abc Wednesday ...

C is for ...

new CAMERA phone

C is for ...

CASTLERIGG stone CIRCLE

C is for ...

Blackwell Arts & CRAFTS House

Just after lunch today my daughter offered to come with me to

Blackwell, The Arts & Crafts House, Lyhn Valley, Nr Windermere

I was thrilled because it meant I wouldn't necessarily get lost

with someone else looking for signposts

I find the Lake District in summer particularly hard to negotiate

as it's so busy, but it would mean some time together just the two of us

I have wanted to visit the Blackwell house since we moved here - 13 years ago

I was not disappointed, the drive down was marvellous. Down the M6, off towards Keswick at Penrith... where we stopped off at the Castlerigg Stone circle.

I pointed my camera to take a picture of the gate into the field and my batteries were dead, duds I reckon, they had charged all night. My daughter reminded me I had my NEW phone with me. Which is a Samsung Tocco and the reason I have it is the phone is also a 5 mega pixel camera with lots of gadgets, macro, mosaic, tons of settings and the fabulous panorama mode. And I only have to press the shutter once, then point and it captures four images.

And why do parents let kids clamber and stand on top of these ancient stones. Unbelieveable.

Blackwell house was built btween 1898-1900 by architect Mackay Hugh Baillie Scott for the Brewery magnate Sir Edward Holt as a country holiday home.

It is magnificent, My daughter loved it so much. I am taking her to the Hill House a comparable house by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, a hero of mine.

Black Dome sculpture in shadow, Blackwell basked in sunlight

view from the lounge over Windermere

Exterior door handle

exterior door hinge

side window, stained glass just visible

David Nash scuplture Black Dome

For the home of ABC Wednesday, go to Mrs Nesbitt's Place.

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ABC WEDNESDAY - Y is for....

YESTERDAYS SNOW!!

We don't often get snow here in Carlisle, Cumbria

because we live in a basin which is a renowned flood plain

in the mouth of the Solway Firth

when it does snow it's usually here and gone in a matter of hours

so last night about 8pm it started and it settled

the kids got excited

at 11.30pm I took my camera out

and tried to capture the moment

-not very well I might add-

what with the light, the wet flakes attacking my camera and the flash going crazy

I hardly managed unfuzzled image

I hope it captures something of the moment

For the home of ABC Wednesday, go to Mrs Nesbitt's Place.

LIFE'S A BEACH! - PHOTO STORY FRIDAY

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

A recent Sunday morning walk along the miles of Solway Firth coast line en famille and Pippa of course!

By the time l had turned on my camera, father and children were streets or should l say sands ahead of me.....wait for me... no chance..

I was pleasantly surprised at the depth of the images, as it was an overcast, dull and breezy morning.

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek