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.

Blue - Thematic Photography

And still it rains! After the wettest December since records began 1910, it's enough to make anyone feel blue.

I didn't really know where to start especially as 19 of my earlier thematic posts have included things blue before.

Of course the answer was right in front of me - 

Blue desktop

Christmas may be over and our decorations put away but others have still to get around to dismantling their display.

Blue coat

A local notice stands out as a reminder not to encroach.

The prison inmates do a great job in clearing litter for the woods at that side of the road.

I just wish someone would do the same in the woods across the other side.

It was much better to see the blue of the Atlantic off the North Cornish coast last summer.

While at Scarborough in October a blue surfer waited for his turn to try and catch a wave.

After a 20 minute session in the sea it's a wonder he wasn't blue all over.

To see how blue is viewed by others check out the links at Carmi's Thematic-photographic-362.

Drink - Thematic Photography

This is a theme that enables me to get on my hobby horse.

Empty drink can

Evidently the litter lout was strong enough to carry the cider can until it was empty but not strong enough to carry it home.

Often I can trace the drinks litter back to where it was bought

like this empty - 

Coffee cup

which originated when full at this machine.

Birds and animals have different habits when it comes to drinks.

Fawn at a Michigan lake.

Wood Pigeon at our garden birdbath

I took pity on it and filled the bath with more water so the bird did not have to stretch its neck so far the next time it wanted a drink.

Scout telling us his cup is empty

Which reminds me that it's almost time for my afternoon drink of - 

Yorkshire tea

This scarecrow from the 2014 Kirklevington competition invited others to take part. Some even got offered a second cup.

While I'm drinking mine I'll check out what other drinks are on offer at Carmi's thematic-photographic-327.

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

This is my first attempt to join this meme hosted by Ashley Sisk on which we are challenged to take five new photos each week to a theme set by her.

So here goes - the lights say I may proceed.

 1 - Double

A school run under way.

2 - Friday

The War Memorial and Yarm's Town Hall are the place for - 

3 - Memories

Litter picking kept me occupied one day this week with a Charity sack to fill.

4 - Busy Day

I may catch a bus in Yarm if I have the time.

5 - Where I Stand

To see how other participants fared with the five part challenge be sure to follow the links at Ashley's Scavenger-Hunt-Sunday-226.

Messy - Thematic Photography

"To find a form that accommodates the mess that is the task of the artist now."

If you substitute photographer for artist in the quote from Samuel Beckett you get the task that Carmi has set us this week.

Where to begin?

Messy corner

Having loaded up with cameras, backpack and hat I only had to travel to the bottom of my drive for another messy corner created by a sycamore tree losing its leaves.

Autumn's first mess

With autumn taking a step forward, it does seem to have been long since something in the pink has turned into a messy sight.

'Browned off hydrangea'

Then there is a mess that is becoming more useful as it ages.

Maturing horse manure

And a sign that nature can take care of its own mess as it rots.

Blackberries past their best

Some autumn sights add colour to a scene.

Grass verge carpeted with leaves from an ash tree

But there is some mess that I wish some people would not leave behind.

Messy litter (5 months old) dumped in a lay-by

Have I succeeded with this 'messy' post?

"Success is relative. It is what we can make of the mess we have made of things." (T S Eliot)

To view others' posts check out the messy links at Thematic-photographic-310.

Dirty - Thematic Photography

I've shown all my dirty dog photos before so I have gone for something different this time.

A lot of animals come to a tragic end especially those that get killed by traffic. (Some of you may wish to skip what comes next.)

Fox - Roadkill victim

As you can see the bluebottles have set to work. Two weeks later nature has cleared up the mess.

Fox remains - just bones and a little fur

The bones have been scattered, but not far. Most have remained aligned where the fox lay.

Closer to home there is mud, not so glorious mud.

Dirty road

This is the road outside our garden. There is building work going on next door. This released flood waters from a field, their drive became a river emptying onto the road. The brown stain down the centre is mud (clay) deposited as the water rushed down to the drain halfway along the hedge. As you can see it was overwhelmed and water depositing mud still ran in the gutter. The hedge in the foreground is entrance to our drive.

This is what we had to pass through.

Drive entrance

As you may imagine we had dirt everywhere, although dirt was not the word we used. When it dried the residue left behind from the pull-in filled half a refuse bag and weighed over 10lbs!

Some creatures leave residues behind as well. You can tell where they have been.

A slug's trail of slime

The small black slug is hidden by the leaf pointing towards the bottom of the picture.

However the thing that annoys me most is the litter left behind by dirty humans too tired to take it home with them.

World Cup pizza box tossed into a wood

Accompanied by drink cans a little further on.

Empty beer cans

It's not surprising that the local farmer blocks access to his land to prevent fly-tipping in the woods.

Tree barrier (and black mud)

Now you've read my little rant you may wish to see more dirty photos at Carmi's Thematic-Photographic-301.

Letters and Numbers Around Us - Thematic Photography

My morning walk to collect a newspaper covers a distance of about two miles each way. As it was a sunny morning with the hard frost beginning to clear I took my camera, intent on getting shots to meet Carmi's theme of "Letters, numbers & other characters." I came back with 38 pictures, all of which seemed appropriate; obviously I can't show them all.

The local Shell garage is undergoing a refit and there was an environmental services wagon parked across the forecourt. I had to take this picture through a wire mesh fence.

Hazardous Material Warning Sign

Today was the day that household waste is collected and just down the road were three wheelie bins awaiting the refuse truck.

Wheelie Bins (Trash Cans)

The amount of roadside rubbish to be seen on the footpath, in the hedge bottoms and in a birch wood was appalling - discarded sandwich wrappings, coffee cups and soft drinks cans, enough to fill another wheelie bin I'm sure.

Discarded Energy Drink Can

Whoever left this obviously hadn't enough energy  to carry the empty can home.

The garage in our village does its bit to help the energy crisis as you can see.

Garage Sign

I've often glanced at the numbers of the lampposts in the village and just assumed that these were just for identifying individual posts. Then I found this.

Power Line Post

That plate at the top has hole-punched code which is alpha-numeric presumable for inspection and maintenance purposes.

If my pictures are driving you 'up the pole' just be careful which one you climb.

Danger Sign

Now what am I to do with 32 more photos? While I make up my mind perhaps you should head off to Carmi's Thematic-photographic-235. Please don't drop litter on the way or else you may become a member of the "Litterati".