Fences in use - Good Fences 42

A fence can have many uses; it just depends on your point of view.

Garden fence - June 2014

The tall blue flowers are Delphiniums, those at the left are Geraniums and the light blue on the right are Canterbury Bells. The pink flowers, just in shot, are Foxgloves. All these break up the view of the fence.

View from Whitby pier towards the aptly named Sandsend

The railing on the breakwater/harbour wall at Whitby has been put to a different use.

Railing 'painted' by the birds

Meanwhile one of Britain's colourful birds uses the top rail of a fence for beam exercises.

Chaffinch

How many marks out of ten for his performance?

This has been post for  

at Good-Fences-42.

The Power of Three - Sepia Saturday

I was one of three brothers, my wife one of three sisters but I am unable to find a photo showing us together in our family groups. That's why this week's silhouette post left me in a quandary.

Those who visit my blog will not be in the least surprised if I used the dog as a theme.

But with three children of our own it would be remiss of me if I left them out. However over the years there have been few occasions when they have been photographed together.

Andrew, Rachel and Adrian - 1970s

That was taken at one of the many abbey ruins in Yorkshire, if only I could remember which one.

Shortly afterwards a visit to Sandsend near Whitby has them leaving the sea with you know who in charge.

When they were older still (1980s) we find the three of them at home in Yarm.

Of course they scattered far and wide after leaving school and university. When they reunited in Tresco in 2008, they told us that it had been 10 years since they had been together last.

Cromwell's Castle, Tresco, Isles of Scilly

We were all there, thanks to them, to celebrate our golden wedding.

Island Hotel, Tresco, August 2008

By this time the boys had children of their own.

Kai, Alby & Alana (Andrew's children)

In a less formal setting they appear to be having fun with their father and grandmother giving a helping hand.

Paddling pool at Gatcombe, early 2000s

Adrian's youngest son, Angus, is now sixteen but was smaller here in another group of three.

Alby (baby), Angus - right, his older brother Dylan - middle

My daughter has no children but has had dogs aplenty, including this gang of four.

I included these because three of them match our prompt with their noses in the air. Cody on the right, and Gem in the front have crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Gem went to join Cody while we were in Michigan 4 weeks ago.

The current three residing there are -

Lily, Scout and Gabby

Scout is only too pleased to show you he can raise his nose.

With or without a cup

Lily can crane her neck really high - unfortunately I don't have a picture of her in action.

The three of them have the power to make you throw tennis balls for hours for them to fetch. If only I had the power to keep up with them and to make them sit and wait patiently like these dogs from Kirklevington.

Jasper, Alfie & Duke

And that's not me with the stick.

To see what others have posted this week, check out the links at Sepia-Saturday-255.

Beached - Sepia Saturday

I nave lost count on how many beaches I have admired, even the empty ones which stretch from the:

Shoreline of Lake Michigan

To the sands of Cornwall.

Empty sands at Crantock, Cornwall

And nearer home in North Yorkshire.

Whitby looking towards Sandsend

However beaches are meant to be played on like this one more that 50 years ago (that's the nearest I'm allowed to date it)

Amy (on the left) and her daughter (future mother-in-law and wife)

Some years later in the 1970s, I get in on the act. Note the flared trousers.

The Scotneys and Andrew, their younger son

A few years earlier it was a case of someone taking charge.

Sandsend again. (Bob, Adrian, Andrew, Rachel laying down the law)

Same beach on a different day, some years later.

Andrew and his children

Apart from empty beaches we can even find an unusually empty sea.

Cornish Surf

This brings me to the UK Pro Surf Tour's Rookie of the Year 2013, grandson Angus Scotney and - .

UK Pro Surf Tour's Beach Bum U16 Boys Champion 2013

If you wish to get more sand between your toes and other unmentionable places then catch a wave and surf over to Sepia-Saturday-202.