River Tay Sunset September 3rd 2011

More amazing cloud formations and colour over the River Tay North Fife at sunset.

Stoney Stanton Road Coventry

Broadgate tram on Stoney Stanton Road Coventry at the junction of St Pauls Road. Route 6 and tram 22 purchased from Wigan in 1905 by Coventry Electric Tramways. The whole area has now been rebuilt, how times have changed.

An Edwardian procession taken from the upper floor of the Chemists, commemorating something that was before my time. Notice the side saddle riders and throngs in attendance. If you know what it was all about, please comment.

Photographs copyright.

Learn World Calligraphy [Paperback]

Learn World Calligraphy [Paperback]
Renowned calligrapher and prolific author Margaret Shepherd provides a calligraphy instructional text unlike any other. This comprehensive, unparalleled 192-page volume covers virtually all the world's writing systems, ranging from Chinese, Arabic, Russian, Korean, Hebrew, Mongolian, Tibetan, Thai and Indian scripts to the alphabets of our earliest ancestors in Africa and the Americas. The book features Shepherd's exquisite hand-drawn illustrations, gorgeous full-colour examples of both traditional and modern calligraphic designs, plus modern materials and projects. Readers will also learn how the basics of each exotic script can be applied to the English alphabet in order to create readable calligraphy with a foreign flair.

The above art piece called "The Heart of Emptiness" by Tashi Mannox is amongst others of Tashi's works that are illustrated within the Tibetan Calligraphy section of the book.
The ‘written’ script represents a language, and a language represents thought. Therefore, one must be able to write a script that is understandable to all, that the meaning of the word is best honoured as a beautiful art form called calligraphy. This is the integrity of the written language and the preservation of the knowledge that it upholds. Tashi Mannox 2011.
Tashi undertakes Calligraphy Workshops from time to time.

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Potato Field North Fife

Potato field near my home in North Fife showing the vegetation killed off by the sprayed application of sulphuric acid. The acid kills off any blight which grows in the leaves that migrates into the tubers also making the harvest by machine more efficient also when a field is grown and sold as seed potato the seed size is kept within limits suitable for machine sowing the following year.

Tayview sunset August 28th North Fife

Another wonderful sky over the River Tay North Fife last night, I never cease to notice and enjoy, so rich and dramatic, I hope you too can enjoy. Sometimes the morning sky is equally dramtic though it's not my time of day and so largely goes unrecorded.

Tayview 28th August 2011.

A closer look at the fire in the sky on the 28th Aug.

Tayview Sunset North Fife

Tayview August 24th 2011. Again a wonderful sunset over the River Tay, It's said "red sky at night, shepherds delight" well to day it really rained hard.

Peacock butterfly North Fife

This week has seen the emergence of Peacock Butterflies in North Fife

Peacock butterfly feeding, I don't think it will find much joy on this thistle head which is in seed.

Freshly emerged peacock, the wings not quite fully expanded.

The adults spend most of the morning nectaring. Males set up territories around midday, often on the sunny side of a wood, where they wait for a passing female. Males will fly up at any dark object, which is one way of sexing this species since the two sexes are very difficult to tell apart, being almost identical in appearance. When a female is found she flies off, trying to escape the male that is in pursuit. If he succeeds in staying with her then the pair mate. Females subsequently take great care when egg-laying, selecting foodplants that are in full sun, These usually being stinging nettles.

Adults emerging in summer nectar on a variety of flowers, building up essential body fats before overwintering.

The Peacock is a familiar sight in gardens across the British Isles and is unmistakable, with quite spectacular eyes on the upperside of the hindwings that give this butterfly its name. These eyes must appear very threatening to predators, such as mice, that confront this butterfly head-on. The underside is a different matter altogether, being almost black, providing perfect camouflage when the butterfly is at rest on a tree trunk, or when hibernating. In addition to camouflage and large eyes, the butterfly is able to make a hissing sound by rubbing its wings together that is audible to human ears. All in all, this butterfly must appear very threatening to any predator that might come across it.

Rape seed North Fife

Oilseed rape.

Oilseed rape field cut and ready for harvest. growing such a crop is a win win for the farmer as the roots fix nitrogen into the soil, reducing the fertilizer needs for other following sown crops.

Rape seed pods resting on the stalks to dry before combine harvesting.

Urban Garden Birmingham

Garden in Birmingham, average city size but extremely productive in soft fruits, vegetables yet still being a decorative and pleasant place to lounge and enjoy. The greenhouse provides 50+ kilos of black desert grapes and Tomatoes. Raspberries, blackberries, red, white and black currants, I am always impressed.

Urban garden some 360 miles South of north Fife and it shows in the abundance of fruits.

Fuchsia flowers have a very long flowering period and always do well.

Victoria plums.

Chinese pear which ripens on the tree unlike British conference pears which are picked unripe and hard requiring patience before you can sink your teeth into.

Eating apple of unknown name.

Bramley apples, always a heavy cropper and worth it.

Figs grown in this urban garden, once very popular in Victorian and Edwardian times, now making a come back. The fruit is formed on new growth so for maximum production pruning is required whenever the branches become 2 centimetres.

Figs in abundance, fresh straight from the plant are a real delight, quite different from dried ones which are chewy with gritty seeds.

M6 Birmingham heading North

Joining the M6 motorway heading North at Birmingham, it doesn't take long to grind to halting progress caused by the conjunction of the M5 and M6. Tedious in the extreme with little let up until Lancaster where spaces begin to open up and driving can become a pleasure, getting even better in Scotland. The reverse trip can be a nightmare as density increases towards journey's end. I'm so glad I live in Scotland.

Samye Ling Wedding

On my journey North from England I called in to Samye-Ling Tibetan Centre, on entering the shrine room, behold there was a wedding taking place in rich splendour and ceremony. The marriage was of Tulku Ogyen Nyima and Dolkar Lhamo presided over by Akong Rinpoche and Sangha. A wonderful and happy occasion as can be seen.

Food and drink is shared by everyone present.

View from the back of the shrine room.

Friends in the congregation.

Speaks for itself.

Showered with blessings and silk scarves.

Lighting butter lamps.

Relaxing outside after lighting some of the 1000 butter lamps.