I moved overseas a couple of times with work - sometimes you strike lucky, and sometimes you strike very lucky.

We managed to bag the rental of this just-refurbished 100 year old apartment in the Champel district of Geneva which came with original parquet floors, French-style doors, and what I seem to remember as a 12 foot curtain drop. The lift too was in the old open French style. We were lucky because plenty of Swiss were hankering after it, but the owner clearly decided the company I worked for had deeper pockets and would be a better credit risk.

This was taken in 2005 - not too long before we would up sticks again and move to the US Deep South. So out went the smart suits and ties, and in came the short sleeves and khaki slacks - much more my style.

Inevitably you adapt your lifestyle to a new environment and I did miss a lot of things about Switzerland, yet oddly the most enduring one was my daily commute on the number 3 trolley bus.

All credit to Mrs H for dressing the room.

Sorry, no trains in this one.

Taken with a borrowed Canon EOS 350D

8th May 2005

Last night I managed to get the evening off work and headed up to Sheepstor on Dartmoor for sunset. I really don't think there is a better view anywhere else on the moor. To the left but out of shot of this photo you can see all the way to Plymouth Sound on a clear day and in shot you can see Burrator Reservoir. It's a bit of a steep climb up to the top of Sheepstor but it is worth it. There was no cloud cover at all last night but there was still a lovely bit of colour in the sky.

Managed to get out for a bit of a wander today. Beats work, beats Christmas shopping......

‘Standing out from the crowd!’. I liked this lone tree juxtaposed with the small copse, a local scene and as you can see we have floods from storm Dennis - managed to get this in-between the heavy showers. I hope you’ve survived the storms OK, Alan:-)

366 - I’ve decided to do this to force me to pick up a camera other than when we are away on our travels (they will be posted as normal) - I will be interested to see what transpires, they will be varied I’m sure so we’ll see where inspiration takes me over the course of the year, hopefully at the end of it I will be a better photographer. Feel free to critique as you see fit, but please don’t feel obliged, I anticipate they will not be to all tastes. Have a great year and if you also have embarked on a 365 project then good luck in seeing it through, Alan:-)

For the interested I’m growing my Shutterstock catalogue regularly here, now sold 34 images :- www.shutterstock.com/g/Alan+Foster?rid=223484589&utm_...

©Alan Foster.

©Alan Foster. All rights reserved. Do not use without permission.……

I did manage to drag myself up onto Skyline drive in time to catch a very pleasant sunset. Yes, me and 50 billion other people! LOL I guess the "leaf peepers" aren't ready to admit yet that the leaves have pretty much finished and fallen! But for those few hardy soles who were patient and waited until after the sun set there was a fantastic red glow in the sky and twinkling lights down in the valley. In the end it was just me and a guy in a camper taking shots. :) A beautiful way to close the Sabbath day for sure! Anita and I are off on another adventure today. and there's no telling what we will find! Have a great rest of the weekend everyone!

I managed just one shot of this little beauty this time before it flew off, quite distant so pretty heavily cropped, being on heathland and because it can turn up anywhere makes it very difficult to get any closer.

I have never seen one before last week and have now seen it twice in two weeks, which is pretty much down to the virus as its forced me to stay local.

My apologies if like me you have spent many years visiting places where they are known to be and not seen one, I liken it to the many places we have visited to see red squirrels and drawn a blank everytime, one day maybe.

Stay safe everyone.

I managed to take a walk today, a day a bit 'more "warm" than the previous ones.

I did not have the "official" camera with me because I wanted to be free of weight and photographic obligations.

I wanted to enjoy the walk and I found myself, instead, taking a lot of photos of the fascinating river and the path in winter clothes.

This small nikon compact, now dated, is able to capture the "mood" of the environment, probably better than the other, has no claims in detail, all that immortal is what I needed today- the essence of the river in winter, in its apparent calm, in the dull colors, in the bony trees and in the total absence of living beings of all kinds....

Fabrizio De André - Le acciughe fanno il pallone (Live)

The chosen music has nothing to do with the photo, but is a tribute to De André in the twenty years since his death and a tribute to my father on his birthday ....

Thanks for your recent visits, favorites, comments and invitations, everything is very much appreciated, as always....

All rights reserved. Image can not be inserted in blogs, websites or any other form, without my written permission.

From a wild walk, rather than a tourist viewing platform. This is the first time I've come across one so young it hadn't moulted its juvenile coat. I managed a quick shot using my landscape telephoto recently. Wishing everyone a great rest of week :-)

I managed to take my long lens out for a while this morning and was lucky to find this beautifully marked Black tailed Godwit from Firth hide Dungeness RSPB (it is the closest hide on the trail from the car park ) . Thank you for all your good wishes and kindness I still cannot walk far but this is a good start to my recovery .

I managed to visit the park on Saturday morning before the endless rain started. The so-called woodland garden of the park is one of my favourite areas there and it has many lovely details to discover like the metal owl and hedgehogs which you see in this photo. There is a squirrel too but it didn't fit into the photo. :)

In the comments I add a capture of a huge insect hotel which is also part of that woodland garden, just in case you are looking for inspiration for your own garden and like to think BIG !:)

MNa - Paper at Fameshed until Nov 27th

Picture taken at Mischief Managed Hogsmeade

Managed to get out today as not been with camera for many weekends, what a joy as was dry.

Some way off but pleasure to watch a very small flock for several minutes.

Captured the forest on Borth beach like this back in July 2019, have not managed to see it again quite like this since.

A forest which was buried under water and sand more than 4,500 years ago can be seen on Borth beach in Ceredigion, Cymru/Wales.

The remains of the forests trees, preserved in the local peat, have been exposed by low tides and high winds.

Known as the Sunken Forest or Sunken Kingdom, this graveyard of trees – pine, alder, oak and birch – has been preserved since 1500 BC and surfaced at various points in history, in folktales, songs and legends from the 17th century, that widely identify it with Cantre'r Gwaelod (The Lowland Hundred), an ancient civilization described as a ‘Welsh Atlantis’.

Managed to get one really clear photo of this cat. It was hiding in some heavy shadow.

This came in joint 3rd place in the Planet Earth Animals & Bird Group contest in April 2019.

Better viewed large and thank you for your favourites.

Managed to get up close to a family of Canada geese close to the shore of Shearwater Lake on the edge of Wiltshire's Longleat estate.

Finally managed to catch a break with the weather - unseasonably warm - nice to see the blue sky, with a lovely side light to enjoy. This scene is on the higher ground and the back end of the Mary Gilbert walk.

I managed to get a clear shot after a lengthy approach to this juvenile Coopers Hawk. Lots of branches in front of it so by the time I got a clear shot I was much closer than I wanted and had to take it vertically at 700mm, so this is the entire frame. The bird had been eating a small bird just prior, and you can see some of the feathers on the perch just to the right of the hawk. They are more likely to tolerate your presence if they are eating and if you don't make a direct approach.....He/she was still there when I left but was gone 5 minutes later....

Managed to snap an image of this classic American car in a local supermarket parking lot recently.

Didn't get a chance to identify it, seems to be a custom rebuild.

Any car buffs out there?

A Chevrolet perhaps?

Managed to get up in the mountains just before peak leaf turn this year. The aspens dance year round, but their colors in the fall are add to their performance.

Managed to get a quick shot of this guy in our local park.

Edited with a large white matte frame.

We certainly managed to cover some ground last week with visits to Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and - finally - Norfolk, when we visited my sister on Friday. We returned home via Sheringham, which is a delightful small town on the North Norfolk coast, just a few miles to the west of Cromer. At low tide there is a sandy beach, while the promenade runs along the top of substantial coastal defences. There are a number of small inshore fishing boats which fish mainly for crabs - something the area is particularly famous for. The town is also the terminus for the North Norfolk heritage railway (aka the Poppy Line) which runs regular steam services from here to the charming Georgian town of Holt.

Hello lovely people! (*^‿^*)

Raven and me wanted to take a dancing picture together since the first day we met hahaha ~ (not kidding). Finally we managed to do this and it was so much fun to shoot and to edit this picture. Today it's all about the Engine Room - a Steampunk inspired event that's open from the 20th of September till 20th of October. If you haven't seen it yet, please feel free to check it out - it's definitely worth it! I want to thank all the amazing creators for making this picture and the event possible.

Thank you for your stunning work - and of course a huge thank you to my lovely Raven for decorating the background with me, crafting this amazing hair and posing with me ♡

I hope you enjoy this picture and have a wonderful mid-week!

(*´▽`*) ♡

- Credits -

Raven:

Hair: Raven Bell - Adel Hair @EngineRoom

Hat: Insomnia Angel - steampunk top hat @EngineRoom

Collar: Kosmii - Nero Collar @EngineRoom

Nails: Diverted & Lueur - Nail - Lara

Rings: Aisling / Voluptas Virtualis - [Mezarah]

Dress: [CerberusXing] - Disciplinarian @EngineRoom

Bra: Violent Seduction - Alecto Bra

Eyes: A.D.D.Andel! - Spectre Eyes

Hikaru:

Hair: [Burley] - Joe

Horns: Visual Magick - Red Tesla Horns RARE @EngineRoom

Glasses: -[TWC]- - Mistic Glasses @EngineRoom

Top: [ContraptioN] - Engineer's Top @EngineRoom

Tank: [ContraptioN] - Pressure Pack @EngineRoom

Prosthetic Arm: [ContraptioN] Compass Hideout - SK3LET0 Series

Cloak: CURELESS REDLABEL - Donatien Manteau

Pants: Legal Insanity - Bruce harness denims @Fameshed

Decoration:

Owls: {-Maru Kado-} - Barn Owl @EngineRoom

Tuna: [ContraptioN] - Thynnus The Thunnus Thynnus Statue

Music Box: [ContraptioN] - Philomena's Last Machine: The Loom of Lies

Mirror: [ContraptioN] - Decor: Ophiuchi's Mirror

Gramophone: 22769 @EngineRoom

Table: 22769 - Industrial Endtable @EngineRoom

Ashtray: 22769 @EngineRoom

Box Of Cigars: 22769 @EngineRoom

Sphere: 22769 - Armillary Sphere @EngineRoom

Telescope: 22769 - Tripod Telescope @EngineRoom

Chair: 22769 - Salon Chair @EngineRoom

Feathers: *LODE* - Head Accessory - Wild Sakura Feathers

Skybox: [P.0.E] - Sci-fi Art Deco Apartment

• Soundtrack •

I only managed a rear view of this heavy cruiser of the skies. The background is the reflection of the intense blue sky in our village lake. Always a little surprised to actually focus on a dragonfly with the 800mm lens.

Happy Wing Wednesday!

Coming to Necrosis this round (January 29-February 12) is Be My Mannequin? Pose Store with TWO exclusive poses based on the theme: Tainted Love! Here is the second of the poses: '...I'll Kill You...' which helped me create my picture: Just Desserts.

With your purchase, you get a chef's knife (clean and bloodied versions) which attaches to your hand directly from your inventory! They both make a great prop for future photographs as well!

(Note: The chef's knife is not shown in picture as to show the versatility of the pose but you can see it at Necrosis or in the sister picture: One Last Chance.)

...I'll Kill You... is certainly a creative couples pose, and I've not seen another like it! I love the ground lay because its so unique and the standing pose is exceedingly versatile and looks great from any angle!

Come over to the Necrosis event when it opens on January 29th and DEMO it personally! See you there!

To see the other exclusive pose from Be My Mannequin? Pose Store for this round of Necrosis, click: www.flickr.com/photos/153660805@N05/50870632367

Special thanks to the owner/creator of Be My Mannequin? Pose Store for posing for me: Vin Raven-Mysterious! Be sure to check out his phenomenal photography in People in Photo!

~~~

It was said that a rogue demon had been ravaging the temple on the far end of the woods outside of the capital; taking lives of the monks and priests who lived there. The monks and priests just couldn't figure out who it was so they sent for help. That help was me.

I arrived the night I got my orders and took in the appearance of the temple. It was old and who knew what kind of entities lived here? But I am good at what I do and it didn't take me very long to find the tainted one among them. There were whispers of orange, glowing demonic eyes coming from the shadows. All night I hunted it down and finally, as the dawn began to break, I found my target.

The sound of an angry scream could be heard echoing the halls of the temple as one of the priests fell to the floor to his knees, blood pooling from the wound to his stomach where I'd managed to strike. This priest was no priest at all and it became evident as it began to lose its human form. Its demonic, tipped ears and piercings revealed itself as the orange glow of its eyes began to fade. It fell forward, squishing in its own blood upon the floor as it finally lay dead and unmoving.

I stared, cross in my left hand and bloodied knife in my right. I wanted to make sure it wasn't going reanimate itself somehow. Once I was sure of its death, I took a clean handkerchief and began to clean the blood from my blade, watching as blood began to gather and pool below the body. That creature got its just desserts.

I managed to catch a shot of the huge flock of crested terns before they took flight. Once again, this was a very small section of the huge number that filled the entire beach overlooking Merri Island on Warrnambool's coast.

I finally managed to get a shot of the Langet Cave which leads out to Bow Fiddle Rock, near Portknockie, on the Moray Firth in Scotland. This is always a tricky shot due to a number of factors. The level of water has to be right, the waves have to be strong enough but not too big, there has to be enough ambient light to get into the cave but not too strong outside. Even when all of this works, you still have to exposure blend in order to get enough detail both inside and outside the cave. I really feel that I got the shot I have been hoping to get for some time.

This is a view snapped from a rocky outcrop above the log cabins of Strathech and Loch Eck. Middle left can be seen the mini-dam at the foot of Loch Eck feeding water into the River Eachaig. Both the loch, and the river, are popular kayaking locations of mine:.

.

This video starts from the beach in front of the right-most row of cabins and follows my paddle over the dam and down the river:.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MKLsq6XHY4.

.

And this video was shot when the water was higher and faster :).

www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1caiV-uCic

I was preoccupied with the reddish egrets at Fort De Soto the other day, but I did manage to capture this snowy egret coming in for a landing. This photo has been selected as the Icon of the Week at Spectacular Animals for the week of July 31, 2010 to August 6, 2010.

This little beauty saw me and was off. Just managed to snap a quick photo first.

I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good...

✨UNA. Luna Purple

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cies%20Island/90/142/22

✨DOUX - Mecca Hairstyle

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Secrets/163/154/23

✨Noxturnal - Baby Niffler

Gacha found on marketplace

✨DRD - Spiritualists Shoppe - Potions Shelf - Full

marketplace.secondlife.com/p/DRD-Spiritualists-Shoppe-Pot...

✨Wand Emporium The Ash Wand:

marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Wand-Emporium-The-Ash-Wand/1...

✨----------------------------🔮

Taken at: Lutz City of Templemore

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Templemore%20City/201/53/2

I usually manage to hear one or two grasshopper warblers every year but I often struggle to see one. This year however, I've heard four and of those seen two including this incredibly obliging bird which climbed up into this blackthorn bush right next to me as I was discussing it with another birder

Managed to get a close up of this when sitting on the homeowners front wall.

Better viewed large and thank you for your favourites. :)

.Tape.

The city of Jaén is at the heart of the vast olive fields in Andalusia, Spain. The proud shape of Castle of Santa Catalina and the adjacent Parador Nacional de Turismo (a luxury hotel that occupies the ancient stable of the castle) dominate the city and offer a scenic view of the city against the backdrop of the massive mountains of Sierra Morena. It was a rainy day, but while my wife and I were having breakfast, the clouds opened up for a few minutes allowing the sun beams to break through with a dramatic effect. I rushed for my camera and managed to capture the scene.

Managed this capture of a Silvereye earlier this week during a short shoot at Morpeth NSW Australia with long time friend and fellow flickr tog Joe Micallef.

Hope you like it!

Thanks for any comments, views or favorites - much appreciated!

Have a terrific day and weekend ahead!

Large Pucks Glen Waterfall

The Little Bunting is a scarce visitor to the UK and even rarer in Surrey. This particular bird has been around for a while but until this morning I'd not managed to get a reasonable shot of it despite trying on a number of occasions. After feeding on the ground amongst thick grasses it perched up on a gorse bush for a few moments.

So... Today was going to be a 'housework' day, but I had one of those annoying little voices in my head that kept saying 'That river warbler shot was pants'... And 'who cares about doing housework anyway, it can keep for another month or two'... So I gave in to the urge, put the duster down and headed back out to Ham wall. The warbler was still showing well and managed some much 'better shots' than Fridays efforts. Still can only be regarded as record shots, but it's a 'lifer' and the first seen on mainland Britain for more than a decade. :@]

1/3

Managed to capture a seagull flying over the boat

Managed to get a better shot of it today.

Managed to get up close to a family of Canada geese close to the shore of Shearwater Lkae on the edge of Wiltshire's Longleat estate.

I managed to get out before the Super Bowl yesterday for a little pre-game shooting. Here, a male Northern Harrier scans a field for rodents. Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary in West Alton, Missouri

Managed to get this breach from an unusual perspective.

The park and preserve was created to celebrate the life of Paul Simons, a native Long Islander, avid hiker and cyclist, who always had a deep appreciation for the outdoors. After his life was prematurely taken away in 1996, the Paul Simons Foundation was formed, and an abandoned 7.5 acres of residential land was purchased to become the future site of Avalon Park. The goal was to celebrate the life of Paul Simon's and his love of nature by creating a natural habitat for future generations to appreciate and enjoy. While the park is managed privately, it is available to the public.

I managed to catch this last minute this afternoon as a storm developed right over Hamilton Harbour. The lightning appears to be hitting Pier 4 Park in the distance (though it's actually slightly further away)

Managed to get down the coast for the sunrise. The tide seemed very high this morning, could not get on to the beach.

"I live to serve Mistress Zemeckis" ~ Bestie

{Product soon to be at World of Magic}

Theme: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApylIM8qzO0

I managed a bit of time out in the garden this afternoon, before it clouded over and got nippy.

Just enough time to catch one of our Collared Doves visiting.

Better viewed large and thank you for your favourites.

.Tape.