Birds from Singapore - Sunday Stamps

While in transit at Schipol, Amsterdam om Tuesday I came across a packet of 25 bird stamps. However I have yet to break into it and will show stamps from Singapore instead.

 

From the top they are:

• Crimson Sunbird
• Yellow-rumped Flycatcher
• Blue-crested Hanging Bird
• Stork-billed Kingfisher
• Jambu Fruit Dove

I find it difficult to pick my favourite; there are others for you to chose from at Viridian's Sunday-stamps-140.

Herbert(s) - Sepia Saturday

I have two little Herberts, aka grandsons and a large Herbert to match the theme this week and a transatlantic liner as well.

I can even throw in toys, boys and beds (but no toy boys here)

Youngest grandson with key ring

My eldest grandson is using Bamboo to stand on so that he can see more out of the window.

Oldest grandson and Bamboo

You can see toys abandoned on the floor.

But the largest Herbert of all is being cuddled on his (?) bed.

Herbert with his mistress

The sad part is that Herbert and Bamboo now have no-one left to play with and reside in black bin bags in our loft waiting for someone to rescue them and pay their fares to the USA.

Should they be lucky enough to travel by ocean liner they might even get a cabin to share as this young boy may have done long ago.

Family cabin aboard SS Great Britain.

I hope neither they or he are so sea sick that they need a doctor or Noah's Ark to complete the trip.

To see how others have fared you need to check the links at Sepia-Saturday-196.

Large Structures - Thematic Photography

When working at Rosenberg Verft in Stavanger. Norway in the 1980s I was involved with the construction of a large structure which was to become the Statfjord B platform in the North Sea. The topside structure was built on dummy concrete leg supports at the Rosenberg yard.

Statfjord B Deck

To give you an idea of scale, the white living quarters at the right is 7 stories high.

The height of the deck from the concrete legs to the top of the drilling derrick in the centre of the picture below was 171m, if my memory is correct.

Statfjord B Deck

The concrete storage cells and the four concrete legs were slip formed and subsequently outfitted at Gandsfjord also in Stavanger.

Statfjord B Gravity Base Structure

The storage cell (effectively below the water line in this shot) are 23m in diameter and 64m high; four of the 24 cells are extended by the  111m high legs.

The deck structure was mated with legs at a deep water site at Vats, before the completed platform seen below was towed out to its position in the Norwegian North Sea. The concrete cells sit on the sea bed with most of the four legs also submerged..

By comparison the barrage across the River Tees at Stockton is a much more modest affair, but impressive nevertheless.

Tees Barrage with the river in flood.

You have seen shots of the next structure before but as it's from my local town I'll show it again.

Yarm Viaduct

For more large structures you need to check out the links at Carmi's Thematic-photographic-262.

National Costumes - Sunday Stamps

My previous post on National Costumes has had 456 visitors so far. Now it's time to see whether photos of two of my daughter's stamps attract as  high a number of visitors.

Austria - Tyrol Pustertal

This costume is from Tyrol, Pustertal - the Pustertal (Puster Valley) in the Alps runs East-West from Lienz in the Tyrol, Austria to Brixen in South Tyrol, Italy.

Spain - Badajoz

The costume is from the Province of Badajoz, capital Badajoz close to the Portuguese border on the left bank of the River Guadiana.

To see costumes from elsewhere cross over to Viridian at Sunday-stamps-139.

Strangers in our midst - Thematic Photography

On a day trip to Whitby in Yorkshire, North East England you are bound to meet many people who are strangers to you.

Strangers on the beach at Whitby

For pier aficionados there are hundreds at one time.

Strangers on the pier

Should you climb the 199 steps to see Whitby Abbey of Dracula fame you will find other strangers following you.

Strangers on the way up.

And if you look closely in the background you can see more on their way along the pier.

At the Abbey entrance we can only see a stranger's legs and two legs on

A patient Saint Bernard

To get acquainted with other strangers you need to cross over to Carmi at Thematic-photographic-261.

Flag Days - Sepia Saturday

This week's prompt seemed particularly appropriate as we are on holiday in the USA.

I couldn't resist trying to imitate the lady sowing in the picture.

Sewing in progress

Every time, well nearly every time, we visit our daughter's home we are greeted by the flags.

St George's Cross and the Stars and Stripes

There are times when the Union Jack is flying too.

Stars and Stripes and the Union Jack

The Union Jack also has pride of place where it can be admired by the dogs.

Gem and Scout look down into the basement

Lily refused to be left out of the act.

She thinks she always is the star.

That painting above the desk is of Nyhaven in Copenhagen, a place I been to many times.

The Danish Flag flying at Nyhaven

The 17th of  May is a special day for Norway when flags are sure to fly to celebrate their independence as a nation.

Stavanger, Norway

Flags are also flow as memorials of past conflicts. I found these in Cornwall.

Boer War Memorial, Truro Cathedral

When Lily became the central attraction however, she was not that keen on posing with the flag.

She just wishes I would put the camera down and get out the tennis balls. I'm surprised she was so patient and even more surprised that my wife agreed to pretend to sew just to keep the old so-and-so (that's me) happy with the pictures.

For more flags, sewing and other interpretations you need to cross over to Sepia-Saturday-194.

Treasured - Thematic Photography

When we visited Detroit Zoo last week I discovered many treasured animals; my photos of them will be treasured too. Here are just a few.

Giraffe at feeding station September 2013

A lot of animals were not photogenic as they persisted in presenting their backside to the camera. This treasure was worth waiting for.

Gorilla on a walk about

Up in a tree there was what look like a discarded fur.

Until it turned to face me.

Red Panda

Despite its stripes there is not much chance of it being confused with another treasure.

Tiger on the prowl

Talking of stripes these animals had them in abundance.

Female Zebra out to graze.

This fellow however wanted her to go inside. Who would argue with that horn.

Rhino on guard

But watching everyone quite closely is a treasure said to have been rescued from a junk yard in Detroit.

Lioness in charge

She gets my vote every time.

To search for other treasures you need to find your way to Carmi's thematic-photographic-260.

World Cup - Sunday Stamps

I have had to photograph two stamps from my daughter's album to take part this week. The stamps I selected show action from teams in 1958 and 1970.

Czechoslovakia - World Cup 1958, Stockholm

Yemen Arab Republic - World (Jules Rimet) Cup 1970. Mexico

I will not be taking part next week as I cannot access se-tenant stamps. My favourite market stall holder is too far away to visit although I could check out what America's Stamp Shop in Berkley, Michigan has to offer. We found them very helpful last week when we were looking for some album page refills.

They have a massive stock of stamps and collections from all over the world. As the reverse of their card shows they have been in business for 35 years.

But for stamps others have chosen this week pop across to Vliridian's Sunday-Stamps-137.

Row Your Boat - Sepia Saturday

There is an old nursery rhyme called  'Row, Row, Row Your Boat.' Before I could match the theme

I had to find me a boat by searching the house. This is what I found.

Boats a plenty - one one the left, a single rower?

Try as I might I can hardly claim a rowing boat in the next picture along.

Beached!

Looking for a model answer all I could come up with was 

A model yacht

I got quite excited when I enlarged the photo bomb.

Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge

So a old photo of the Transporter (and two tugs) has made it across to Michigan - but again not a rowing boat in sight.

I wonder whether I can claim a model rowing boat

Two oars - but a sail as well

In desperation I thought back to my time in Norway.

But the rower had abandoned ship!

I guess that's a hint for a landlubber like me to hand you over to other champion rowers at Sepia-saturday-193.

Sadness - Thematic Photography

I've found it hard to match Carmi's sadness theme, but thanks to a memory stick this is what I've found.

First my obligatory dog.

Sam with his head down - hissed off the lake

I've seen a lot of animals, the victims of road kill but this one I saw being hit by a car.

With its toes turned up (or down)

I even picked it up to study its plumage.

Male Chaffinch

I hope my granddaughter will forgive me for showing here dressed as

A witch

For other tales of sadness visit the links at Thematic-photographic-259.