[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 25 March 2023].
The last of the (live) flowers I photographed in St Kilda General Cemetery during a visit in September 2007.
Muscari armeniacum or Armenian grape hyacinths.
agrostemma
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 11 March 2023].
Sorry once again for the radio silence.
As I mentioned in my post of images from Bosham back on 10 February, I had some worrying news about my Mum.
At 19:20 GMT on 28 February, I found out my Mum passed away 10 minutes earlier (though, technically, she passed away at 06:10 on 1 March 2023 AEST. Time differences are weird when dealing with someone's time of death).
So, as you might expect, I've needed some time to process that.
As I do in these situations, I've been writing.
It took time, and there were many tears along the way.
I'm currently editing photographs of Mum and photos taken by Mum to go with the piece.
I'll share it here and on my blog as soon as it's ready. Hopefully, tomorrow but definitely in the coming days.
In the meantime, here are some Agrostemma (common corncockles) I photographed in the gardens at Helmingham Hall on the last road trip I took with Mum and Dad in 2017.
Hold your loved ones tightly.
passiflora caerulea
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 28 February 2023].
I knew the floral name passiflora through a Flickr friend's username over a decade ago but had never seen one or really even knew what they were.
But then, on a photo walk late last year with Sarah, another Flickr friend I met around the same time as I met Mary Elise, we noticed some Passiflora caerulea overhanging a fence facing onto a park that is literally around the corner from the first two flats I lived in when I moved back to London in 2011.
They are beautiful, intricate and eye-catching flowers.
I was pleased to capture a couple of photos of them that day, though the daylight was starting to fade as we passed through Nightingale Gardens.
cape marguerite
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 17 February 2023].
Some Dimorphotheca ecklonis I captured in St Kilda Cemetery on the first day of Spring in 2007.
untitled #117 [st kilda cemetery, st kilda, victoria, australia, 2007]
And some beautiful monarch butterflies hanging out amongst them.
I took these photos after going to my old GP practice for a check-up because of some odd sensations I'd been experiencing.
That appointment resulted in me having blood tests that revealed I had vitamin D deficiency and B12 anaemia for the first time.
Good times...
with friends like these, who needs anemones?
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 30 December 2022].
lichenometry
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 19 December 2022].
I love when my photography leads me to discover new (to me) and very geeky things.
In seeking an appropriate word to use as a title for this image, I read about an intriguing way of measuring time and dating rock.
No, not that kind of dating.
Rather, establishing the age of exposed rock.
la vie en rose
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 16 December 2022].
against her yellow i'm no longer me
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 12 December 2022].
Yellow baby, a yellow baby is a bad sign.
But I don't mind, I don't mind.
Ohhh, Forsythia.
Spider monkey, a spider monkey is a good lie.
But I don't know why.
Ohhh, Forsythia, oh-ohhh.
I don't mind sitting in the way, way back.
I don't mind, lying to my friends.
One thing about Forsythia,
She comes around and I get lost
Against her yellow, I'm no longer me.
Yellow daisy, a dandelion or a pussy willow,
It's a different thing.
Oh-oh, Forsythia. Forsythia. Forsythia.
One thing about Forsythia,
She comes around and I get lost
Against her yellow I'm no longer me.
One thing about Forsythia...
There's one thing about Forsythia...
Forsythia - Veruca Salt
lamb's tongue (one o'clock gun)
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 4 November 2022].
visions from the big tree
friendships
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 30 September 2022].
embracing the stem
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 25 September 2022].
Bistorta amplexicaulis, the red bistort or mountain fleece.
From Wikipedia: 'The Latin specific epithet amplexicaulis means "clasping or embracing the stem", and refers to the leaves' habit of growing around the stem.'
moth orchid (magenta)
plush
Just a quick post for those who may be considering becoming a patron.
I've been sharing a new series of self-portraits I started while undertaking a recent cat-sitting gig. They're still patron-only access until later in the month.
I shared these three photographs early access with my patrons a month before they'll become public. New images from the series (as I create them) will be shared a month early too.
If you'd like to see the images from the series so far, now's the time to become a patron.
moth orchid (yellow)
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 6 September 2022].
Here are some beautiful Phalaenopsis or moth orchids I photographed the weekend before last in the home of a woman I regularly cat-sit for.
My own have also been flowering, and I captured them a month ago when some of the flowers were still in the bud. I'll share images of those in my next instalment of a floral tribute.
I'm playing 'catch-up' again after returning from my latest cat-sitting gig and dealing with some personal bits and pieces.
There may be a break in my regular cat-sitting for a bit, so that will mean fewer hiatus here, hopefully.
I absolutely adore the kittehs and love spending time with them. But the laptop I use when I'm away isn't great for editing photos (or anything creative). Aside from anything, the screen is too small.
I also feel like I should savour every chance for kitteh snuggles when cat-sitting. So, sitting at a desk instead of reclining on the lounge where I'm more likely to attract those snuggles seems silly.
The impact of my vitamin deficiencies has also been heavily felt lately. I'm thankful I'll have a follow-up appointment with my GP next week as I imagine she will start me on B12 injections, and then maybe I can start to get my energy back. The lethargy and fatigue I fight are becoming... well... tiresome.
I hope you're all doing okay. Feel free to leave a comment to check in and say hello!
amber treasures
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 19 August 2022].
The last of my Gazania photographs from St Kilda Cemetery from my visit in 2007.
striped treasures
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 16 August 2022].
More Gazania from the St Kilda Cemetery.
golden treasures
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 6 August 2022].
More Gazania captured in St Kilda Cemetery in 2007.
storksbills in the cemetery
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 27 July 2022].
Hello, my lovelies.
It's been far too quiet around these parts. For that, I offer my sincerest apologies.
I've been trying to get back on track, but I've been thrown a little off-kilter the past few weeks. And, in some respects, the past few months.
My last post here was pre-scheduled. Which was handy, given I was sequestered (willingly!) in a friend's flat with her kitteh, Mia, and the slowest iMac known to woman (the last bit, not willingly!).
Unfortunately, that weekend also marked the beginning of a heatwave here in London.
Had I been home, the temperatures would have been higher than I'd have liked but manageable. However, in a first-floor flat with a curious kitteh, the windows could only be opened a small amount. When Mia wasn't hiding from the heat in a drawer under the bed, she was perched on the window openings cooling her tush.
Consequently, I spent most of the weekend lounging under a 10cm fan and keeping Mia company in her hatred of the heat.
The sun's emanations were too much for me to endure to see through my plan to visit some distinctive housing in the nearby neighbourhoods. Or to visit the Brockley and Ladywell Cemetery, as I had planned. Next time, Gadget, next time.
A busy but part-time week of work followed 'hot' on the heels of that.
I managed to sneak in some socialising outside my flat on Friday despite my ongoing health issues. Followed by a weekend of socialising inside my flat and hiding as much as possible from the heat.
The hottest day on record in the UK and the day preceding it blew out any plans I had for productivity outside my day job the following week.
It took most of the week to get my bedroom back down below 30 degrees, even at night. When it finally cooled almost enough, I celebrated by creating a Spotify playlist.
Health issues scuppered plans to walk the remaining section of the New River between Harringay Green Lanes Overground Station and Manor House/Finsbury Park with Scott and our cameras last Friday. At least we managed a pleasant afternoon of beers, ciders and conversation in place of that (with a detour to my GP's office).
On the positive side, at least I found out that day that the fatigue I've been feeling the past month or so wasn't just my imagination and or me being lazy. I'm vitamin D deficient and have low levels of vitamin B12 again. The former is being managed with some heavy-duty supplements. The latter requires retesting in six weeks. If still low, it will mean injections as I had back in 2007. Between now and then, I need to see if I can improve things from a dietary perspective to pump them back up a bit.
My other ongoing health issue hasn't been 100% diagnosed yet. I've been referred for further testing, but I have a new medication I started yesterday. That will hopefully manage the issues and get me back to photo walks and day trips soon enough. Fingers crossed.
Though, between dreams about the medication and my new bite guard, I've not had the best sleep the past few nights!
This is the first night I've managed to keep being creative after midnight for weeks. For someone who's a night owl and for whom this time is usually my most productive time, that has been beyond frustrating. I suspect this is because I took a long lunch today to nap for an hour and a half.
I hope to share more posts later in the day. And schedule new work for the weekend as I'll be away from home cat-sitting Lily, Sammy and Poppy from Thursday evening to Monday evening.
I'm also still working on my chapbook and other creative things. They're just taking far longer than I would have liked.
Thank you for your patience through all this.
death and roses
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 8 July 2022].