD Flower of the Day ~ Rhododendron #Nature #Photography

July 29, 2020 Cathy5 Comments

Looking back to spring and a rhododendron just about to flower is my choice for Cee’s flower of the day (29th July).

#SilentSunday ~ Peacock #Butterfly enjoying Buddleia Flowers #Nature #Photography #Floral

July 26, 2020 Cathy5 Comments

#BirdWeekly ~ Photo Challenge ~ Black & White #Photography #Birds #Nature

July 24, 2020July 24, 2020 Cathy8 Comments

Week 7 of Lisa Coleman’s Bird Weekly challenge is for any bird in black and white or sepia

This was taken a while ago when it was warm enough fro the female blackbird to do a spot of sunbathing.

I’d never seen a turnstone before I spied this little fellow

The raven was quite happy to pose for the camera

Not sure what the blackbird was hiding from…

This moorhen was enjoying a solitary swim without the brood.

Keeping a watchful eye on the cygnets

And two youngsters to finish off with, a robin and a dunnock.

#FOTD Flower of the Day ~ Japanese Anemone #Nature Flowers #Photography

July 24, 2020 CathyLeave a comment

Lens Artist Weekly is guest hosted by Xenia Tran from Whippet Wisdom and Tranature, with the theme of sanctuary.

A sanctuary is a place of refuge, for people and animals. For me it means a place to feel comfortable, peaceful and safe. Especially appropriate at the moment.

Spending time in nature brings a sense of calm, healing and peacefulness.

Watching the birds and insects, listening to the sounds of nature

A favourite place to curl up and read

Being on a deserted beach with the sound of the ocean. All these things instill feelings of tranquility, renewal and peace.

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I’m delighted to be hosting Sunday Stills for Terry Webster Schrandt during August while she takes a blogging break.

This week’s theme is Beautiful Beaches and we have lots to choose from in the UK. I love spending time by the ocean. The beach heading the post is Bamburgh in Northumberland, overlooked by the impressive castle.

The photos above and below are images of Porthminster Beach at St Ives in Cornwall. We stayed there many times when we lived down south.

We also spent a lot of time at Carbis Bay which is just down the coast a little way from St Ives.

The beach at Rhos on Sea is much closer to home and great for building sand castles.

Lyme Regis on the Jurassic Coast has a beach of two halves—sand and pebbles.

On the pebble beach the ‘stone man’ as we used to call him, could often be seen balancing stones at incredible angles.

And the lovely stretch of Newborough Beach and sand dunes on Angelsey.

Sunday Stills Photo Challenge Reminders

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Week 8 of Lisa Coleman’s bird weekly challenge features birds at the feeders.

It was lovely to see this greenfinch. I hadn’t seen one for ages.

A couple of years ago I tried bringing the robins closer to the house with seed in a bowl on the patio table. It worked a treat with two arriving at once. It looked like they were sizing each other up initially but behaved very well and shared nicely.

A male house sparrow. Sparrows seemed to disappear for a while but they’re back in force this year.

Well, this was unusual. We’ve never had magpies on the feeders. At least there was two of them…

Lovely to see juvenile blue tits…

and of course, the adults

And last but not least, goldfinches

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Welcome to a late entry for the Sunday Stills feature created and hosted by Terri Webster Schrandt. The theme this week is yellow and I’m also joining Cee’s flower of the day (July 30th) although there are several flowers.

Yellow was the predominant colour yesterday. There were countless groups of each of the flowers and they made a lovely bright display.

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Looking back to spring and a rhododendron just about to flower is my choice for Cee’s flower of the day (29th July).

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Week 7 of Lisa Coleman’s Bird Weekly challenge is for any bird in black and white or sepia

This was taken a while ago when it was warm enough fro the female blackbird to do a spot of sunbathing.

I’d never seen a turnstone before I spied this little fellow

The raven was quite happy to pose for the camera

Not sure what the blackbird was hiding from…

This moorhen was enjoying a solitary swim without the brood.

Keeping a watchful eye on the cygnets

And two youngsters to finish off with, a robin and a dunnock.

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Today’s choice for Cee’s flower of the day (24th July) is a Japanese Anemone

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