I was there ... (2) random images

Cruising through the calendar listing of my photos this year here are a few to give a flavour of 2012.

Firstly, the Erewash Canal was frozen over in February, and as it thawed curious patterns showed up.

Ian and I have had some great walks. This one started from Matlock, also in February. Spot the camouflaged sheep in the landscape. 

In March I started to rent studio space at Long Eaton Art Room. This is the view from the window, out across the cemetery  Now the leaves have fallen, it is pretty much the same view. Only, the studio has much more in it than a branch off our greengage. We still have studios available, so get in touch via the website.

I can't remember the context of this image, perhaps it is just as well. Fortunately, I spotted the laundry from a distance, and had my camera ready as I came into range!

I love pylons, insulators etc. I would have sketched this, but I was out walking with a camera to hand.

Things I see that offer scope for texture work, whether in knitting, crochet, ceramics or metal need to be documented and stashed away for future reference. Maybe even just the idea of photographing the fuzzy stripes has imprinted it in my vocabulary of mental textures.

Sometimes I just go for the plain pretty things too. This was in Edinburgh in the spring, part of a council planting.

But more often it is the strong images that win out. Colour always excites me. 

So do multiples.

I was there ... (1) AIA and Nic and Andy's wedding

I've been meaning to update this for ages, and I have the photos to go with it, but little inclination to stop and think what stories I meant to tell.
So, although this will not be in chronological order, it makes sense to follow on from the previous post.
Nic and Andy's wedding took place on the hottest day of the year.

Ian and I have had a very busy year, and getting to the wedding was complicated by being in Colchester for the preceding week at our annual industrial archaeology conference. 

So, there we were taking in the brickyards,  

Thames barges, 

and mills of various kinds with wedding items to hand.

As we were at leisure, we travelled to Newport with a small diversion on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, 

and saw this beautifully preserved signalbox

along with the vintage carriages.

Before getting into party mode for the wedding we visited Ventnor, not much good for beachcombing as all I could see was sand!

But it was very lovely sand, reminding me of my first visit back in the early '60s.

On the Saturday afternoon we caught the bus early enough for me to hang my butterflies in the trees. 

If I remember rightly, I had 17 of them to distribute near the food area. This took a bit of doing, twisting turquoise wire round branches to hold them in place. It gave the feeling I had been aiming for though.

Nic looked stunning in turquoise, and Lixie's bunting made the day.

 And then just as the ceremony ended my camera packed up with the lens stuck out, and it's not worth attempting to repair it.
So, I'll just leave it that this was the best wedding ever, held on a wonderfully bright sunny day with a great crowd of friends.