Sunday, November 01, 2009

May 2006 and the month starts with the ‘Obby ‘Oss celebrations in Padstow on May Day, and my annual trip to the Lake District for two weeks.

I did promise to update more often, but more health problems and computer problems have interfered with that. So, back to the archives and this pic of a ‘Obby ‘Oss from the May Day celebrations in Padstow…
Padstow May Day 2006 Z14511
This is an account of the day I posted at the time:
May Day started with a mix of weather, bright sunny but with the threat of rain on the horizon, and a couple of light showers. I went to Padstow, just a few miles from where I live on the North Cornish coast, where the annual May Day 'Obby 'Oss celebrations are held. The 'Obby 'Oss is thought to date back 4,000 years, a pagan festival to welcome Spring, although much of the current traditions are probably those which have grown up over the past few hundred years. At 10am the Blue Ribbon ‘Oss or Peace ‘Oss emerges from its ‘stable’ at the institute, called out by singers and dancers, and led by the ‘teaser’. Led by a band of accordions and drums the 'Oss dances along the streets led by the 'teaser' and followed by thousands of people. The 'Oss will often try to catch women and girls under it's 'skirt' as part of a fertility rite, and anyone caught is said to become pregnant within a year. I followed the Blue Ribbon 'Oss for a while, on it's slow journey along the streets, and then made my way to the Golden Lion Inn where at 11am the Old 'Oss emerged from it's 'stable'. I followed the Old 'Oss for maybe 2 hours up the streets of Padstow and out to Prideaux Place, then back into the town. The celebrations last from midnight to midnight, and by the time I left at 5pm the processions were still going round the town. In the end the weather was great, dry and sunny, and everyone was having a great time.
Padstow May Day 2006 Z14369
I was back in Padstow a few days later and walked out to the Camel estuary and took this shot…
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…which definitely portrays the beauty of this area.

One of the first photos I took in the Lake District was of a black swan on Windermere…
Black swan on Windermere
A boathouse at Miller’s Ground on the shores of Windermere…
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…and getting a close shot of a swan in Bowness…
Shoot the photographer #9
View of Lakeside at the Southern end of Windermere…
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The fells to the East of the road from Windermere to the Kirkstone Pass…
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Aira Force on Aira Beck as it flows towards Ullswater…
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One of my most popular photos of the Kirkstone Pass…
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…and another very popular photo of the lower gardens at Brantwood on the shores of Coniston Water…
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Sailing on Coniston Water…
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The Steam Yacht Gondola leaving Brantwood jetty and heading for Coniston village on Coniston Water…
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Goose and goslings at Rydal Water…
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Just a few of the 253 photos I uploaded in May 2006. Next time some pics from the Royal Cornwall Show in June 2006.

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Thursday, October 18, 2007

I'm getting better - twice in one week! Okay, to start another of my recent photos which is quite popular, a macro of water droplets on a cobweb from a few days ago...
Natures Jewellery Z19840
This was taken with my old Konica Minolta Dimage Z3 which seems to do a lot better than my newer Sony A100 dSLR - guess I need a better lens on that one.

Now another dip into the archives, and this time from May 2005. May is always a busy month, the weather is warming and nature is brightening up the scenery, so plenty to photograph and I spend 2 weeks in the Lake District so come back with maybe 2 or 3 thousand shots! But the month starts with May Day, and for that I like to go to Padstow for the 'Obby 'Oss celebrations...
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The crowds following the two 'Oss through the town are amazing, a real crush but a great atmosphere with the music, singing and dancing...
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At the end of the month, after my return from the Lake District, I was busy uploading some of the photos I had taken...
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of the lakes and tarns (above: Goosey Foot Tarn in Grizedale Forest) and the villages...
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(above: Grasmere)


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