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705/1000: 25 Jan 2012: Hotel bar - again

2012-01-26T22:33:00.001Z

705/1000: 25 Jan 2012: Hotel bar - again, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Another shot at the Park Royal, this time while waiting for colleagues. Really love my Oly E-P1 for its discrete size when taking shots like this.

1000/704: 24 Jan 2012: Going to bed with Colin Firth

2012-01-26T22:13:00.001Z

1000/704: 24 Jan 2012: Going to bed with Colin Firth, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

No guesses as to which one of us sleeps on this side of the bed.

Eeeek!!

2012-01-24T20:47:00.000Z

Distressingly I have completely messed up the numbering on this blog. I know that I will have completed 2 continuous years on 19 Feb so tomorrow's post should be 1000/705. No idea what I've done as I missed about 20 in the numbering routine about 6 months back. Good job I have a Maths degree :0(

1000/711: 23 Jan 2012: Next time they learn the flute

2012-01-24T18:18:00.001Z

1000/711: 23 Jan 2012: Next time they learn the flute, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

No.1 son has now officially left home, but out of kindness to his new neighbours we are storing his drum kit, and are likely to host the band rehearsals for the foreseeable. As I said; 'In my next life the offspring learn the flute!".

1000/710: 22 Jan 2012: Barking at the waves

2012-01-22T21:33:00.001Z

1000/710: 22 Jan 2012: Barking at the waves, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Went to Silloth sea front for a brief escapade this afternoon. Even breezier than yesterday - much to the delight of this little guy - who was happy commanding the sea to go back with little effect.

For the cognoscenti - the 4 square buildings in the background are the old Chapelcross power station.

1000/709: 21 Jan 2012: Breakwater at Silloth

2012-01-21T15:58:00.001Z

1000/709: 21 Jan 2012: Breakwater at Silloth, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Bit of a breeze going at Silloth this morning - which coupled with the high tide made for some interesting photo ops along the sea wall. Had to choose between warmth or dryness as I hadn't come equipped for both at the same time. Went for dryness and had to give up shooting when my fingers went numb. Worth the effort though.

1000/708: 20 Jan 2012: Mouse

2012-01-21T15:53:00.001Z

1000/708: 20 Jan 2012: Mouse, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Not even photoshop abuse can save this from terminal dullness - but needs must. I almost forgot today because we went to see The War Horse in the evening.

1000/707: 19 Jan 2012: In the bar

2012-01-21T15:50:00.001Z

1000/707: 19 Jan 2012: In the bar, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Just some random guys in a random bar. No more - no less.

1000/706: 18 Jan 2012: Time to get fit - again

2012-01-21T15:37:00.001Z

1000/706: 18 Jan 2012: Time to get fit - again, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Right - just started going to karate again. Gasping for breath after the warm up and cursing the fact that my stomach now gets in the way of my stretches when Sensei comes up to me and says. "You need something to focus on - how about 2nd Dan in July?". Eeek! That's two pound a month then to get to my fighting weight - oh, and I need to strengthen my knees, improve my flexibility and remember all the stuff I've forgotten.Easy. :0(

1000/705: 17 Jan 2012: Dunmail Park at Night

2012-01-18T07:51:00.001Z

1000/705: 17 Jan 2012: Dunmail Park at Night, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Did something spontaneous tonight and went to the pictures to see The Iron Lady -must be the first time I've been there for several years. This shot from the car-park is about all I had time for, but it seems to have turned out OK.
I thought the film was excellent, although it did play rather heftily to the Thatcher stereotype and gave no real insight to her time as PM, although it was a wonderful portrait of an elderly , and slightly confused , woman in her waning years. The interplay with the spirit of Denis was very cleverly done in my view.
Not particularly busy - but it was a Tuesday night and Workington is hardly prime Thatcher territory.

1000/704: 16 Jan 2012: Allonby at night

2012-01-17T08:31:00.001Z

1000/704: 16 Jan 2012: Allonby at night, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Starting to think about my next assignment - A Sense of Place - and am gravitating towards Allonby, down on the coast. As it was a lovely starlit night, I thought I'd pop down in the dark to see what was what, and this is the end result (well part of it anyway)

1000/703: 15 Jan 2012: Self-portrait in a saucepan

2012-01-15T20:48:00.001Z

1000/703: 15 Jan 2012: Self-portrait in a saucepan, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Definitely the last one for a while - completely out of inspiration and suitable shiny surfaces - it was fun while it lasted.. Ultimately I ran out of suitable objects.

1000/702: 14 Jan 2012: Self-portrait in a steel dish

2012-01-14T16:46:00.001Z

1000/702: 14 Jan 2012: Self-portrait in a steel dish, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Beginning to struggle.Quite like this because it reflects that difficulty - the reflection is a bit vague and not properly formed.

1000/701: 13 Jan 2012: Self-portrait in a toilet roll holder

2012-01-13T22:25:00.001Z

1000/701: 13 Jan 2012: Self-portrait in a toilet roll holder, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Right - finally beginning to run out of inspiration. Lots of shiny objects but few have enough of a mirror finish to let this work. Just a couple more to complete two weeks then I'll think of another theme - honest.

1000/700: 12 Jan 2012: Self-portrait with moustache

2012-01-13T22:21:00.001Z

1000/700: 12 Jan 2012: Self-portrait with moustache, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Bit of a lucky alignment first shot with this one - tried to replicate the moustache effect several times without luck. Quite tricky to compose because I was squeezed against the bathroom wall.

1000/699: 11 Jan 2012: Getting with the beat

2012-01-12T16:48:00.000Z

1000/699: 11 Jan 2012: Getting with the beat, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Hmm! Forgot to add this to the blog. Thought I'd missed a day for a moment.

1000/698: 10 Jan 2012: The Scream

2012-01-12T08:08:00.001Z

1000/698: 10 Jan 2012: The Scream, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Bit of a pretentious title perhaps, but that's what it reminded me off. This was actually quite tricky, because light levels were very low, and composing was a bit of trial and error. Also, all the tones were pretty similar in the original so it took a bit of effort in lightroom to turn into a photo.

1000/697: 09 Jan 2012: Tea bar

2012-01-12T08:05:00.001Z

1000/697: 09 Jan 2012: Tea bar, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

In the hotel tonight. Thought there might be a deficit of shiny objects - but hey! there's always something.

1000/696: 08 Jan 2012: A cutting edge self-portrait

2012-01-08T21:23:00.001Z

1000/696: 08 Jan 2012: A cutting edge self-portrait, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Well - it's the end of the week and I've managed a reflective self-portrait every day - still have a few ideas up my sleeve, but may have to take a break for a day or to as work will be interfering.

1000/695: 07 Jan 2012: Self-portrait with mixer

2012-01-07T19:06:00.001Z

1000/695: 07 Jan 2012: Self-portrait with mixer, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Had forgotten about this particular piece of shiny kitchenware, which has such a good mirror finish that it's made my job very easy today.
Was planning on doing a photo in a rather fancy stainless steel coffee cup, but the finish was too erratic for a decent reflection.

1000/694: 06 Jan 2012: Self Portrait in a Towel Rail

2012-01-06T20:10:00.001Z

1000/694: 06 Jan 2012: Self Portrait in a Towel Rail, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Well - this has developed into an impromptu week long theme - 2 more shots to go for the full set. This one was quite a bit easier than last night's as the towel rail is nice and big, flat and very shiny. It's Saturday tomorrow so I'll have more time to try for something more challenging.

1000/693: 05 Jan 2012: A Beautiful Self-portrait

2012-01-05T17:45:00.001Z

1000/693: 05 Jan 2012: A Beautiful Self-portrait, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Getting the hang of this now - and to be honest it's quite good fun. Now to start the search for tomorrow's reflective surface.

1000/692: 04 Jan 2012: Self-portrait with ladle

2012-01-04T20:24:00.002Z

1000/692: 04 Jan 2012: Self-portrait with ladel, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Not so sure about this one. It feels a bit conventional compared with the teapot, but it's only when you go looking that you discover how few geuinely shiny objects there are.

1000/691: 03 Jan 2012: Self-portrait in a teapot

2012-01-03T21:37:00.001Z

1000/691: 03 Jan 2012: Self-portrait in a teapot, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Well you didn't expect me to actually be in the teapot - surely?
Beginning to feel a series coming on here - reflections in shiny household objects. - could be a bit of fun.

1000/690: 02 Jan 2012: Self-portrait in a CD

2012-01-02T19:22:00.001Z

1000/690: 02 Jan 2012: Self-portrait in a CD, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Rather more tricky than you might think. First up it's hard to align the shot correctly, and then the reflection is not as bright or clear as you'd expect.
Quite like these somewhat oddball self-portraits.

1000/689: 01 Jan 2012: Wine Bottle Semi-Abstract

2012-01-02T13:21:00.001Z

1000/689: 01 Jan 2012: Wine Bottle Semi-Abstract, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

This one was inspired by a short conversation on twitter about the amount of glass going into the recycling bags this week.
Original shot was rather dull so I blasted it in Lightroom - increasing the exposure by 3.5 stops, boosting the highlights further still, increasing the contrast and then adding some vibrance and saturation. I guess it's a personal opinion whether you like this sort of thing - but I've concluded that I do so I'll have to look out for other opportunities.

1000/688: 31 Dec 2011: By the Solway Viaduct

2012-01-02T13:15:00.001Z

1000/688: 31 Dec 2011: By the Solway Viaduct, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Went out to take some photos today as I was beginning to suffer from cabin fever, but the weather was dire and the light was worse. Took several shots of this couple in the distance near the base of the old Solway Viaduct as it seemed to catch the feel of the afternoon.

1000/687: 30 Dec 2011: Marzipan stuffed date

2011-12-31T17:38:00.001Z

1000/687: 30 Dec 2011: Marzipan stuffed date, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Had some neighbours around for drinkies today. One of them brought a plate of these rather delicious marzipan stuffed dates. Nom, Nom, Nom..as people seem to say these days.

1000/686: 29 Dec 2011: Egg carton

2011-12-31T17:35:00.001Z

1000/686: 29 Dec 2011: Egg carton, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Just a bit of semi-abstract fun with a plastic egg carton today. That's it really.

1000/685: 28 Dec 2011: Aquarium - again

2011-12-31T17:33:00.001Z

1000/685: 28 Dec 2011: Aquarium - again, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Aquarium now has its full complement of fish, and the plants are developing nicely.
Had a bit of a problem with blue-green algae earlier this month but a couple of days in the dark saw that off. It's beginning to look as good as I'd hoped.

1000/684: 27 Dec 2011: Xmas pressie

2011-12-31T17:29:00.001Z

1000/684: 27 Dec 2011: Xmas pressie, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Wanted one of these little guys for ages and Marion is my Xmas Santa. yay!!.
Not as easy to fly as you might think - this one is missing its rotor after a collision with the living room door. Boo!!
Have always enjoyed silly challenges - so learning to fly this will be fun I think.

1000/683: 26 Dec 2011: Vintage Port

2011-12-29T10:50:00.001Z

1000/683: 26 Dec 2011: Vintage Port, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Call me pretentious but I think it's well worth the money buying decent port. This one is just delicious - where would I be without the Sunday Times wine club.

1000/682: 25 Dec 2011: Yay! Christmas Dinner

2011-12-27T15:16:00.001Z

1000/682: 25 Dec 2011: Yay! Christmas Dinner, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

So...this is how the turkey turned out - and for the record it tasted as good as it looked. Am guessing that turkey curry will be on the menu sometime soon.

1000/681: 24 Dec 2011: My first panettone

2011-12-27T15:09:00.001Z

1000/681: 24 Dec 2011: My first panettone, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Not tried cooking one of these before, but since they cost an arm and a leg in the shops thought I'd give it a go.

Used the breadmaker to do the initial knead and prove then made a bit of a mistake by including lemon juice rather than zest in the extra ingredients so had to adjust the flour content to get a sensible dough. Transferred the lot toa cake tin and cooked in the oven. It seems to have turned out OK though. Will have to give this another try as it smells lovely.

1000/680: 23 Dec 2011: Turkey!!

2011-12-27T15:03:00.001Z

1000/680: 23 Dec 2011: Turkey!!, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Think this is the largest turkey (around 14lb) that we've ever bought - and it's clearly going to take a while to defrost. Still wonder why they see including a load of dodgy offal as a selling point - I guess there are some who do something useful with them other than feed them to the cat.

1000/679: 22 Dec 2011: Poinsettia

2011-12-27T14:57:00.001Z

1000/679: 22 Dec 2011: Poinsettia, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Pretty sure I did a poinsettia around this time last year. Whatever - who can resist this gorgeous red colour?

1000/678: 21 Dec 2011: Goes well with Indian food

2011-12-23T15:07:00.002Z

1000/678: 21 Dec 2011: Goes well with Indian food, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

A nice little dish I adapted from a Madhur Jaffrey recipe that goes really well with spicy Indian dishes.
Grated carrot and finely chopped red peppers sprinkled with lemon juice, a pinch of cayenne and a couple of spoonfuls of poppy or mustard seeds (whatever's available). Then leave it in the fridge for a while for the flavours to blend - giving it a bit of a stir from time to time just to make sure it's all nicely mixed. Delicious.

1000/677: 20 Dec 2011: Mince Pie Negatives

2011-12-23T15:00:00.001Z

1000/677: 20 Dec 2011: Mince Pie Negatives, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Was going to take a photo of the rather delicious mince pies that Marion has been making, but thought it was probably a bit predictable, so went with this pattern from the caster sugar she dusted them with. Like the fact that you can see the 'negative' from the cooling rack as well.

1000/676: 19 Dec 2011: Spirit of the seventies

2011-12-23T14:56:00.001Z

1000/676: 19 Dec 2011: Spirit of the seventies, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Power cables to the village came down this afternoon so we had no power until mid-evening. Sense of adventure as we boiled water on the stove (and camping gas burner when we ran out of patience) and sat round reading by candlelight.
Kids has the foresight to insulate my fish tanks - thanks guys - before I got home.
Oddly this brings back happy memories of childhood. I learned to play chess in conditions like this during the dark days of Heath vs Scargill, which probably gives away my age a bit.

1000/675: 18 Dec 2011: The Church Carpark - believe it or not

2011-12-18T20:56:00.001Z

1000/675: 18 Dec 2011: The Church Carpark - believe it or not, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Getting rather keen on these low angle panoramic format shots. This was taken in Lorton Street Methodist Church car park just after the carol service this evening. Got a few funny looks from the congregation as they were departing.
The mist cloud on the right is actually the fumes from my exhaust, and the car is stationary - the lights are from a different vehicle.

1000/674: 17 Dec 2011: Looking towards Workington from Maryport Habour

2011-12-18T20:50:00.001Z

1000/674: 17 Dec 2011: Looking towards Workington from Maryport Habour, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Finally got bored with taking a shot in Skinburness Road every Saturday so went down to Maryport late afternoon to grab this shot. The square block on the left horizon is one of the factories between Flimby and Siddick.

1000/673: 16 Dec 2011: Brown-nosed reindeer

2011-12-18T20:45:00.001Z

1000/673: 16 Dec 2011: Brown-nosed reindeer, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Can't remember when we got this little guy. Most of the year he lives under the bed - we just give him a run out at Christmas to add a little madness to the decor.

1000/672: 15 Dec 2011: The lookout

2011-12-17T22:36:00.001Z

1000/672: 15 Dec 2011: The lookout, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Not featured Marmalade for a while - so here he is in all his feline glory. Lighting was quite low so getting him to stay still long enough for a decently sharp photo was an exercise in patience.
Usually cats have more patience than me...but not this time!

1000/671: 14 Dec 2011: Carpet

2011-12-17T22:29:00.001Z

1000/671: 14 Dec 2011: Carpet, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Thought I'd emphasise the low-angle view by using a panoramic format. Quite like this shot although I'm not sure why.

1000/670: 13 Dec 2011: Oh! The weather outside is frightful, etc

2011-12-17T22:25:00.001Z

1000/670: 13 Dec 2011: Oh! The weather outside is frightful, etc, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Getting close to the end of Christmas decorating. This rather jolly arrangement seemed worthy of a snap.

1000/669: 12 Dec 2011: Red and Green

2011-12-13T18:41:00.001Z

1000/669: 12 Dec 2011: Red and Green, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Couldn't resist the play of light through these two wine bottles - so I didn't. Love this kind of semi-abstraction. Life is made up of little details.

1000/668: 11 Dec 2011: Xmas tree time

2011-12-13T12:41:00.001Z

1000/668: 11 Dec 2011: Xmas tree time, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Youngest daughter has done her usual excellent job of decorating the tree. Now all it requires is for the rest of the house lights and decoration and we'll be done.

1000/667: 10 Dec 2011: Bird wing

2011-12-11T11:07:00.002Z

1000/667: 10 Dec 2011: Bird wing, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Finding this sort of thing washed up on the beach always makes me a little bit sad - even though I know it's the natural way of things.
Finding this stuff, on the other hand, just makes me cross - because I know it isn't..

1000/666: 09 Dec 2011: Piano practise

2011-12-11T10:52:00.001Z

1000/666: 09 Dec 2011: Piano practise, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Not much to say about this one really. Youngest daughter is doing her piano practise, and I needed something to photograph. Match made in heaven...or something.

1000/665: 08 Dec 2011: Cake!

2011-12-11T10:50:00.001Z

1000/665: 08 Dec 2011: Cake!, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Marion makes the most delicious fruit cake in the whole world. Sadly - I can't taste it currently, so have to be satisfied with taking a photo. Seems likely that by the time I can taste again the offspring will have eaten it :0(

1000/664: 07 Dec 2011: Atishooo!!!!

2011-12-11T10:44:00.001Z

1000/664: 07 Dec 2011: Atishooo!!!!, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

After the pleasure there's always pain. Not that the two are related in this case - just had the misfortune to come down with a cold. Rats!!!!

1000/663: 06 Dec 2011: Derwent Water and Skiddaw

2011-12-06T20:28:00.002Z

1000/663: 06 Dec 2011: Derwent Water and Skiddaw, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Glorious view from the hotel bedroom this morning - sadly our last here.

This really is a nice hotel - food is good and service is excellent. Nice personal touch - someone obviously saw our anniversary cards while we were out yesterday and when we got back to the hotel there was a card from the hotel and a box of chocolates waiting in our bedroom.

The least I can do in return is link to their website - and suggest you give them a try.

1000/662: 05 Dec 2011: 30th Wedding Anniversary

2011-12-06T20:22:00.001Z

1000/662: 05 Dec 2011: 30th Wedding Anniversary, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

..and what better way to celebrate than with a picture of Marion looking particularly happy.

It says something for her constitution that she can still smile after 30 years of marriage to me.

1000/661: 04 Dec 2011: Lodore Falls Hotel

2011-12-06T20:17:00.002Z

1000/661: 04 Dec 2011: Lodore Falls Hotel, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Decided to pamper ourselves for a couple of days to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. Didn't want to travel very far and this place seems to have a pretty good reputation so we thought we'd give it a go.

1000/660: 03 Dec 2011: Spooky

2011-12-06T20:10:00.001Z

1000/660: 03 Dec 2011: Spooky, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Taken from my usual Saturday morning parking spot on Skinburness Road, Silloth. The sun was catching the paintwork and I deliberately underexposed with this high contrast treatment in mind. Always good when a picture turns out as you planned..
Who says the camera never lies?

1000/659: 02 Dec 2011; Stonehenge with bolt

2011-12-06T20:03:00.001Z

1000/659: 02 Dec 2011; Stonehenge with bolt, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Not really sure what this is about - if anything. Was toying with the bolt - wondering if I could do anything intelligent with it - when I noticed the way the desk lamp was reflection from the computer screen behind.

Feels a bit 2001 to me - but that might just be my over fertile imagination.

1000/658: 01 Dec 2011: Rafia

2011-12-04T12:01:00.001Z

1000/658: 01 Dec 2011: Rafia, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

This is actually a laundry basket. I was experimenting with Lightroom and this popped out of the system as I was messing with the various settings.

Quite like the oppressive, rather heavy low-key treatment.

1000/657: 30 Nov 2011: Home Again

2011-12-04T10:41:00.001Z

1000/657: 30 Nov 2011: Home Again, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

..and relaxing with the family. Trying to catch the idea in a slightly different way.

1000/656: 29 Nov 2011: Through a glass darkly..

2011-12-03T22:41:00.002Z

1000/666: 29 Nov 2011: Through a glass darkly.., a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Bit of an experimental shot taken through the net curtains at the Park Royal. Not much more to it than that really.

1000/655: 28 Nov 2011: It's Christmas already.

2011-12-03T22:38:00.001Z

1000/655: 28 Nov 2011: It's Christmas already., a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

..or at least it is in the hotels I frequent during the week. Actually most are being quite restrained and appear to have waited until the last week in November before getting down and festive.

1000/654: 27 Nov 2011: Blue Glass Bottle

2011-12-03T22:36:00.001Z

1000/654: 27 Nov 2011: Blue Glass Bottle, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Eldest daughter is coming back to Cumbria in the new year to continue her PhD at Manchester Uni's Dalton Centre at Westlakes. She'll be renting a house in St Bees for the duration and we went to have a look at it today.

Nice little spot on the main street, handy fort all the local pubs - er, facilities - of which St Bees has more than its fair share.

This blue bottle decorating one of the mantelpieces caught my eye in the sunlight though the window.

1000/653: 26 Nov 2011: My developing photolibrary

2011-12-03T22:32:00.001Z

1000/653: 26 Nov 2011: My developing photolibrary, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Surprise , surprise - I have an increasing library of photobooks growing under my computer desk. One thing I've noticed is that since I started the degree courses I'm buying more books about photos and photographers and fewer about techniques.

1000/652: 25 Nov 2011: Twig Catfish

2011-12-03T22:28:00.001Z

1000/652: 25 Nov 2011: Twig Catfish, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Got a bit behind on my posting, so a bit of catching up is in order.

This is a Twig Catfish (farlowella vitatta)- a female I suspect - from the absence of whiskers, and one of the more recent additions to my new tank. It's about 5 inches long in total - this is the front 1/3 or so as it rests on a piece of nicely blanched parsnip.

1000/651: 24 Nov 2011: Life...

2011-11-25T22:14:00.002Z

1000/651: 24 Nov 2011: Life..., a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

...that's all there is to it really Add lashings of hydrogen and a few trace metals for seasoning and that's your lot.

Felt the urge to prove I'm still a scientist at heart.

1000/650: 23 Nov 2011: Lost my glasses

2011-11-25T21:12:00.001Z

1000/650: 23 Nov 2011: Lost my glasses, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

In recognition of the fact that i spent 45 minutes this evening looking for my glasses - I put them down on a patterned surface - I thought I'd take this true-to-life photo of the dining room.
Family were most amused and mostly unhelpful. Perhaps I should get one of those snake link necklaces so I can hang them round my neck :0(

1000/649: 22 Nov 2011: Under the desk

2011-11-25T21:07:00.001Z

1000/649: 22 Nov 2011: Under the desk, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

In a similar vein to last nights magnum opus. Was under the desk picking something up when I spotted this on the underside of the desktop - no idea what it means.
Had to abuse the file something wicked to get a decent hand-held exposure - hence the noise and strange colours in the vignettes at the corners.

1000/648: 21 Nov 2011: In the bath

2011-11-25T17:07:00.002Z

1000/648: 21 Nov 2011: In the bath, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

So here I am - in a hotel again, with very little time before meeting colleague for dinner and I'm finally running out of room fittings to shoot. What to do?

So I went for this bathers eye view. You can see me reflected in the overflow cover. Dressed - you'll be pleased to hear.

1000/647: 20 Nov 2011: Wind farm, Workington

2011-11-24T22:13:00.001Z

1000/647: 20 Nov 2011: Wind farm, Workington, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

As all these were moving - which is a pretty rare event - I thought they were worth a snap. Deliberately chose a slowish shutter speed to show the movement in the blades.

1000/646: 19 November 2011: Millennium Bridge and Gateshead

2011-11-24T22:10:00.001Z

1000/646: 19 November 2011: Millennium Bridge and Gateshead, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Off to Gateshead today to visit the Turner Prize exhibition at the Baltic with some fellow OCA students. Had a pretty good time I think - were split on who we want to win which generated plenty of discussion.

1000/645: 18 Nov 2011: Children in Need

2011-11-24T22:07:00.001Z

1000/645: 18 Nov 2011: Children in Need, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

A little behind this week .Friday night was Children in Need night and here's a vintage sample from 1986 - still going strong.

1000/644: 17 Nov 2011: Wir fahren auf der autobahn

2011-11-17T22:36:00.001Z

1000/644: 17 Nov 2011: Wir fahren auf dem autobahn, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Jetzt schalten wir das Radio an
Aus dem Lautsprecher klingt es dann:
Wir fahren auf der Autobahn..

1000/643: 16 Nov 2011: M5 Northbound j14

2011-11-16T20:13:00.002Z

1000/643: 16 Nov 2011: M6 Northbound j14, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

It's that light trail time of year again. Strolled down from the hotel to the nearby junction for this shot because a colleague suggested that my last two shots were 'a bit dull' - so I thought a bit more effort was needed. Thanks Alistair ;0)

EDIT: Changed title to reflect the fact that it was actually the M5 northbound - they all look the same after a while

1000/642: 15 Nov 2011: Gables Best Western

2011-11-15T21:53:00.001Z

1000/642: 15 Nov 2011: Gables Best Western, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

New - or nearly new - haunt tonight. Think I've styed here just the once before. Would have to say that it seems pleasant enough - everyone is certainly very friendly and it has a clean and cheery ambiance - ooh, hark at me!

1000/641: 14 Nov 2011: Staring at the ceiling

2011-11-15T21:45:00.001Z

1000/641: 14 Nov 2011: Staring at the ceiling, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Well I was led on the floor in front of the television with my camera in my hand - don't ask why, I can't explain - and saw this. To me it feels right as a photo - but that's something else I can't explain.

On the basis that things come in threes, I also can't explain why I've been incorrectly numbering my blog posts for the last week - but I've put it right now.

1000/640: 13 Nov 2011: Golden Ram

2011-11-13T20:34:00.002Z

1000/370: 13 Nov 2011: Golden Ram, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Definitely enjoying the flat glass front of my new tank - makes photography a whole world easier. This is a Golden Ram I relocated from my biorb to give him a bit more space and remove any risk of a scrap with Gillan the Fighting Fish.

For those of a technical bent his latin name is Microgeophagus ramirezi and the 'golden' version is a xanthic variety - whatever that is.

1000/639: 12 Nov 2011: Solway Storm

2011-11-12T17:26:00.002Z

1000/369: 12 Nov 2011: Solway Storm, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

This one was taken from the Skinburness end of the Silloth shore road looking towards Criffel. Obviously they were having worse weather than us. This sized chunk of rainbow does seem to be a surprisingly frequent event from this viewpoint.

1000/638: 11 Nov 2011: Fishy Friends

2011-11-12T17:20:00.003Z

1000/368: 11 Nov 2011: Fishy Friends, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Double bill of fishy friends today. First up this little guy - currently less than an inch long - a Panda Cory. Very active rooting about on the aquarium floor looking for tasty snacks. I swear I can see him/her munching when he/she finds something.

And to follow - this rather splendid wagtail sword - again, quite small compared to its adult length, but I'm hoping to have him (and his two mates) long enough for him to reach a decent adult size.

1000/637: 10 Nov 2011: It's a tough life...

2011-11-12T17:13:00.002Z

1000/367: 10 Nov 2011: It's a tough life..., a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

..but someone has to live it. Rather unexpectedly got a suite in the Park Royal tonight. Thanks guys.

Shame I only had the one night in the lap of luxury.

1000/636: 09 Nov 2011: Colonists

2011-11-12T17:03:00.003Z

1000/364: 09 Nov 2011: Colonists, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Chemicals all seem to have settled nicely, plants are growing well so have gently introduced a few fish in the last few days - guppies, swords and otos.

Probably slightly too many slightly too quickly so patience is now the word for a week or three.

1000/635: 08 Nov 2011: Herringbone Cotoneaster

2011-11-09T20:55:00.002Z

1000/365: 08 Nov 2011: Herringbone Cotoneaster, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Just a year to go to reach 1000 shots. Another in my occasional series of shots using my ring flash off-camera. When we moved here 17 years ago this was a seedling an inch long growing from a crack in the paving. It's now 6 feet high and 6 feet wide.

1000/634: 07 Nov 2011: Cool beans

2011-11-09T17:26:00.001Z

1000/634: 07 Nov 2011: Cool beans, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

These came out rather better than I expected. Quite surprised by the array of colour these show. Hopefully if we can stop any more from sprouting we'll have an excellent crop next year. Runner beans are always so rewarding - no effort to grow, huge yields and you avoid the need to pay silly prices in the shops for food that's already several days old.

1000/633: 06 Nov 2011: Solway sundown

2011-11-09T17:20:00.001Z

1000/633: 06 Nov 2011: Solway sundown, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

A rather crisp and slightly misty evening view across the Solway to Criffel in Scotland. This is just about where the Solway Plain starts in my book - where the rolling hills north of the Cockermouth-Maryport road find there way down to the sea.

1000/632: 05 Nov 2011: It's not all hills...

2011-11-09T17:11:00.001Z

1000/632: 05 Nov 2011: It's not all hills..., a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Think of Cumbria - think of hills seems to be the way of things, but there's a whole chunk of the county that is as flat as Lincolnshire - the Solway Plain, which in my mind at least starts some way south of Silloth and then runs up to Carlisle.
This shot, inland from and towards Silloth captures the feel of the whole stretch.
The highest point is on a sheep and you can chose your vegetation from moss or grass.
Actually, I love it - the sky seems higher up and there's just so much space and so few people. It's a shame more people don't come to enjoy it, although that would defeat the latter part, but it would mean that the money pouring into the Lakes was more widely shared around the county. We can but hope.

1000/631: 04 Nov 2011: Tasteful - not

2011-11-08T16:39:00.001Z

1000/631: 04 Nov 2011: Tasteful - not, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

It's a pencil sharpener. Shaped like a cat. Guess where you insert the pencil. Enough said really.

1000/630: 03 Nov 2011: Streetlight Sonata

2011-11-05T11:22:00.001Z

1000/630: 03 Nov 2011: Streetlight Sonata, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Have taken shots of this view of my house before, but there's always more than one way to skin a cat.

1000/629: 02 Nov 2011: Betta be blue

2011-11-04T23:09:00.001Z

1000/629: 02 Nov 2011: Betta be blue, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Colour balance on this is a little awkward as he's really deep purple - so I shall be calling him Gillan. Lost my dwarf red gourami from the biorb a couple of days back so Gillan has moved in to the vacant let.
As the chemicals have settled down in the new tank, I've also moved the guppies over from the biorb to colonise the new toy, which means I also have to consider some new tank-mates for Gillan.

1000/628: 01 Nov 2011: Self portrait

2011-11-04T22:57:00.001Z

1000/628: 01 Nov 2011: Self portrait, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Reflections in spherical surfaces always intrigue me - not sure why. Anyway thought I'd use one to try a bit of an off-the-wall self portrait.
Tried the shot without me in it as well, but didn't think it worked nearly as well.

1000/627: 31 Oct 2011: Aloe Vera

2011-11-04T10:41:00.001Z

1000/627: 31 Oct 2011: Aloe Vera, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Becoming more and more attracted to black and white . In this shot I think the background colours and even the colours of the plant would have been a distraction fro the form and tones.

Grew this one ourselves from a tiny seedling.

1000/626: 30 Oct 2011: Almost finished

2011-11-01T21:15:00.001Z

1000/626: 30 Oct 2011: Almost finished, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

New light fittings installed so everything is just about finished bar some minor touching up of paintwork etc and then hang the remaining pics. Why do these things take so long?

29 Oct 2011: Spongebob

2011-11-01T21:00:00.001Z

29 Oct 2011: Spongebob, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

My aquarium gets its first inhabitant. No-one could say it will lack class!

1000/625: 29 Oct 2011: Early Hours

2011-11-01T18:28:00.001Z

1000/625: 29 Oct 2011: Early Hours, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Pretty much the same position as the previous shot - only looking down and several hours later, after the CIPR reception. If my shot from the 27th was the latest I've ever left it, this must be the earliest I've taken a days shot.

I really am beginning to enjoy these high contrast black and white treatments.

1000/624: 28 Oct 2011: Evening view of Cardiff

2011-11-01T18:23:00.001Z

1000/624: 28 Oct 2011: Evening view of Cardiff, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

At the Mercure Holland House in Cardiff tonight for the CIPR Wales award ceremony. Nice hotel - rooms a little scary - as the windows go down to the floor and I've always been several floors up, which is a bit disconcerting the first time you enter the room.

Rooms on the other side of the hotel have views across Cardiff Bay - or so I'm told. This is only the second visit and I've had this view on both occasions.

Cardiff looks like a nice city - obviously at home with being a national capital - so shall be adding it to my list of potential weekend breaks.

1000/623: 27 Oct 2011: Table lamp

2011-10-30T21:48:00.001Z

1000/623: 27 Oct 2011: Table lamp, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Very near miss today - this one was taken at about a minute to midnight - not the worlds greatest shot, but time was not on my side.

1000/622: 26 Oct 2011: Another assignment shot

2011-10-30T21:46:00.001Z

1000/622: 26 Oct 2011: Another assignment shot, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

And another assignment shot - for the curious I'm supposed to be taking shots that show a building in use, but I'm trying to do something a bit more creative with it - hence the invisible man stuff.

1000/621: 25 Oct 2011: Still working on my assignment

2011-10-30T21:43:00.001Z

1000/621: 25 Oct 2011: Still working on my assignment, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Base photo for another round of invisible man shots - this time I'm going to try ripping the photo - which feels a bit like book burning. Funny thing - culture.

1000/620: 24 Oct 2011: Setting up my new tank

2011-10-30T21:39:00.001Z

1000/620: 24 Oct 2011: Setting up my new tank, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Well here it is - the gravel and nice granitey rocks are all in place and I've filled it with water and set the heater and filter running. Now it needs to settle for a couple of days before I add some plants.

1000/619: 23 Oct 2011: Rocks

2011-10-30T21:35:00.001Z

1000/619: 23 Oct 2011: Rocks, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Buy these in a shop and you'll be paying a couple of pounds each - on the other hand - you can collect them for nothing from the beach and give them a good boil to sterilise them. Guess which I did!

I'm no geologist so I'm not quite sure what these are beyond being relatives of granite - but the range of pinks yellows and oranges they display on the aquarium is worth seeing.

1000/618: 22 Oct 2011: Handle Detail

2011-10-26T20:14:00.001+01:00

1000/618: 22 Oct 2011: Handle Detail, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

A handle detail from the new sideboard. Couldn't resist the crazy frog smile - it even has frog eyes.
OK - off to take the medication....

1000/617: 21 Oct 2011: My New Toy

2011-10-26T19:12:00.001+01:00

1000/617: 21 Oct 2011: My New Toy, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Well, owning a Biorb has given me the aquarium bug. Used to have one as a teenager - I know, strange hobby for a teenage boy - and had harboured a long-term ambition to have another.

The Biorb made the urge stronger not weaker, and so, as part of re-modelling the dining room I now have this nice sparkly 170l aquarium, with a handy cabinet for Marion's piano music.

The bad news is that you're going to be seeing several aquarium shots in the next few weeks as I get it up and running.

1000/616: 20 Oct 2011: Thread

2011-10-26T19:03:00.001+01:00

1000/616: 20 Oct 2011: Thread, a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Another night - another hotel. Fed up with doing shots of bits of hotel rooms and hotel gardens, but it's too gloomy to go anywhere else - so in search of something a bit different. Think this may fit the bill - for clarity it's a bit of thread hanging from a lampshade.