It’s Saturday evening and I’I’m sitting at home writing what will probably be one of my last posts before the holidays. Outside the wind is howling, rain is battering the windows, but I’m lovely and warm.
So I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have taken the time to press that “Follow” button. Your comments, likes and suggestions mean a lot to me and I hope that in turn you get something from my ramblings and photographs. And now to this weeks challenge….
I took this photograph of the Nelson Mandela bronze sculpture in Cape Town, South Africa. It’s one of a group of four sculptures in Nobel Square, paying tribute to South Africa’s four Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, the late Nkosi Albert Luthuli, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, former State President FW de Klerk and former President Nelson Mandela. As a group photograph the background looks very cluttered, but individually the photograph is so much simpler.
The moon is one of those things we all photograph at some point in time. It’s one of the easier objects in the sky to photograph and because it’s so bright any stars near it will just disappear into that inky blackness. Go on – admit it. You’ve been out there at night with the camera pointing to that big disk in the sky.
For my next photograph I’d like to take you to Cumberland Island, Georgia, USA. We took time out to visit the island on our way to Charleston and I grabbed this photograph of one of the feral horses that roam the island
The horses roam freely on Cumberland and legend has it that they were originally brought to the Island by the Spanish. Of all the sights to see on Cumberland, the horses are one of the most sought after by visitors going to the island.
Back to the United Kingdom and Denbigh Moors. Crossing the moor one day in search of a hidden lake I came across this lone tree near the side of the road. I was struck by the fact that the tree was upright and not too twisted by the winds that are ever-present on the moor.
Mynydd Hiraethog (also known as the Denbigh Moors) is an upland region in Conwy and Denbighshire in north-east Wales. It includes the large reservoirs Llyn Brenig and Llyn Alwen, and the Clocaenog Forest, which has one of Wales’s last populations of red squirrels. Its highest point is Mwdwl-eithin, at 532 metres (1,745 ft) above sea level, making it higher than Exmoor. Moel Seisiog is another 468m (1535ft) summit, which is also the source of the River Elwy (53°05′N 3°42′W). On its western edge, overlooking the Conwy Valley, lies the Moel Maelogan wind farm.
Here’s another lone tree in a totally different setting.
This big old tree sits just off the coast road in a field all on it’s own. I drive past it quite a lot but have never considered photographing it until one day I realised that the farmer had planted rape plants which are well-known for their bright yellow flowers. It was just a case of waiting for a beautiful sunny day, but not too long, in case the farmer decided to harvest the field.
Now to something completely different. This is a Common Darter, or at least I think it is.
The Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum) is a dragonfly of the family Libellulidae native to Eurasia. It is one of the most common dragonflies in Europe, occurring in a wide variety of water bodies, though with a preference for breeding in still water such as ponds and lakes. In the south of its range adults are on the wing all year round.
Burnham lighthouse stands out on the sands at Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset. The day I visited I got in a rainstorm and had to shelter under the lighthouse. Since I was last there the stairs have been replaced.
My final “one” photograph is of a young gull in flight. I prefer to photograph them rather than the fully grown adults, mainly because the markings are so much better.
Well that’s it from me. To those of you who celebrate Christmas have a good one and I hope Santa pays you a visit.
In the meantime I’ll be back next week with my final photograph of the 52/2013 challenge.
Say It With A Camera 
Excellent and beautiful pics!👌👏👏
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I am so glad that you posted the beautiful pic of the horse. What a beauty. He sort of matches the young gull. The tree is number three on the list of favorites.
I’ve never tried to photograph the moon in the dakness of night. Don’t even have one of a full moon rising. I must be way behind, 🙂
Here’s wishing you and yours a happy holiday.
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It is a beautiful horse, Yvonne.
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Nadolig llawen a blwyddyn newydd dda, Mike.
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Hi Mike. Is it really another year gone? My how time flies. A varied post from you this week. Nice work as usual. I can never tell the Common Darter from the Vagrant Darter (Sympetrum vulgatum), they look the same to me.!! Wishing you all the best for 2014 and thanks for your posts this past year. Cheers.
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I went with the Internet description and the fact that they said it was common. Could be wrong, but I won’t tell if you don’t. Have a great Christmas and best wishes for the new year.
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