Tag: #Friendly Friday

Is it five years already?!!

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Five years ago I was on my first visit to the UK. My camera was brand new, I had no tripod and very little experience with taking photos. But I wasn’t going to be deterred. I ventured out in the middle of the night from our B&B to take pictures of the blood moon (breaking my glasses in the process).

The next day we visited Stratford-upon-Avon and I stood in front of the house of one of my heroes and found out that taking photos with lots of others milling about wasn’t that easy.

We went on to Birmingham where I looked at the canals.

But our main purpose in being there was the Rugby World Cup and of course, seeing the Springboks – playing Samoa (well, not really but we took the tickets we could get). It was my first life rugby game and it was grand! Later we saw the Bokke play Scotland in Newcastle and that was even better. I didn’t know whether I would be allowed to bring my camera so I only have a few shots from the actual game, taken with my cell phone.

Birmingham had some great sights on offere like the most amazing library building and of course, I met the Floozy in her jacuzzi:

Linked to Friendly Friday: Anniversaries.

Puzzling plastic

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It’s plastic, all right, but WHAT is it?

Bales of hay, wrapped up for storage. It seems to be a good way to do that or why else would one see them everywhere? Non-agriculturally minded me is wondering though, if the plastic is really necessary?

Linked to Friday Fun: Plastic.

In praise of friendship

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Student fraternities in Germany have elaborate coats of arms. The members of the “Weinheimer Seniorenconvent” have theirs displayed in the great hall of celebrations of the Wachenburg in Weinheim. Many of the mottos include friendship.

Faithful to friends – defiant to enemies / For honour and friendship / Freedom – Friendship – Honour

Personally, I don’t hold with the often rightwing positions of those traditional fraternities (somewhat ironic as many have their roots in the revolutionary times around 1830 with then revolutionary ideals) so I rather go with this:

Freunde trinkt! – Friends, drink!

It doesn’t have to be alcohol, just sit together and share a glass and a talk.

Linked to Friendly Friday: Friendship.

A close encounter of the bovine kind

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She was examining me, I was examining her. She was a young cow, almost still a calf, really. I decided to come closer (just a bit in real life, more so with my camera).

Did you know that cow mouths and noses sweat?

This young beauty was sporting a fancy rump hairstyle.

Maybe that made her a bit vain, anyway, I don’t think I impressed her much.

Linked to Friendly Friday: Close examination.

Friendly Friday

Six old apple trees

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A couple of years ago I came upon these old gnarled apple trees while walking on a winter wonderland walk.  I loved their silhouettes against the snowy meadow and the light blue sky.

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I played around with the shot and zoomed in a bit more.  I vowed to come back in spring but I missed the time when they bloomed.

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They still look beautiful in the middle of the sloped meadow but they stand out less against the green background.

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A year later I missed the blooming season again (in fact, I am beginning to suspect that they are so old that they don’t bloom anymore since they don’t seem to carry any apples either).

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I got on my knees, then on my stomach to recreate the silhouette from the winter shot even thought that meant the focus on the blades of grass in the foreground.

My favourite is still the first winter shot with more space around the trees. Which one do you prefer?

For Friendly Friday – Photo Edits.

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