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Photo Hunters
2007-12-14 22:00:00
This weeks theme.... smallHow To Join Photo Hunters Click here to see who else is playing Photohunt I have been interested in macro photography from the time I took up photographing nature. The smallest wildlife are fascinating and it is only having photographed them to can see the finer detail.These images are a selection of some of the smallest wildlife I have come across Ants tucking in to some lunch24 spot ladybird on some MarjoramAnd finally a red velvet spider mite, these are around 3mm in length so you can imagine how difficult they are to photograph, especially when they keep moving around.If you would like to see more wildlife images you can do so by visiting my web site Dragons and Damsels Wildlife Photography

The Last One ......And The First One
2007-11-14 01:02:00
The Wiggly CollectionThis is the last of the 12 images contained in the The Wiggly Collection .The collection of 12 images represents various aspects of our natural world. Each A4 print is mounted in a 400mm x 500mm acid free mount (stops it from discolouring) and is limited to 30 prints, each signed by myself.The only place where you can purchase these reasonably priced pictures from is Wiggly Wigglers and you can do that by following this linkThis picture is called...Three Miles To GoThis picture came about as I pulled over to the side of the road reviewing some images I had just taken,the gentleman in the picture walked past me, as he approached the junction with the road sign visible, I thought it would be a nice picture . I took 4 shots and this one was the best. In the original picture the colour was very washed out due to the poor light and snow, so I change it to black and white, which I felt gave it more atmosphere.I have subsequently spoken to the gentleman and asked him w...
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The Voice Behind The Blog.....
2007-11-12 12:27:00
Here is a great opportunity to hear the voice behind this blog...Today I have featured on the Wiggly Wigglers Podcast number 109.The podcast is all about Heathers trip to the signal box where I work, where she meets up with Billy, my work colleague, who talks about the workings of the signal box. We then venture out into the wildlife area, where she discovers the wildlife garden that I have created.You can also sign up to i-tunes from the wiggly link and hear all the backdated podcasts and get the new ones downloaded each Monday.Over the last few days I have come across a few web sites that I thought you would be interested in.The first is Carbon Cred The CarbonCred Card is the UK’s first online green rewards card. This virtual card is the easy way to collect free reward points while you’re shopping at your favourite online retailers. Earn CarbonCred.its to redeem against products and services that cut your carbon footprint from the comfort of your own home. It’s as simple as ...
More About: Voice , Blog

Remembrance Sunday
2007-11-11 03:02:00
For The FallenWith proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children, England mourns for her dead across the sea. Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit, Fallen in the cause of the free. Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres, There is music in the midst of desolation And a glory that shines upon our tears. They went with songs to the battle, they were young, Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow. They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted; They fell with their faces to the foe. They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them. They mingle not with their laughing comrades again; They sit no more at familiar tables of home; They have no lot in our labour of the day-time; They sleep beyond England's foam.But where our desires are and our hopes profound, Felt as a well-spring that is hidde...
More About: Sunday , Remembrance

Photo Hunters
2007-11-10 14:03:00
This weeks theme.... FlexibleHow To Join Photo Hunters click the picture to see the detailThis picture is of Azure damselflies mating, the male will patrol an area waiting to pounce on a female. Only damselflies of the same species can fertilise the females as the end of the males tail will only fit the females of the same species, so you won't end up with odd looking damselflies.The position they are in is called 'the wheeled position', it looks like a heart shape, and both have to have flexible abdomens to achieve this.Next Wednesday I will be introducing a new feature called 'Wednesday Wanderings'Over a four week period I will be showcasing pictures on a related theme from my photographic wanderings. At the end of the four weeks I will display all four pictures for you to vote for your favourite. You can vote by leaving a comment on my blog or by e-mailing me. One lucky voter will win a A4 mounted print of their favourite picture (completely free of charge including P&P)...

Grocery Store Wars
2007-11-08 07:29:00
Grocery Store Wars Anne from Downshifting path to Simplicity, sent me this video, it is very funny, but it is getting a very serious message across.Broccoli will never be the same again......May the force be with you.....
More About: Grocery

Wiggly Wednesday
2007-11-07 07:46:00
The Wiggly CollectionFor the next 2 Wednesday s I will be showcasing my images contained in the The Wiggly Collection .The collection is 12 images that represent various aspects of our natural world. Each A4 print is mounted in a 400mm x 500mm acid free mount (stops it from discolouring) and is limited to 30 prints, each signed by myself.The only place where you can purchase these reasonably priced pictures from is Wiggly Wigglers and you can do that by following this LinkThis picture is called...Frosted TeaselsThese teasels were growing at the side of the railway track at Harlescott Crossing, Shrewsbury. This is the place where I work and for the last four years I have been clearing the rubbish and weeds and to replace them with native wild flowers which were supplied by Forestart. This means that I have an all year round supply of photo opportunities, many of the photos can be seen in the galleries. The background to the teasels is a metal cabin next to the track, as I am frequentl...

Wednesday Wanderings... A Forthcoming New Feature
2007-11-06 15:06:00
In the next few weeks I will be introducing a new Wednesday feature called 'Wednesday Wanderings'Over a four week period I will be showcasing pictures on a related theme from my photographic wanderings. At the end of the four weeks I will display all four pictures for you to vote for your favourite. You can vote by leaving a comment. One lucky voter will win a A4 mounted print of their favourite picture (completely free of charge including P&P), which would normally be £35.00. I will choose the winner by putting the comments in a virtual hat and then notifying the winner via their blog.
More About: Feature , Erin

Bokashi...Helping You To Recycle More
2007-11-05 14:46:00
Following on from my post on Friday about the prospect of having to pay for your waste by weight , I thought I would show you one of the methods we use to reduce the amount of waste that we throw out.We have been big fans of Bokashi since May of this year. I have posted several times on the way we use it but since the 'pay what you throw' issue has reared again I thought it would be a good opportunity to show any new readers. One of the first things that you might want to know is, what is Bokashi . It is a dry mixture of bran and molasses that has been inoculated with Ems or Effective micro Organisms. This mixture of microscopic bacteria, yeasts and fungi work work together to speed-up composting, suppress pathogens, prevent putrefaction and eliminate foul odors. To use Bokashi couldn't be easier. After adding your food waste to the bucket you simply sprinkle a layer of bran on top. You keep doing this in layers until the bucket is full. One of the main benefits, is the fact that...
More About: Recycle

Green Thumb Sunday
2007-11-04 11:57:00
How To Join Green Thumb Sunday Green Thumb Sunday Blogroll Original Fruit ArtCarrying on my theme of Original Nature Art works here is a new piece. The great thing about creating these original nature arts is that you don't always have to go far for the materials for each piece. This one was created in my back garden from the Rowan tree and its fruit.The berries start off pink and gradually change to white, giving a great contrast between them and the leaves. Because of the colour of the berries, the birds tend to leave them 'till last, as they always start on the red and orange ones and it isn't until all of these have gone before they go to other colours.So why don't you pop out into your garden and see what art you can create.If you would like to see more nature images you can do so by visiting my web site Dragons and Damsels Wildlife Photography Dont forget you can vote for me in the by clicking here

International Blog Cup Competition
2007-11-03 10:50:00
My blog has been nominated to take part in the International Blog Cup Competition .The idea of the competition is to compete against fellow bloggers and the blog with the most votes goes through to the next round. There are five rounds in total over the coming month.This is when the voting and the rounds take place.The dates shown are for October, but the rounds will take place on these dates whatever the month.If you would like to vote for me in the various rounds I would be extremely grateful.You can click on this Link to take you through to the voting Many Thanks

With Having To Pay For Your Waste Looming...
2007-11-02 10:54:00
With the possibility of having to pay for the amount of waste you produce, being given the go ahead by the U.K.Government my first reaction is that this needs careful thought.As a seasoned recycler I can understand the need to encourage people to recycle more, but is this the best way?For a long time now in this country we have had nothing but ....if you do this you will be fined, if you do that you will be fined....the whole approach by the powers that be is to Fine you and not reward you.This means that people will only do what they have to do and does not change their views on recycling and may even make some people resentful. This could then result in some people abusing the process by putting their rubbish into other peoples bins, because for them their aim is to save money not recycle. To me this is one of the major problems to be addressed, as I can see neighbours falling out with each other, which in turn could lead to major problems within communities that are already suffe...
More About: Waste

Wiggly Wednesday
2007-10-31 10:33:00
The Wiggly CollectionFor the next 3 Wednesday s I will be showcasing my images contained in the The Wiggly Collection .The collection is 12 images that represent various aspects of our natural world. Each A4 print is mounted in a 400mm x 500mm acid free mount (stops it from discolouring) and is limited to 30 prints, each signed by myself.The only place where you can purchase these reasonably priced pictures from is Wiggly Wigglers and you can do that by following this link This picture is called...Forget-Me-Not There is something about forget-me-nots that I find fascinating.The blue is so pleasant and together with the yellow middle it make a beautiful flower and best of all they come in clusters.You can understand why they are a flower for lovers, and it is suggested that they got there name after German Knight who was out walking with the love of his life picked these flowers lost his balance , as he was in armour, and fell into a river. As he was weighed down with his armour and w...

What A Stink In The Woods Today....
2007-10-30 18:07:00
I have to confess that I have a soft spot for Beech trees and their leaves. They aren't the most colourful of leaves, but I just love the pale green and yellow and I don't think you can beat them on a beautiful sunny Autumn day like today's, they just glow. My walk in the woods today was in Abbey Woods , this is a wood that surrounds the ruined Haughmond Abbey , just outside of Shrewsbury,Shropshire. Abbey wood is mainly a mixed deciduous wood, with plenty of beech, oak, horse chestnut and hawthorn around the edges. There is one patch of pine trees that will be harvested at sometime. It wasn't long after taking this picture of the beech trees all in a row, that I started to smell a bit of a pong, I couldn't quite identify it but it definitely had a rotten meat tinge to it. I eventually tracked down the smell and it was coming from a mushroom I haven't seen or smelled before, a Stinkhorn Mushroom ~ Phallus Impudicus. It certainly lives up to its Latin and common name. The top of...
More About: Today , In the Woods

Green Thumb Sunday
2007-10-28 11:35:00
How To Join Green Thumb Sunday Green Thumb Sunday BlogrollOriginal Hazelnut Art Carrying on the theme from last week with Original Acorn Art . I have created some more nut art, using Hazel nuts and leaves from the Hazel tree that grows in the wildlife area in front of my house.I didn't have to cajole them to make this pattern as, as you might of guessed it is I who make the patterns. You can view more of my Original Nature Art here and at my Lulu storefront.

Photo Hunters
2007-10-26 20:55:00
This weeks theme.... PinkHow To Join Photo Hunters Photo Hunters BlogrollI thought I would take the opportunity to remind everyone about my 2008 calendar. It contains 12 beautiful images, all on a nature theme and this Pink pavier poppy is August's picture . You can purchase it by clicking this button which will take you through to my Lulu store. You can also see the rest of my Lulu storefront by clicking here . The calendar takes around 3 weeeks to arrive after being ordered, so there is still plenty of time if you wish to order one for a Christmas present.

Mushroom Hunting
2007-10-25 17:32:00
Autumn, a wonderful time for mushroom hunting, whether you are going to eat them or photograph them.For the intrepid mushroom hunter having the right equipment is a must. Firstly and most importantly identification book, secondly the right clothes and thirdly the right basket to put the mushrooms in. A good knowledge of the Country Code and the Mushroom picker’s code is also a must. If you stick to the mushroom picker’s code your gathering will be efficient, ecologically sound and safe. A traditional open weave basket is the ideal way to carry your harvested mushrooms. Place the mushroom cap upwards, this will enable the spores fall through the gaps which you will be spreading as you roam. Removing the mushrooms with a sharp knife is also ideal as you won’t damage the underground trails on which many mushrooms grow. It would also be a good idea to clean the knife after cutting each mushroom, in case you cut a poisonous one by mistake.I earlier mentioned the Mushroom pickers co...
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Wiggly Wednesday
2007-10-24 09:38:00
The Wiggly CollectionFor the next 4 Wednesday s I will be showcasing my images contained in the The Wiggly Collection .The collection is 12 images that represent various aspects of our natural world. Each A4 print is mounted in a 400mm x 500mm acid free mount (stops it from discolouring) and is limited to 30 prints, each signed by myself.The only place where you can purchase these reasonably priced pictures from is Wiggly Wigglers and you can do that by following this LinkThis picture is called... Spring Oak I saw this picture on a visit to the Wiggly Farm in Herefordshire. Spring is one of my favourite time of the year and I love the colour of the fresh growth from trees and plants. There is also something about old Oak trees, their strength and what has happened around them in the years that they have been growing. Well the combination of an old Oak tree and fresh spring growth on a crisp sunny spring day are really hard to beat and I hope that I have captured that in this picture.

Added More Free Headers
2007-10-22 15:56:00
I have added a few more Free Headers to compliment the ones that are already there.Sabine has used the snail header on her blog ,it looks great. Please feel free to use them on your blog, all I ask is that you write a post about it. You can find out more information by visiting the link on the right hand column just above the dragonfly picture.

Green Thumb Sunday
2007-10-21 01:15:00
How To Join Green Thumb Sunday Green Thumb Sunday Blogroll Original Acorn ArtSome of you will be familiar with my Original Snail Art .Well as it is getting colder the snails are tucking themselves up for the winter, so it is not as easy to persuade them to come out and perform. What else could I do, I thought to myself. Well a flash of inspiration came to me the other day when I was out wondering around in the local woods. What about Original Acorn Art.I thought that this would be harder as waving lettuce around would not work very well with acorns, as they are not living things in the same way the snail are.What could I do, I know what I will use another animal, to help persuade the acorns.So I found a group of acorns and whispered to them that if they would perform an original piece of art I wouldn't let the squirrels eat them. can you believe it ...they agreed and before I knew it they had arranged themselves into this colourful seasonal pattern.Amazing

Photo Hunters
2007-10-19 16:11:00
This weeks theme.... PracticalHow To Join Photo Hunters Photo Hunters BlogrollIt was a Practical certainty that England Would not do well in the Rugby World Cup 2007Especially after getting beat 36-0 by South AfricaHowever here we find ourselves in the Final against South Africa, after one of the most exciting Rugby World Cup competitions since the last one.England will practically come to a stand still at 8.00pm on Saturday night as the nation has been gripped by the team ,that started off so badly but have turned it around to reach the final.All that is practical for me to do is to wish both teams well, but most of allCome on England......

What Makes Leaves Change Colour In Autumn?
2007-10-18 10:22:00
When Autumn comes around we start to see a change in trees, the leaves start changing from green to reds, oranges and yellow. Have you ever wondered why this is?Leaves start off their lives with a mixture of chemical pigments contained in them. One of them Chlorophyll is responsible for the green colour. The other two are Carotene, which is responsible for the yellow colour and Anthocyanin, which is responsible for red and purple.The colour of leaves is then dependant on what mixture of these chemical pigments it has. During the Spring and Summer when the sunlight is at its strongest chlorophyll is the dominant pigment, this is why most leaves are green. With the shortening of the days and cooler nights changes occur in the tree. At the point where the stem of the leaf is attached to the branch, a special layer of cells develops and gradually severs the tissues that support the leaf. Because the nutrient flow is interrupted, the production of chlorophyll in the leaf declines, and th...
More About: Change , Colour , Chang

Wiggly Wednesday
2007-10-17 10:50:00
The Wiggly CollectionFor the next 5 Wednesday s I will be showcasing my images contained in the The Wiggly Collection .The collection is 12 images that represent various aspects of our natural world. Each A4 print is mounted in a 400mm x 500mm acid free mount (stops it from discolouring) and is limited to 30 prints, each signed by myself.The only place where you can purchase these reasonably priced pictures from is Wiggly Wigglers and you can do that by following this linkThis picture is called...Sunflower This sunflower picture was taken in one of the fields Farmer Phil uses to grow the sunflowers for Wiggly Wigglers to use the seeds in their bird food range. The colour and the pattern of the floretts fascinated me, it is a pattern that is seen throughout nature.One thing I found this week that I thought was quite useful, is the ability to have a Technorati widget on your blog that allows you to show the posts that have been favourited by yourself. This allows your readers to instan...

The Secret....Fully Revealed
2007-10-15 12:16:00
As you may know , I have a love of wildlife, particular I enjoy photographing it. Well can you imagine my excitement when I was asked to photograph a calendar full of naked women. I thought about it for about...2 seconds and happily agreed to do it.The calendar was an idea that the ladies of Preston-on-Wye had to raise awareness for the need of Organ Donation . This is because Billy Montague, who lives in the village ,had a heart transplant 2 years ago and he has been raising money ever since for the Heartlung Transplant Fund (charity 121138).Well the day had arrived for the photo shoot. My wife and myself arrived at the village to meet the ladies who would take part in the calendar, they were already quite raucous, due to a few drops of bucks fizz.I knew several of the ladies as they all work at Wiggly Wigglers .A lot of preparation had gone into each months shot which made the whole thing run very smoothly.The process for each picture was made all the better for my wife being ther...
More About: The Secret , Secret

blog Action Day 15th October 2007
2007-10-15 01:01:00
Blog Action Day 15th October 2007 Today is Blog Action Day. Bloggers around the web will unite to put a single important issue on everyone’s mind - the environment. I have decided to focus on the town where I live, TelfordOver the next 10 years 3000 new houses are going to be built on what was green open space,in Lawley, primarily on land that was used for grazing farm animals. This is only one of currently 4 similar scale major housing schemes being developed around Telford. You have got to ask yourself , what is the impact on wildlife? ( Wildlife area seen at the bottom of the picture)As you many know, I look after a wildlife area in front of my house that is packed full of wildflowers,trees and insects.I recently added a hedgehog house and it was while I was checking to see if it had any occupants (stick placed in front of entrance, if it is moved good chance something has moved in), that I noticed a hole full of badger poo. Firstly I was quite pleased to see this so close to ...
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Photo Hunters and The Secret
2007-10-13 11:57:00
This weeks theme.... SmellyHow To Join Photo Hunters Photo Hunters BlogrollWith the word smelly we tend to think of one of two things, either unpleasant smells or pleasant ones. The unpleasant ones tend to be from unwanted things, such as waste products,whether they are natural or man made. Animal droppings are essentially processed vegetable matter , but they provide a whole environment for many insects, to either meet and mate or just a nice cosy place to live. In turn these insects take the poo back into the ground helping with its fertility. At the other end of smelly ,we have the pleasant smells, these to can be natural or man made and they help create a feeling of well being. I can think of nothing more refreshing than walking around a garden on a beautiful summers day smelling the perfume from all the flowers. Walking into a bakers and smelling fresh bread being baked is also another favourite.What are your worst and favourite smells ?Talking of the senses, here is another. Th...
More About: The Secret , Secret

Bokashi And The Vegetable Patch
2007-10-12 15:06:00
I have recently filled my second Bokashi Bucket and after giving it a further two weeks to ferment, I have decided to add it to the vegetable patch. The first lot I gave to the worms in the Wormery , they soon munched their way through it and it now has the appearance of compost, which I will add to the garden later on. As you may or may not know, my veggie patch is only 10ft x 6 ft, so to keep the veggies happy for the coming year I need to keep the nutrient level up. This is why this time I am adding the Bokashi to the patch. I firstly dug out a trench to about the depth of the spade. Then went and got the Bokashi bucket. Then added it to the trench, spreading it out along its length. As you can see most of the waste is made up from fruit skins and cores,tea bags,vegetable peelings and some pasta. I then recovered the trench and I will come back to it in a couple of weeks to see how it is breaking down and adding free nutrients to my veggie patch . have found the whole Bokashi ex...
More About: Vegetable , Patch

Blog Action Day - 15th October 2007
2007-10-11 07:25:00
Get Involved ! On October 15th, bloggers around the web will unite to put a single important issue on everyone’s mind - the environment. Every blogger will post about the environment in their own way and relating to their own topic. Our aim is to get everyone talking towards a better future.You can click here for further information
More About: Action , Blog , October 2007

Wiggly Wednesday
2007-10-10 15:34:00
The Wiggly CollectionFor the next 6 Wednesday s I will be showcasing my images contained in the The Wiggly Collection .The collection is 12 images that represent various aspects of our natural world. Each A4 print is mounted in a 400mm x 500mm acid free mount (stops it from discolouring) and is limited to 30 prints, each signed by myself.The only place where you can purchase these reasonably priced pictures from is Wiggly Wigglers and you can do that by following this link This picture is called ...ScabiousThis scabious was growing at the side of the railway track at Harlescott Crossing, Shrewsbury. This is the place where I work and for the last six years I have been clearing the rubbish and weeds and to replace them with native wild flowers which were supplied by Forestart. It means that I have a year round supply of photo opportunity’s; many of the photos can be seen in the gallery.I decided to showcase one of the pictures from the railway today as I have been awarded this badge...

Wellington News 2008 Calendars
2007-10-09 16:55:00
Four Calendars to choose fromOver the past couple of months I have been gathering together images from a variety of subjects for The Well ington News . These include images from in and around Shrewsbury Train station and signal boxes, to Front Doors from around Wellington, to scenic and wildlife images from all over Shropshire. The images have been put together by The Wellington News into these A4 size calendars ,printed onto glossy paper to give good vibrant images.You can purchase the calendars now from The Wellington News Shop, 2 Crown Street, Wellington,Telford, Shropshire. Their telephone number is 01952 415334 if you would like to order one, wherever you are in the world. Pick up one today, you wont be disappointed
More About: 2008