T-Bone and Claire take Freddie To The Zoo

We had a wonderful day at the zoo recently, and I had the fantastic opportunity of photographing the animals as well as running after Freddie.  I think he enjoyed his day; I certainly did.  It was lovely to see everything through a child's eyes again and I certainly had fun using my lovely Nikon 3100 camera, just love it!

So that was 2011

And so .... another year is nearly done.  I look back at hundreds of photos I have taken over the year and realise I need to get out more haha!! Here's a tree, here's another tree, and another .......

This year we have had 3 new pets - a hamster called Tilly and 2 new cats to join my other 4,000 ..... but also lost one (Bella).  T-Bone got all conure crazy and became daddy to T-Bone junior and Charlie.  My son Jon celebrated 18 years of age and my daughter Sophie became a teenager.  I joined Marwell photographic club and decided to join a singing group (that will start in the new year though).  I have had loads of trips to my local jazz club and have been to see one or two bands including Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood in London with T-Bone.  Preferred Tin Spirits in Swindon though!!! We went on holiday camping to Dorset with my new tent, which was an absolute bugger to put up, I forgot the camping gas and alcohol, but other than that we had a fab week in the sunshine.  I enjoyed an amazingly hot April at Tumulus, saw my sister move over to the Isle of Wight, visited the historic ships in Portsmouth and the bluebells in Wiltshire ... I am sure I have done much more than that but my memory is pretty shocking these days.

I think I have done more than that but my memory is awful these days .....

I think particular highlights for me have been playing with my new camera and learning its new features and taking some cool photographs (although will always need to do better!), and also having some fun in Logic Pro making some music, being taught by the ever patient T-Bone.  I also sang for the first time in front of T-Bone for his prog rock tune, which was an altogether scary experience but has taught me not to be such a twit, it's alright really to have a rubbish voice, who cares at the end of the day, it's just the one I've got!  I am determined to do some painting and drawing too before I go back to work and maybe read a book or two.  It's times like the end of the year you feel you can indulge hobbies a bit ...

Anyway Happy New Year to you, and let's hope 2012 is a magical year ......

Some moods of Hipstamatic

Pub!

Quite liked this one taken with Hipstamatic

Pub ceiling!

Sophie's Children In Need Cupcakes

Sophie designed and made these beautiful cakes for Children In Need.  Quite a work of art I thought! She spent many a happy hour making them, and I took them in to work for the cake sale.  We made over £300 all in all .... well done Sophie!

Autumn

At the weekend I was in the beautiful Wiltshire countryside.  Always a tonic that, and the weather was particularly beautiful this weekend, Sunday especially.  Blues skies and gorgeous autumnal colours.  So I decided to head out with my camera and as T-Bone wasn't feeling too good, I went for a wander on my own in Stitchcombe.

Here are some photos I took.  I am feeling I am getting the hang of my camera a bit more now :) .... Pah to Blogger though!!!! Any edits I have done of my photos just won't upload .... so these are all in their original state I'm afraid!


Loved the contrasting textures and colours here on this one:

Beautiful views from the top of the hill to the valley, stunning

And so, to the woods I go ....

And have a bit of a wander up the lane in the sunshine

And just because ...