Even on a Thursday morning on a dull overcast day, there is plenty of people on the beach. Took this as we were walking back along, the walk we did, was only going to be a short one, but this was probably closer to 4 hrs after we started.

It was a bonus walk, because I was on holiday, I had the camera with me, which is something, that I seldom do, when we walk the beach, but I was looking for angles to take a picture of something. But pointed it at the birds , as they went about feeding or flying. Took a few dog pictures and of leaves flowing in the gullies as the tide was coming in..

The walk can end, when you come too the river estuary, but they built a bridge over it and so we walked on this time, right to the castle.

Counted all the benches on the walk back, 67, the last 32, we never sit on, these are right where the car park is, we sit on the ones to the other side, but we usually stop at the same one, but most of the time, a bit of drift wood or the ground does us.

But I think the most important part is, we talk, we laugh and we smile.

We talked about a joint little project, all because I wrote a bedtime story for the limpet, next time, she is going to do the illustrations and I will write words to it.


Oystercatchers, the birds with a carrot stuck on there head, I heard them described at and some tiny ringed plover in the front, would have been nice to get all six in focus, but it just does not work like that.

One lasting effect of the Stroke, is that I find it hard to write these blogs, my concentration on things like writing can be a struggle, words flowed so freely once. It is different from my journal jottings, these are just short, sometimes one or two word jottings.. But just take my time, write for a bit stop, come back to it or just delete and comeback another day. For the most part this is why, I only do one blog a week now.

Beach buddy decided, if she is going to feature on these blogs, she is to be called Cassie,, that how could I even think she was a Felicity, I explained that one to her and she just laughed.

She started to paint on Saturday might, now it might take weeks to finish it, but it is my fault that she started again, she had never lifted a paintbrush in just over 5 yrs, since, her Dad died, he was a very good painter, they shared the studio. Both had exhibitions and sold a lot, there styles were different,, So how my fault, I took a picture, showed it to her on the camera and she said to me, that would look good as as a painting, so I said, well maybe it's time.

It is never easy to move on sometimes, But more and more now, I think, you have to try, that the longer it takes you too, the less chance that you will.

I myself, have a few things still to change, to move on, but I will, with a bit of luck, I might manage one on Friday.


I wanted to get a picture of a Dragonfly in flight for so long, I managed a few that day and went a few more times, even catching a pair mating in flight shots,, but the kicker is, not sure of I will do this anymore. My new camera, has an amazing focus on it, it locks on to them and with the 30 frames per second, you just press. The joy, has just not been there..

Yesterday, I saw things, that I never ever thought I would, some of the pictures Eve had taken, there was 12 of them and I was there when 10 of them was taken. I knew the tears would come and they did,, I was in one of them. I knew it was sold to someone from America all those years ago and would have given anything to find it or just have any. But then she brings out some of her own old pictures and there is me and Eve in one, I will never forget that day, we had been in Glencoe and she had told me , she was terminally ill. That night Julie and I had a party and the picture was taken there, I had no idea. Even now, as I write this, it just seems so surreal.

It also seemed all those years ago, Eve said one day that I would pick up a camera and use it, for he has the eye.

So from my own personal pictures, I done a trade pictures for pictures. Till yesterday only Cassie had seen these and was only ever going too. Now two people have, but funny thing, this morning, I got a new one, to add to a new folder.

The thing I am finding in this journey of life, you just never know.


Photography for me changes, I took out all the macro gear, yesterday, bag is lighter now, only having one camera and 2 lenses in it, plus my filters and one tripod.

I only stopped here for a minute on the way home yesterday, was to show someone. I had the phone and seen blog picture at the least.

Shot in another wood yesterday, it was nice, saw some nice things, as I was lying on the woodland floor, I think that fungi photography is where I should have always been, but like I said, somethings just take time to see.

So much has happened in the last few weeks, some serious lows, but back to the serious highs now, for all my talk on Thursday went well, the more important talk happened the week before. Both will lead me to where ever it will..

Autumn is here, leaves changing, whether it will be as good as last year, who knows. Not really walked much as such this weekend, we got caught in a tremendous hail storm yesterday afternoon, from blueish skies to a white out with hail. One of those ones where just better to turn your back to it and wait it out.

I give a talk on Thursday, one more planned and I have one in Glasgow to think about, this is one, there is an actual fee , I will not be taking that, if it works out, quite happy getting a cup of tea. This could be my new side hustle, I think they call it now a days, jobs on the side, was what I called it,, but I decided a while ago, my days for that are bye.

I have changed a lot with age, which is a good thing, I am a better version of me, even more of what you see is what you get.

Sometimes, you just have to just try, that you type a message, stare at the send button, do press or delete. Million dollar question there.


This picture is one of those ones, where the closer you look, the more you see, what started out as just a little bit of fungi on the end of a broken branch, led to an age staring all around and seeing so much more. I have a similarpicture for my talk, it will be the first one and will be folloed by what do you see?

Last week, I had someone, who, I thought was just happy for me, to be part of her life, we were friends, but then she says, that feelings towards me, were heading to a place, that she was not wanting and now back to no one. happiness can change very quickly. It had taken me close to 7 years to let anyone in and now, i suppose it is just the way it goes. I wonder if some people are just meant to be alone. that there is no place that they fit in I might just withdraw into my shell again. will just keep on trying to find the why , the answer .


121 seconds of time, taken close to 10yrs ago now and only just looked at.

I am now down to only posting pictures on one site, I do use my Flickr and it is really a hosting site, years ago you use to get feedback on what you posted, but, a bit like here, thing of the past, in the very near future it will only be Flickr for me.

I have set myself to my birthday in February 2025 to put some major changes in place.

My journal entries for the week, were some of my best, she said, you give more away in your writing, than you do talking.. But I bet you plan it life that, it's just your way. I see it, a bit like with my photography it does my talking for me.

I went with her, to get her new tattoo done the other day, another part of the story,, when she was finished and I saw it, the meaning was clear for me to see, her body art is a personal journey for her, you can only see one or two, she asked me once, do they bother me and answer was no, then one day , the stories came out, bit like when I shared my personal pictures with her.

Our friendship was strong enough and in a place to share the deepest of things. Life is just better.

Last night, I got asked, have I stopped blogging, obviously, as I am writing this the answer is nope. why no blog then, there is no reason. maybe there just comes a time, when it is of no interest to anyone anymore. I journal, once I said I kept a diary, but the last notebook, I got was called a journal, but I bought 6 of them. I have my daily carry one, it is a green one, a purple one that sits by the desktop and another 4, that will be used over time.

Got told on Monday, got to have at least another 7 injections into my eyes, Felicity asked me yesterday, what is the worst thing about it all, I told her and got a seriously in return lol, it is no big secret, but not being able to stand in the shower and wash my hair and then when I get out, to shave, the injection process for me is never a worry.

I wrote a list of all the little bits of photography gear, I will be buying over the next how long, from one more lens to, the lights I will be getting for the macro work.

From the last time, I got to get a picture of the Aurora, got a few landscape type ones and rest have been pretty much fungi, all taken around my little woods. Till this year, I thought it was a desert for them, but when you really start to look, an amazing world has been there, that has taken me close to 60yrs to see, then finding my first slime mould, so many smiles.

I could on for hours about them, but a bit like other things I do, seldom talk about.

Now here is a thing, this week end, I was to go to a wedding, but I was to sign a non disclosure form, was not allowed to have a phone or any picture taking devices, did sign not for one second. A supposedly famous person was to be there, I probably have never heard of them anyway.

I showed my biggest secret yesterday. Not a secret anymore, was close to 7 yrs ago, but life changed and there was no need. Got a shake of the head and you just keep getting more and more interesting.


All summer, as I passed here, I thought there is a picture,I had the idea of what I would like, so just around sunset last week, I stopped by the road side and took this, it never worked out really for me, but then the following morning. I was standing actually in the field and well, lets say it got a whole lot better.

Autumn is here, favourite time of year. Ok as each season changes it becomes my favourite.

I asked a question on status yesterday, was to help me for a little talk I am doing. I have done 3 talks over the last months, try to change it up each time. This one will involve the use of a few pictures, selection of these is harder than the words, they have to fit, to talk as much as the words. Now these are all pictures that till the other night no one has seen, it is also strange in that so much of it , has been taken in the last few months.

I entered a competition with a few pictures. One has got down too the final selection, now it will be decided by how much you pimp your picture, as you can guess, that is not something I am going to do. If I had known this was how it was going to be judged, I would not have entered in the first place. I get in the book, which will do for me.

Soon a site, that i have been on for a while, I will be leaving, I think I see things like that have a lifespan for you and one day done.

I got into a conversation today about woman drivers today and got asked if I thought they were worse than men, answer from me is no. Out of what i would say were the drivers I was never worried about my safety 4 out of 5 were woman,

I also learned that you can 3D print a dildo and yes, I did see it . the things you can do with technology.

I had to pop the hard stuff today, to manage the pain, was so bad, that I struggled to get down the stairs this morning, not looking great for work tomorrow as well. I went to bed last night with a twinge in both hips, but woke in the early morning with more than a twinge.
One of those days where, you just can not get on with it.

I spent a lot of the day looking at ways, I can reduce the weight I carry when I wander with the camera. I canny do big miles now with all the gear.


A fun shot, just point to lens, adjust some setting and fire.