BLURRED VISION

A real challenge from Carmi, over at writteninc. with  Blurred Vision  rather than lovely pin-sharp photographs!

But out-of-focus isn't, I think quite what he meant!   Follow the link to see how others have interpreted this challenge, and mean while, see what you think of these!

A Gazania in the pot on my patio

I tried to photograph a fan in motion, which blurred the blades.   It only worked when the fan was actually slowing down!

The lake in our park

 

One of the five swans who live there (at the moment, no doubt the young cygnets will fly off to their own place later.)

CLOUDSPOTTING

Carmi's theme this week is CLOUDSPOTTING   A great theme for anyone who loves wide open views watching what the weather is doing.   As he chose the one week in this year's summer when we have had constant blazing sun out of a cloudless blue sky, I have had to go to my archives to find my clouds.

For many more photographs of clouds from across the world go to this link

Early morning cloud as we entered Geirangerfjord, Norway

Looking across to the Svarlbad peninsular, in the Arctic

Sunrise from our bedroom window, taken in January, when snow was on the ground.

GROWN

Great challenge this week, from CARMI who has selected GROWN as his title.   So I came up with the following:

Chinthurst Lodge, in Surrey, opened their gardens when I was down there for a visit.   The vegetable garden was well guarded by this fellow who seemed to have grown out of the ground!

These carrots were actually photographed in Norway, but I bet the carrots from the garden above looked equally well-grown!

 Every year our rose bush produces firstly, pink leaves as they open out in the Spring, secondly, lovely pink flowers in the early summer and lastly, these gorgeous rose hips.

Grown up?   Not yet, but growing!   My great-granddaughter is a feisty little girl and scooted her way around the Skate Park, regardless of the big grown up boys there!

Follow the link above to see other "Grown" photographs!

IN ROUGH SHAPE

To celebrate 250 weeks of Thematic Photographic Challenge, Carmi has asked us to illustrate IN ROUGH SHAPE
.

The red bark on this tree peeled very easily.   That is not a streak on the photo, but a long anchoring thread of a spider's web!

This is, unfortunately  the wall which holds a small patio up!   it is bulging more than you can see from this photograph - very definitely in rough shape!   Anyone know a good jobbing builder??

He has got rather rusty over several winters!

Coils of old edging - we may find a use for them somewhere!

Follow the link above for more interesting interpretations of 'In rough shape'.

SHINY AND NEW

Carmi, has chosen SHINY AND NEW for his photographic challenge this week.   Follow the link to see lots of shiny new photos!

I had to do a bit of lateral thinking for this one, as I don't get out much, let alone view great shiny and new buildings!   However, I have come up with the following shiny pictures - I hope you like them!

The conker season is not upon us yet, but I love the smoothness of newly opened conkers, and the gorgeous colour

The market in Barcelona, Spain was just wonderful!    The fish were definitely new, and they shone!   I didn't know the names of these and they looked rather ugly fellows.   Not too sure how I would have cooked them, given the chance!

A new necklace and bracelet I treated myself to.

To see more photos of the Barcelona market, go to my other blog

CURVACEOUS

Curvaceous is a lovely, tactile, exciting word.   Carmi wants our photos to illustrate the curves in this world!   

I came up with the following:-

My favourite glass ball, a fisherman's float, rescued from a remote beach on the Isle of Skye way back in the 1060's

Christmas decorations displayed for sale

A lemon!

A very heavy thick glass bowl.   Very curvaceous and wonderful to touch.

Artichokes - the globe variety, at a market in Spain

Buttons from my button jar.

ON THE WATER

Carmi over on Written Inc. has chosen ON THE WATER for this week's challenge.   As I have just come off a cruise Ship, this was just up my street, as they say!

We had some pretty rough seas as we crossed the Bay of Biscay!

When it did get hot, the main occupation of a great many people seemed to be to kipper themselves!   (And I must say we met more than a few who had succeeded in doing this!)   Haven't they heard of skin cancer?

Approaching the Rock of Gibraltar in the early dawn was an amazing experience!   It wasn't until I saw it standing way above the surrounding land, and dominating the Straits that I realised what an important strategical position it held!