A light fall of snow

Last month, just a couple of days before we moved away, we had second light fall of snow on our smallholding in Wales. It was less than an inch, but there was enough snow to transform the landscape. Luckily, it did not last nor was it deep enough to upset our moving plans.

The first photograph, shown above, shows the whiteness of the snow amongst the deep, brown grass. The two trees also have some snow sticking to their sides. I like this photo for both the composition and detail of the snow.

The second image below shows the snow covering the branches of a tree. I like the composition of this photo with the branches making diagonal lines from the corner. In the background you can see all the small branches in the distance are similarly covered in snow.




I am not so sure about this third image. It is a landscape showing the patchwork of fields across the hills - what do you think?



More photographs can be seen in the Miscellaneous Images Gallery.

Technical Details:
Camera: Canon EOS350D
Lens: Canon IS 17-85mm IS
Settings: ISO200 Auto White balance
Exposure: Typically 1/200 @ f10 to 1/320 @F13

Meadow Flower - Tufted Vetch (Vicia cracca)

Last year, when I had my smallholding in Wales, I was almost overwhelmed by the different wild plants that I was able to photograph on the smallholding. So many that I am still trying to catch up - and we are well into a new season in a new location, so I don't know if I will ever catch up!

The photos I am featuring this week are of a wild flower in the meadows: the Tufted Vetch (Vicia cracca). This plant is a member of the pea family which means that it puts nitrogen back into the soil so is an important plant to help maintain the fertility of the soil.

This first photograph is an extreme close up of the flower head of this plant. From a distance it looks small and insignificant. Closer up it has beautiful shades of pink, lilac and blue.

The second image below shows the whole plant, again in the 'studio' (a cardboard box with a black card background). You can see that it had tendrils for gripping on other plants as it climbs - just like a pea plant.



This third photograph shows the plant in the meadow. Close up it really stands out against the green background of the grasses and other plants. I find a lot of beauty in the plants that are often overlooked in favour of showier garden flowers, but are stunning in their own right.



More can be seen in the environment/natural history gallery.

Camera: Canon EOS 350D
Lens: an older Canon EOS 100mm macro.

Lake at Talley Abbey

I have visited Talley Abbey a couple of times now. It is one of the three that I have visited in Wales - the others were Strata Florida and Tintern. Of the three, Talley is my favourite.

Next to the ruins of the abbey is an old church and graveyard - I think this has a wonderful setting, as I have tried to show here. Adjacent to the church and abbey is a quite picturesque lake. This first photo shows the lake in a tranquil setting, surrounded by hills with sheep grazing peacefully by its edges.

This second photograph was taken from the churchyard showing the view across some of the gravestones to the lake. What a magnificent final resting place this makes.




This third image shows more of the graves with the lake forming a backdrop. This is a lovely, quiet rural location. The monks that built the original Abbey chose a good location!



More photos can be seen in the 'Images from Wales' Gallery.

Stained Glass Windows at St. David's Cathedral

This week I have completed the gallery of images taken on a recent visit to St. David's Cathedral in Wales. For this week's blog I have decided to feature some photographs of the stained glass windows at the cathedral.

This first photograph shows one of the circular windows in the western wall from the South Nave Aisle. In this photo I include the ceiling to show the interesting woodwork.

For this second photograph, which I have made this week's 'Picture of the Week', I show the same window taken through an archway of the supporting pillars of the Nave. I find this a more pleasing photo as it gives both context and perspective to the image.



The third photograph shows the window in the Lady Chapel. This is a larger and more detailed window. Each of the 5 large panels show a different scene, the central one being the Madonna and Child.




This final photograph shows the large window and the western end of the Nave. One aspect that I really like, and feel fortunate that I was in the right place at the right time, is the shaft of sunlight that has fallen on the wall in such a manner as to point to the central image which is of the adult Jesus.




More photographs taken at St. David's, including more stained glass windows can be seen in the 'Images from Wales Gallery'.

Technical Details:
Camera: Canon EOS350D
Lens: Canon UFS 17-85mm IS
Exposure: hand held typically 1/80 @ F5.6 to 1/30 @ f10
Settings: ISO400 Auto white balance