Stormy Sea

We have had such a week of storms this week we took the opportunity of a break in the lashing rain to  go for a walk on the beach today.  I was keen to see if anything interesting had washed up and to see if I could take any photos of the sea.

There was still a howling wind which actually made it hard to stand still enough to take photos, but I  managed a few.

Suspended Paper Shapes

I have been trying for quite a while to perfect the art of suspending my paper shapes so that they stay perfectly upright instead of leaning drunkenly to the side.

I think I have finally nailed it, as I hung them up last night and they are still hanging properly this morning.

Calico Bunting

I have been making miniature bunting using pages from old children's books, but now I have added to the bunting collection by using ripped calico squares threaded on industrial string.

The Letter Q

I have been dreading this one, but it wasn't actually as hard as I thought.

Qwerty keyboard



Quail



Quartz

Odd One Out

All of these pictures were taken today.  Spot the odd one out!

Is it the duck out of water?

 Is it the moorhen?

Is it because these ducks are facing left, not right?

Or a duck in a swimming pool...........

Darling Buds of May

Sometimes my northern hemisphere origins betray me.  My first thought when I noticed all the pink buds in the garden was "darling buds of May" although this expression only makes sense if you are north of the equator.

 Camellia

 Standard rose (curiously the buds are pink but the flowers are white)

Azalea



In fact the expression was first used by Shakespeare in one of his sonnets:

"Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May
And summer's lease hath all too short a date."

Nowadays it is said to mean an appreciation of what is fresh and new.

That works better for me.

Planting in Pots

I love planting things in containers because you can move them around or even give them as a present to someone.

I find it is better to have them in groups, as a single pot can look quite lonely whereas multiple pots create more of a focal point.

 Indoor succulents - good in a bathroom

Outdoor succulents displayed on an old wooden ladder

Violas in old glass jars