Happiness is ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last night's sunset. Nothing overly-special about it, except that it crept up on me when I had my back turned. I'd had a busy afternoon fitting a new water-butt and, just when I'd decided to call it a day, a little weed waved at me from one of the flower beds. Before I knew it I was on my hands and knees with only a chirping blackbird to keep me company, and I'd been weeding for over an hour before our church bell chimed at six o'clock. It was a wonderful moment. Six o'clock and still sunny. Spring is on the way and I couldn't have been happier. Simple pleasures, eh? 

Treasure them ..

Gardening ..

 At the corner of our street in the UK was the home of an elderly man and woman and I'd see them in front of it, practically every day, working hard on a garden that must have been about six feet square. It was tiny yet there they were, weeding and trimming and tidying. Don't get me wrong, I was a very keen gardener in the UK but even I thought 'God, how boring' .. and now I am that couple. I'm retired and I spend every waking moment in our garden, weeding and trimming and tidying .. and digging and planting and transplanting and sowing and dividing and .. photographing.

You'll be aware of my Florescence flower photography series of course, but this is 'real life' photography - in situ - with the ever-changing light that our wide open garden offers up to my lens. It's beautiful and constantly evolving and I realise now that the elderly couple in Warrington weren't gardening, they were pouring their love into something that gives so much in return. I'm sorry I ever thought you might be boring ..  

Just add water..

Look out, folks! Here they come! The race to be the best new Hollyhock in town has started! This time last week these guys were dried up brown husks of seed that I over-wintered in an old card-backed envelope and now .. just look at 'em go! It's so exciting! You can almost hear them shrieking with delight now they've been let loose! Chase me, chase me! Bet I can flower before you do!.. Ah, isn't nature wonderful!

One thing's for sure .. they got plenty of water yesterday, as the heavens opened .. just as I started shooting a new band! Thank God there was a railway bridge close-by, because that became our Plan B and we had to do all the photographs under there. Well, nearly all of 'em, and if you go to see these guys at any of their forthcoming gigs and they sound a little snuffly .. it's all my fault! Hey boys, that's rock 'n roll! Anyway, I dropped the shots online last night, and the word from the guys was "They're fantastic!" So, just like the emergence of the new shoots, I hope I'm in at the start of something big here!
Pix to follow as soon as I get the ok!...