Not my normal cup of tea, as i write this one, but a Lemsip instead.

What is it all about, wonder about that sometimes. Challenges constantly get thrown at me, with the way my eyes are, so many things, I can not be bothered with, one is just sitting reading for a while, my concentration is just not there, sadly even worse, it is the same with the camera, I like chasing the small things, but I can not focus enough to find them, it has been frustrating , in the end, I have put my macro gear all away.

Landscape wise it has been not much better, when I manually focus, I am just missing that bit of sharpness, might just have to shoot larger things for now.

I have never bought the newest model of a top end phone, , usually I am a year or two behind, but after having my last one for over 5 years and I think it was a year old tech before that, I bought a new model of the Iphone, 15 Pro and well, tech has sure jumped forward in those 6 years, It is crazy what these phones can do, any phone is just like any camera, you use what you like. For now, I am sure, I will take more pictures with the phone, than I did before and not even tried the video yet, for when I make my Youtube videos. It will never replace my DSLR cameras, but you know what, taking a picture is more important to me, than what I am using to take it with. I only got that recently, when having a bad day and seeing something, only having the phone and I had that same feeling, that I get when using the DSLR, that smile on my face, that happy moment.

So now, I can take that raw file into Lightroom and edit it on the larger screen, today, as it is wet and I might not get out, that might be my project.

But for now, will post this one, not the best, but for now, It gave me the smile,that is what matters.

I got word for my visit to the eye clinic, looks as if, I might have to have a day or two off from work each time, I go, if it is on a Monday, migt see, if I can get a day later in the week.

I never work weekends, they try to get me, but this week, they asked what it would take, I said an extra £4 an hour on my basic rate and when they said we can negotiate, I jumped it too £4.50 an hour, guess, I will not be working weekends lol.

I have had a fantastic weekend to be honest, I got to the coast on Friday, wind was off shore, so no big wave action, but I did manage to get a couple, I am happy with, but sitting looking out to the sea, memories always come flooding back, as much as the woods have shaped my life, the coast has, as well. Truth be told, it is my favourite place, any bit of coast, it has that attraction, because my visits, are few and far between, I enjoy it all the more.


Once that might have been me, like I said memories, in my younger days, I fished here so many times. now there is not a lot to catch, but still people try, I am not able to cast a rod now, but I have my thoughts.

The changing of the season's once again, we had a bit of cooler weather last week, kind of sad time, time to get the bedding plants up, lift my lovely begonias, that have gave so much, but time to get them dormant and then it will start all again.

I took pictures yesterday, first time in 5 weeks. Was checking out some new angles, which yesterday morning would have worked with the nice sunrise, that was not forecast, forecast was supposed to be good this morning, but it was cloudy, you get mornings, like that.

I sold a picture, it happens every now and again, but I have given more away, I have a simple rule, if someone is going to use it commercially, I ask for a payment, that seems fair to me.

Not much else is really happening, which is good in so many ways
Was 32 years ago, that Julie came into my life, she once said, She would always be in my thoughts, even though she died so long ago now, she was right, not a week goes by where at some point, she is there. this week it was a song that triggered it, now as I write this once again she is there singing away to it, me well got it on Youtube and yes singing along by yon bonny banks , by yon bonny braes.


For someone, who shoots , so much in colour. more and more I leanr about me, I just love black and white pictures,, now this one, as i was taking it, I knew it was going to end up as a black and white.

Looking after an elderly Mum is not easy but very much glad, that I can.

So now, all I am waiting for, is word on when my injections start, hopefully it will be soon, all the worry is gone, not worried about what they have to do, getting rid of the blurry left eye will hopefully be the end result.

My work is always got some drama going on, so many unhappy people , the place does not help them, being a normal worker is probably the best way in there, anything above that from chargehand upwards, you could not pay me enough to do any of there jobs and yes, I have been asked more than once, to take a step up or even 3 steps to being a manager. Could I do it yes, but they let themselves get treated like shit and well, I could never just stand back and take it, not my way. I have had to step in a few times, a few times to many, to be honest and probably will again, even though, I say I am not going to ever again.

I have my own way of dealing with having a bad day, first step is, I am not paid to take my work home, step two is, try and get it sorted by the time, you clock out, step 3, by the time I cycle home, it is forgotten about.

I see a lot of different bits of metal in a day, just another bit of metal sometimes, they are a 1 off sometimes, there can be in there thousands, having a the ability to just turn of from the bad jobs, is skill I have, I can concentrate on what I have before me, but be in another place, once I use to write my blog in my head, as I stood there, anything to just pass the time.


Took this start of the year, the start of a project, bit like myself, a work in progresss.

Went to the hospital and I have problems with my left eye, I am now waiting to get 5 injections in this over 5 months, all done by injecting into the white part of my eyeball, but if it helps. That is all that matters to me.

I have tomorrow off, I really might try and head to the coast, supposed to be a bit windy, might be just what I need. I know by all the picture editing, that I am getting called there, company would be really nice, but will be me , myself and I.


Yes stuck in the past again, but these places, tell my story, each picture is a memory and what is the memory of this visit, well a spaniel stole my cheese and jam sandwich, not the first time, \I have lost food to a dog, once to a seagull, probably will happen again.

I no longer have my Friday night Scrabble games, been a number of weeks now, I was just getting used once again, one overheard conversation, when in the local shop and when she saw me, I just smiled. No words exchanged, no drama. When I was walking that day, I done my usual, take the time of a walk, to process it, but it never even took half of my walk to do so, this time, funny even as I write this all those weeks later, all I can think is, glad I never had anything sexual with her, crazy but true.

So Friday nights are back to being picture editing night, go through all the old pictures and re process them, look at some and think,, you really did not have a clue, then, but now, with a few things learned, I like the changes I make, most have been coastal images, for the last month or so, turned a few into black and white.

I had took some pictures of me, it was more to play about with the editing, all black and white, but once I was done deleted them all, say all was only 5, bicep shots, shot of my hand and my calves, all against a black cloth, but once, I buy a new flash, might try some more.

I have the hospital on Tuesday, see the eye doctor and yes, I am scared.


I find a picture like this so calming, the storm in the sea , has the opposite effect on me. I hope to be able to just sit and watch a few over the winter, but if not, well, I might have one or two in the back catalogues ..

Have a great week everyone.

Last night was one, off those night's where sleep was not really found, my mind was just too active, so many questions, seem to be coming up and memories too, for once, I never just went a walk, made a cup of tea and fired up the desktop, edited a picture or two and then from one picture, I seen how many different ones, I could make from it, I really enjoyed that,

My village war memorial is something, that I have taken pictures off, but always been unhappy with them, Had nice skies and the like, but the problem is, that there are 3 road signs at it, but this morning, took it into Photoshop, used the new AI software and poof, they were gone, now I zoomed in and it really is magic, what it done, no traces at all , perfect blend, now, I am going to do a project, chasing a picture, that might never happen, but back to chasing the impossible again maybe ..

Now what to do, for the rest of the day, maybe a little retail therapy is called for, I need a new winter jacket, that will fit me, I need to order some dahlias, for next year, I will fit in a walk, if the rain goes off, i live the best of lives.


I love this place, it gave me love, those benches to the side of the old castle are magical, to just sit upon them, seems to take the pressure of the world away, next week, m arse will be parked on them, will be the first time in 6 years, but my old friend will welcome me, like no other place and I will enjoy the pleasure of staring out too sea.

Another sunset from the scenic Ayrshire coast. On the beach beside Turnberry Golf course shooting toward Turnberry Lighthouse with Ailsa Craig in the distance, with the sun setting over it, beautiful clouds that just never really lit up, nearly shots, as I call them, but still a really nice evening.

I was sitting last night, looking at pictures, just really started playing around, what you can do in Lightroom now adays is crazy, once, you might have had to go into Photoshop, for this, these programmes are all getting so much cleverer all the times now.

My only real rule when I edit a picture is, I will not add anything to it, no sky replacements or anything like that, but yes, I will remove things. I mostly do this , for my own amusement, to just see and probably 99% of what I have posted I never touch, I have been known, to lift rubbish from a scene, before taking picture, but sometimes, you miss something, I use to kick myself, when It was something, I could not do.

I decided , as off, today, when I post to Flickr, no more adding to groups for a long time, fell back into the trap of always checking to see, what views, I have been getting, once upon a time, It either made me happy or wonder what I had done wrong, but now, I just see a number, it does not effect me one way or another now.

I decided on a new hobby, for next summer, having a go at growing Dahlias, not my usual bedding ones, but the large showy ones, will give me something nice to take pictures off. I feel as if, I need something for the dark evenings, need to think about that one.

I got my appointment for the hospital 3rd October, which is great, for all anything with my eyes is serious, my thinking is, that it can not be too bad, as they would have had me in, a lot quicker than this.

Our weather has been rather nice this week, high of around 27C which is still extreme for us, but funny thing is, I cope with it well, once if it was above 20C, i never really liked it, but it is usually for one or two days at the most, by the end of this week, it is to be down to a high of 14C Autumn weather and a low of 5C, nice morning cycling weather.

I get frustrated at times, but learning and adapting is what it is about. I have probably trained all my life for these times, my brain was always great at problem solving, seeing a simple solution , when I had a problem at work, now, I need to do this more and more in my own daily life, never really seen it, as clear as this till the other day. I love a good eureka moment.

I still can do and I still will do. Maybe my new thinking mantra.

I am a focused and driven person, for the most part,, but like anyone, can lose it.

I spend more and more time in my garden and will spend even more, once I could easily spend from dawn to dusk in it. I am trying to find that focus again, seeing something grow from the tiniest of seeds, to a flower in bloom or something to eat, is one of natures true joys, now of I only liked eating vegetables, that would be even better.


Picture just says it all. Nice little cup of tea, beside, a plant, that I grew from a cutting.