Landscapes - Thematic Photography

My last thematic post before Christmas finished in a farmer's field with this load of -

Muck

However this field also provides some landscape views to be admired, even on a winter's day.

North Yorkshire Moors

The pylon detracts from the view a bit as does a modern

Mobile phone mast

If you know the area then you probably also know that the column on the skyline is a monument commemorating Captain Cook.

Following on, to the left again, gives a view of Roseberry Topping and - 

Two of the five wind turbines, all in a line

A farm sits on another boundary to the field.

Further on houses are tucked among some trees.

However I must admit I prefer the landscapes to be seen, earlier in the year.

At haymaking time.

I hope you will agree that this a good collection for just one field that I see at least six days a week.

Here's wishing you all a Happy New Thematic-Photographic-394 Year.

Christmas on Sunday Stamps II

Happy Christmas, everyone.

Today's stamps have a Madonna theme and I don't mean Madge.

Malawi, in 1972, had the Madonna and Child Enthroned from a painting of the Florentine school.

I have been unable, so far, to establish who painted it.

Vincenzo Foppa's wood panel from the Bottigella altarpiece now resides in the Musei Civice in Pavia. Malawi showed this on a Christmas stamp in 1977.

The first Madonna painting by Raphael to enter a North American collection sits in the Walters Museum in Baltimore and appeared on the USA's 2011 Christmas stamp.

Ireland's Christmas stamp of 1999 depicts children in a nativity scene and provides a less formal view in a clear cut design.

You may see another Irish stamp and what others have chosen by following the links at Sunday-Stamps-II-Christmas

Secular Christmas - Sunday Stamps II

The Christmas cards we have received so far this year have produced only one 'secular' stamp and none on a religious theme. Thank goodness then for Denmark's

Christmas seal

For the USA I have had to go back to 2007 for these - 

Our one and only Christmas stamp from Great Britain has been the second class snowman.

With that I wish you all a Happy Christmas time.

For more secular stamps check out what others have presented this week at Sunday-Stamps-II

Dirty - Thematic Photography

You don't have to look far before subjects for dirty pictures come into view.

Phone box covered in a green slime

Inside, the box seems to have seen better days.

But this is not why its days are numbered - I blame the mobile phone.

Its 42 days were up in October - but still it stays.

A big complaint at the moment is the mud deposited on our roads by the lorries servicing unwanted new housing estates.

Little fellows like this may not move mountains - 

A mole not in a hole

At least they know how to make a start.

Molehill collection

Some people even collect this soil for their gardens while a local farmer needs volunteers to spread some -

Muck

In the meantime Sherlock is on the trail of who

Put their foot in it

Too small, I think Watson, for the Hound of the Baskervilles.

If you have a penchant for more dirty photos, please check out those to be found at Thematic-Photographic-393.

Mountains - Sunday Stamps !!

I've posted many mountain stamps before so had to try harder this week.

In 1949 Algeria issued an airmail stamp showing a plane flying over the El Kantara Gorge.

Algeria

I believe those are the Aures mountains on either side.

The Australian Alps make up the highest range in south-east Australia, straddling eastern Victoria and south-east New South Wales.

Australia - 1 Oct 2015

This stamp is slightly damaged but still enables you to see the Victoria Alpine National Park.

Now get your crampons on and trek over to other mountains on view at Sunday-Stamps-II-104 starting with the Matterhorn in Europe's Alps.

Colours of the Rainbow - Thematic Photography

This is a difficult theme at this time of year. I almost gave up, but thought I could stretch it a bit to show some different hues just by looking out of my office window,

That cobweb is outside

How many colours of the rainbow appear here? Go on! Use your imagination for testing out - Richard of York gave battle in vain.

For colours of various hues check out those posted at Thematic-photographic-392.

Wild Animals - Sunday Stamps II

After struggling last week, this week couldn't have been more different with so many stamps to choose from.

Africa is a continent with many animals depicted on stamps, some of which I have included before. The King of them all for me is shown on a Malawi stamp from 2011, one of the Big Five.

Not quite as attractive is the animal on stamp from 1954 - head and shoulders only.

South Africa - Warthog

The Czech Republic has many wild animal shots; some smaller one are shown in these stamps from April 1996.

They are from left to right:

• Eliomys quercinus - Garden Dormouse
• Dryomys nitedula - Forest Dormouse
• Spermophilus citellus - European Ground Squirrel
• Sicista betulina - Northern Birch Mouse

For more wild animals visit Sunday-Stamps-II-103. to see what you can find.

Repetitive - Thematic Photography

What is the repetitive issue associated with my photos this week?

Fire station

Vent manifold

Studded footpath

If you are visually impaired the studs warn  you , through your shoes, that you are approaching a road and that you need to ensure you cross safely.

By now you should have seen the issue connecting my repetitive photos.

For more repetitive approaches visit the links at Carmi's thematic-photographic-391.

20th Century Inventions - Sunday Stamps II

This theme proved much harder than I expected, in fact I nearly failed. It was only admiring someone's dog that reminded me of - 

Great Britain - 5 September 1989

Now there are chips in everything.

For more inventive posts check out Sunday-Stamps-II-102.

Out For A Walk - Thematic Photography

So many of my posts on Thematic Photography are taken on my daily walk to collect a newspaper; this week's theme is no different.

Except, that is, the last 24 hours have been wet (it's raining still) and at times very windy. No surprise then that our front garden is covered by debris from the sycamore trees that grow on either side of us.

Leaves on the grass

Although it was still raining as I went up the road, my spirits were lifted by the sight of - 

Charlie

Charlie, a Yorkshire terrier, is always in a hurry and he does not like the wet. It's even more poignant because he's blind - not that stops him sprinting along on the lead.

Max, the golden labrador, is always delighted to be out, especially when he can wear - 

His glamorous red coat

My walk is not without its hazards with a three-inch deep puddle just where I want to cross.

The rain still falls

I'm glad that this not our drive.

On a miserable day like this sometimes it is difficult to see -

The trees for the wood

All in all it's a day when corners of fields are ideal for ducks.

When I get home there will be work for me, removing -

More sycamore leaves

I just hope that others you can find at Carmi;s Thematic-photographic-390. have had a drier time.

Children - Sunday Stamps II

Dating old stamps is proving a bit of a minefield but it came up trumps for today's theme of 'Children.'

These two stamps from Mexico were issued between 1929 and 1934 but I have been unable to track down exactly when.

Mexico - Haga Patria

Haga Patria may be translated as "Be a Patriot" - Proteja a la infancia hardly needs explaining. I suppose we would say 'save the children' today.

I started work in Norway in 1979 and spent 30 kroner on a presentation folder of the stamps issued that year. It included these two of the issue of 26th April for the International Year of the Child.

This shows a painting by Mathias Stoltenberg. 

The second stamp is a painting of a little boy named James Collett by the German born, Norwegian painter Heinrich Christian Friedrich Hosenfelder.

The boy was a member of the Collett family who were timber merchants in Norway at the time - the painting dates from 1791/92.

For more children related stamps, check out the links at Sunday-Stamps-II-101.

Drink Up - Thematic Photography

This days I'm not permitted to raid our drinks cupboard.

And I draw the line at being told to drink up

Skimmed milk

unless it's in coffee or tea.

I wish that those who have drunk up would at least take their litter home with them.

I'm pleased to say however, that this Christmas I shall enjoy the company of at least this

Old Soak

To see what and what others have had to drink up visit the links on the comments at Carmi's thematic-photographic-389.