Wednesday, June 24, 2009

North Fife Roses June 2009

Wild roses and fields of oilseed rape, looking to The River Tay towards Dundee. The roads are an avenue of roses right now, quite spectacular.

Acres and acres of rape though it's possible the yields will be lower due to the catastrophic decline of hive bees, a problem globally. Bumblebees can only do so much.

My next door neighbours hedge, nectar giving to mainly moths.



Clumps of dead nettles dot my wildlife garden, more honestly my unkempt garden though they provide nectar to many insects.

June Flowers North Fife

Today in North Fife was very warm and the pleasure was compounded by the abundance of flowers on the roadside, hedgerows and fields of oilseed rape. Below is a small example. These natural forms provided a rich source for design and decoration by the Arts and Craft movement of the late Nineteenth Century. Artists William Morris and John Ruskin amongst others of influence caused the building of Art Schools in Britain. I myself attended a secondary Art School in Birmingham and it was there I learned to see, appreciate, draw and love natural forms.

A stunning mix of colour from Honeysuckle and sweet-pea.

Intense red of Tropaeolum (Nasturtium) climbing in a beech hedge.

Proserpina by John Ruskin.Proserpina, Studies of Wayside Flowers, Parts 1-2: While the Air Was Yet Pure Among the Alps, and in the Scotland and England Which My Father Knew (18

All within a few meters of a roadside hedge at Hazelton Walls North Fife.


John Ruskin, one of the greatest writers and thinkers of the nineteenth century, was also one of the most prolific. Not only did he publish some 250 works, but he also wrote lectures, diaries, and thousands of letters that have not been published. This book the second and final volume of Tim Hilton's acclaimed biography of Ruskin, which is published on the centenary of Ruskin's death draws on the original source material to give a moving account of the life of this brilliant and creative man. The book begins in 1859. Ruskin had a disastrous marriage behind him, was living with his parents, travelling, and earning his keep by writing and tutoring. This brought him into contact with Rose La Touche, a girl of ten, with whom he slowly fell in love. Hilton recounts how this relationship developed into one of the saddest love affairs of literary hsitory, ending in tragedy in 1875. Thereafter, says Hilton, Ruskin's life was punctuated by bouts of insanity and despair that culminated in total breakdown for the last ten years of his life. During these years, however, his intellect and imagination reached new heights, as he produced Praeterita and most of Fors Clavigera, the series of monthly letters to British workers. Hilton's magisterial narrative follows Ruskin through this period and shows that he was the most eloquent and radical of all the great Victorian writers.John Ruskin Vol 2: The Later Years (John Ruskin : the Later Years)

Monday, June 22, 2009

RAF Leuchars North Fife

RAF Leuchars lies 12 miles due East of my home at Flisk North Fife. Today I heard the unmistakable thum thum thum thum of a helicopter, low and approaching, time to gather my camera, go outside and take a shot. Camera only, could have been an R P G and that's how vulnerable these aggressive and expensive lumps of metal are. Troop and ordinance carriers which appear whenever there is conflict to practice the way of war. Hostility can never be good, violence begets violence, far better to plough the massive funds into saving the world and life in all its forms than destroying it. Peace begets peace, love begets love, compassion begets, within we all know these are better options.

Obscene war machine. For some they hold a fascination, the power and complexity, visit where they dwell and tick them off like others do of train numbers say or birds or postage stamps. What a weird species we are. A progression of slings and arrows. For you the book below may be of use.

Then physically it was past but for me not the notion of what it represents.

A pocket guide to combat helicopters, this text provides briefings on every type in service or about to enter service. Included are individual entries for all versions and variants as well as their missiles, bombs and rockets.Modern Military Helicopters (Jane's Pocket Guides)

Newburgh Highland Games 2009

Saturday June 20th 2009. A beautiful sunny warm day for Newburgh North Fife Scotland Highland Games. There is always plenty going on and below are a few events that I came across.

Pipers await their performance.



Roy Duff and family wending their way home at the end of an enjoyable day.

Caber tossing is just one of the heavy weight events. This caber, well over 100 lbs was difficult to lift and balance, amazing that it could be tossed.



Cycle racing, a popular event in Newburgh.



A well attended competition.



Piping competition.



Guardian angels, in no way needed to act on a professional level enjoying a pleasant days work.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Air Display Newburgh 2009

Again the Pitt Special flew in from Scone and the Tiger Moth from Glenrothes airfields to wow the crowds assembled for the coble boat races on the River Tay at Newburgh North Fife. Both aircraft providing amazing aerial acrobatics to the enjoyment of all.

Pitt Special.





Together.

Tiger Moth.

Friday, June 19, 2009

Boat Races Newburgh 2009

The annual coble boat races held at Newburgh North Fife. This year the water was at low tide, a fast current and head wind making it very hard and gruelling work improving as time went by till slack water near the end producing some very good races.

The starting gunshot.

getting in line for the start.

The fist heat was particularly hard work.

Spectators enjoy the spectacle.

Spectators from the waterline.

Cruising in at the final.

Phew, the hard work shows.





Exhausting stuff.







Comrades in arms support each other.

The pleasure of having done shows.





Jubilation at the finish.

Slight disappointment.



Blood sweat and ouch.





Put it there.


Pleasure.


Yes.

Race winners with Trophy.

Fastest heat winners with Trophy.