Tag: winter

Categories
natural world

Intermission 25c More sky scapes as winter draws to a close

A rare frost – we have sub zero days but often completely dry
Abstract frost 🙂
Radiance
Categories
life

Intermission 24f

Merry Christmas
Categories
natural world

Intermission 24e

Early winter has been quite dry in fact very dry with the first real rain in weeks falling as snow which again is rather early for this time of year.

The sunsets have continued to be stunning

Typically the west side of England is wetter than the east side – the lakes in the Lake District never dry out in theory as Atlantic westerlies dump their rain before climbing over the Pennines. And November can be very wet, cold and windy. But then again it can be a very dry month! So when a fine day comes along…….

The lakes on a dry sunny day – where else would you be?
Lake Windermere on a fine November day at noon
Moon pics have in contrast to sunsets been a bit in short supply – this evening shot does not quite convey how the moon made the sky almost feel like daylight
Categories
life natural world

Intermission 24a

Intermissions have been thin on the ground this year. Perversely the awful weather has meant more time indoors – war gaming.

But there have been some interesting sights all the same.

The clouds and sky remain a fascination for colours and shapes
Yorkshire playing fields – cricket might be a case of no pitch rather just rain stopping play
Moonlight has been ok
Plenty of dark brooding skies even during the day!
There have also been very bright days – the Roman multi angular walls of York stand proudly
Cinema top view in 2024 was Oppenheimer – but what’s on the wall? A commemorative plaque to this free French hero of WW2 York – P/O Yves Mahe – 82 years on.
The odd Sahara warm front plume has given its signature vibrant sunsets
The demise of GCN plus pro cycling app means it’s Eurosport on discovery complete with amazing editing that chops the last 200m of the race (you could not make it up). Still you get the castle pictures during boring mid race bits
Very moody castle at Sandal near Wakefield.
Sky colour – blue pink contrasts are always impressive
I always like these skies when there is some fiery yellow gold of the sun still in play
I think Tony Blair was in power last time I stepped inside the walls of the national railway museum. Still it is a fantastic visit
I think I was last here when England won the World Cup (only joking). It was quite a while ago and now it’s got a roof of sorts. I seem to remember a lot of complaints about the proposal although that was probably the visitor centre that has not appeared. Clifford’s tower in York is erroneously called a castle (of which it was only part). It is vastly improved by the protection and access works that have been done. The 17th century garrison destruction of the tower interior turned the walls red.
Last of a sunset and the inspiring colour gradations of almost black through dark blues to a washed out grey then tepid orange. the black outlines of trees and buildings are important to provide contrast to the orange while without the orange the colour range of blues would be the poorer
Categories
miniatures painting wargaming

It’s VAP week

Last week York was inundated with cameras as its annual flood season reached its peak.

Anyway if in doubt get a coffee. You can view Irregular Miniatures figures in the gifts section at the Alma cafe on copper gate

And Irregular Miniatures will be at VAP on the racecourse site so here are some of my buys over the last few years.

Austrian ww1 infantry repainted as 1850 danish
Ww1 Austrians repainted as 1864 danish
British colonial infantry repainted as 1848 danish
British colonial infantry repainted as 1848 Tuscany troops
1859 range Straight painted garibaldini for 1848
Their 1848 French opponents stolen from the 1859 Neapolitan range

I use the 20mm ranges with extra washer bases to compliment my plastics which are typically 2mm taller.

Last but not least danish artillery for 1848 although the piece is suspiciously looking a later rifled version – based up these 20mm chaps have no problem with their plastic cousins

The last photo also shows one of my entries into AHPC14!

Categories
life natural world

Intermission 23e

This Winter was wet and is now dry – it has been sometimes cold but the overwhelming feeling is it is another mild winter – famous last words, as Spring is not yet with us and it can still snow and freeze well into April………

Frost & Flowering

Categories
life natural world

Intermission 23b

This Winter was wet and is now dry – it has been sometimes cold but the overwhelming feeling is it is another mild winter – famous last words, as Spring is not yet with us and it can still snow and freeze well into April………

Frosty Morning – I found this particular sunrise “developed” an interesting image on my window.

Categories
life natural world

Intermission 22j: Last Quarter Waning Crescent

Winter has continued to offer amazing cloudscapes. As we head into the Christmas season and the year end I would reflect on a year of cloudscapes, the sheer number being notable.

The colours that attract me are the greys and pinks. And of course the blues are often stunning in contrast.

Almost a shepherds warning in this pinky mauve grey cloud – the blue sliver takes the prize though
2022 has offered big skies of blue tempered with grey while pink has been everpresent in my sunsets
typical sunset pinks and greys
yet the blues, yellow and oranges then add to the cloudscape colour

Nature has offered much in 2022 while winter never dissappoints.

winter flora and fauna can sometimes be seen as dormant at best or simply snow covered. fungi are at their very best……………
and moss takes centre stage as the autumn leaves decay
occasionally the fungi surprise you with their character!
And mosses have the best of times.
A green wall in every sense
blue grey contrasts with sharp yellow in this fading sunset

In many of my cloudscapes the trees provide a secondary role, often in silhouette. Winter offers a chance to examine the tangle of branches bare of their leaves.

A bright blue sky and low lying winter sun show these branches at their best
tanglewood complete with ivy which may still at this time of year offer a few flowers and nectar for our flying friends
2022 has offered so many scenes where pink and grey have combined to achieve such satisfying displays
a few moments on and the greys deepen as does the blue, the orange is still rich
This particular sunset feels winterish with washing out of the red yellow colouring, a trick of the eye but that could be sun playing on a flat sea……
the sunset progresses to a richer level
and finally spreads its colour across the sky as it ends

And so the year ends and I wish you all peace.

Categories
life natural world

Intermission 22a: Winter Branches

Even in the midst of winter some plants are already preparing for spring and summer.

And yet it is still a time of its own like admiring the bare branches of trees.

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Winter Branches

And some trees and shrubs are already in flower – of the winter kind.

Witch Hazel flowers
Winter Jasmine
Pirus always taking the chances with frost but very early this year!

Amazing Nature!

Categories
natural world

Intermission 21d: Farewell Winter

Well this week temperatures will hit 23 degrees centigrade so although Easter promises just a mere 7 degrees, nature has declared spring is sprung.

so this is a farewell to winter 2020 which threw up some late snow amongst other things plus a sustained cold period which is always good for curtailing the sort of mischevious insects which eat my gardening efforts.

This year the “wolf moon” was brilliant!
We don’t have sparrows – we have sparrowhawks

That last photo – it could be a pigeon but it is definitely a sparrowhawk – I posted a previous intermission shot of it with spread wings. Over our heads it once managed an amazing “stall turn” literally turning in position – chasing a blue tit – the blue tit still got away though.

late winter flowers – crocus carpet