Thursday, January 14, 2010

Wednesday Walk

Yesterday started off dark and wet and miserable, but by noon the rain had more or less ceased, and so we headed off to Swallowfield. We chose the path to the right rather than heading to the river which would be much too high and swift - no point putting the 'we-can't-resist-the-water' dogs at risk.


So, a nice ramble down a country lane,






through fields




and across to the estuary...hold it....bog. Swamp.





Rotted fish and boot-sucking mud. Flooded, wet, muddy and stinky ----not that the dogs care.








They had lots of fun and we all enjoyed the walk.







I can't resist photographing the rosehips in rain:




And I think my camera skills with action shots are improving a little.









But I still need to work on the timing though!




And I should pay attention to composition too. I love this picture of Lily, despite the branch in front of her face:




But I love this one even more, if only it didn't have a seedpod or bit of leaf right over her eye!



On the way home, I stopped for a shot of a couple of snowgeese. They are wintering over in the fields everywhere - anything from two or three to hundreds in a field. The trumpeter swans also winter here, and although I have seen them many times I have yet to catch of shot of them.






Back at home, I shot this little guy through the window, eating from the newly placed bird feeder in the front yard. Allie believes I did it all for her amusement - she sits and watches them for hours.



It was a very good day. Good thing, too - because it poured all day today and other than a short walk with Oliver and a trip to Karen's for some much needed grooming for Sadie and Charley, we were a bunch of couch potatoes today.

6 comments:

EvenSong said...

What a mucky mess at the estuary!
But your first action shot really impressed me...including the composition!
And the two shots of Lily are precious, even with the lovely natural distractions. I go crazy for "smiley" dogs (Sandy has a great smile).

Unknown said...

I like all your shots, and the action shots were great, I have no idea how to do that but I wish my pics would turn out 1/10 as good as yours, no wonder my albums stay hidden !! Lily is precious, and if its any consolation, its mucky around here now too, but managed to get out today,between the rain drops.

Janice Gillett said...

I can't believe how much Archie looks like my Jingle.. i know i have said it before but even his mannerisms are the same. The way he runs...

Black Jack's Carol said...

I am loving your action shots and also those close-ups. The branches add atmosphere that I quite like, but if your camera has a "single point focus" setting, you may be able to blur out a lot of the distractions if they bother you.

Also, thanks for the rosehip picture. Now, I know what the berries were that I saw last Sunday!

I hope you had the same beautiful weather we had in Vancouver yesterday, and were able to get out and about with your critters. I was a bit worried for you on Thursday and Friday - sometimes, a couch potato response is the perfect one:)

Jean said...

Carol, my camera does have a single point focus, and I've been trying to use it both manually and on automatic. However, it doesn't seem to blur the background like I want. Not sure if it is something to do with the distance I'm zooming or what......will have to work on that.
The last couple of days I have dragged to dogs out for their walk in the pouring rain in the morning, only to have the day turn beautiful by afternoon. Perhaps today we'll get a dry, sunny walk.

Anonymous said...

Great action shot of Archie. Still lots of life in the old boy. By my calculations he turned 12 years sometime in December or January.

Else