My Sunday Photo... One Shot!

When you read the title of my Sunday Photo... 'One Shot' you might think that I'm referring to my photography, but sadly in this case I'm not.

(Please if you can spare the time, read until the end of the post)

Yesterday, I was woken by an explosive gun shot and I immediately jumped out of bed. 

(This was quite a feat as it wasn't even 6am) 

It is incredibly light here at the moment with the summer solstice, so we can clearly see everything throughout the whole night. 

To my horror I saw two gunmen who had killed a deer.

They put on blue plastic gloves and gutted him there and then... slinging his limp dead body into the back of a truck!

They were quite a distance and my phone camera couldn't really capture this horror... which is probably for the best. 

As I watched through the binoculars a tear ran down my cheek.

This beautiful gentle beast was just minding his own business and then some mindless cretin decided to end his life. 

I'm sorry if I am going on here, but the day before I had taken so many photos of this buck and felt very privileged to have him visit.

To say this event spoilt my morning.
I felt sick and couldn't contemplate eating breakfast.

I can understand the need for culling where necessary, but there is absolutely no need here at the moment. The most deer I've ever seen together were four and that was only once.

As the truck drove away I snapped their photo, but once again it's blurred.

It was later in the morning that my son came to me whispering... "he's back"

I couldn't believe it... they hadn't killed this stag, but another deer. 

I'm still terribly sad for the loss, but thankful that this stunning buck escaped the gunmen (this time!)

At least it allowed me to celebrate my 39th Wedding Anniversary with a meal later in the day.

Thankfully venison wasn't on the menu!

I'm linking up with Photalife with My Sunday Photo as usual.

My Sunday Photo... Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day!

Even though I haven't been able to spend a quality day with my Dad (as he passed away when I was only 16 years old) never does this special day go by without me stopping and giving thanks for the few short years that I knew him.

He was my hero!

So today, I thought I'd share something a little different for you, but is kind of Father related.

This photo shows where a lot of activity has been happening over the last few weeks.

Bare with me...

Right in the centre of the ivy on this photo is a hole, which is where one of my Blue Tit bird boxes is situated.

It's always been a favourite, but this year we've been lucky to actually witness the coming and goings.

Here's Dad (or it might be Mum) and let me tell you, they have been incredible parents.

I wouldn't like to estimate just how many visits to and fro, that they've actually clocked up feeding their hungry brood.

I've been up since 4am (yes I know) just keeping an eye on the activities in the garden... trying to keep Magpies, Jays, Woodpeckers and Crows away. 

So far we seem to have success, although my hubby had a shock this morning wandering down to the chicken coup... a baby blue tit just dropped right down in front of him onto the path!

Oh how vulnerable is this little chap?

It must be a very scary place... just taking a leap of faith out of the nest box.

But then Dad comes to give reassurance and food to help complete his mission to safety.

I'm hoping they've reached their safe new home.

I'm sure with the incredible parents watching over them... they'll be fine.

One quick photo of another visitor who just ambled up to our place yesterday.

Our resident handsome stag!

Hello!

 I'm aware that there quite a few photos here today, but I couldn't decide which to choose to link up with Photalife

It's not every day that you see a nest fledge or have a stunning stag come to call.

Have a wonderful Father's Day and please go and hug your Dad if you're able, or give him a call and tell him that you love him, because it's not until they leave us that we wished we had done more.

I'm linking up with Photalife with My Sunday Photo as usual.

Chief Chook and a Sprout Loving Bambi... PPF

Happy New Year Everyone.

I hope all your wishes come true in 2018.

I didn't realise that I was going to have a blog break, but that appears to have happened.

So my apologies for not making any announcement before my disappearance.

I hope you'll forgive me.

As I type here this morning, I can't help but feel grateful that I can touch type. 

It is so dark, as the heavy clouds burst and send copious amounts of rain down upon us, but that doesn't stop my happy mood. 

Yes it's January and some say the most depressing time of year, but 

I thought I'd tell you about my enrolment into an online art course. 

It starts on Monday and is a Bootcamp with Lilla Rogers from Make Art That Sells

I thought as I'm nipping into the Paint Party Friday link today, fellow PPF's might be interested in hearing or reading all about it. Lilla is fantastic and such an inspiration... so friendly and encouraging too. There are live video links and discussions every week and assignments every Monday, plus access to a special Facebook meeting place for all fellow classmates.

I seriously lost my mojo last year and just couldn't find it... but Lilla has a way of making you think anything is possible.

So with that in mind here's my first piece of artwork for 2018.

I hope to improve and fly with my art as the year progresses.

Obviously, this first one had to include a chook (chicken).

Just a fun piece to hopefully give me a kick start!

Now that I'm back to blogging, I'd also like to share my sprout loving visitors.

I personally don't mind having them eat all the sprouts from our veg plot, as I've never eaten them nor do I intend to. But I do fear that our new seedlings and plants this coming spring might be on their menu!

But seriously how cute are these Roe Deer?

 The numbers have expanded this year from the odd one or two to five.

 Is that a guilty face or what???

So there's plenty for my first post of the year.

I hope to keep the momentum going.

Wish me luck!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you soon.

My Sunday Photo.... Guests Pop In

Autumn has well and truly arrived.

And so did an unexpected guest.

I walked into our garage only to find this little wren. 

He had nipped in whilst the garage door was open and had accidentally been shut in.

Also other visitors arrived... these two deer were having a tasty treat munching away in the afternoon sun.

I still have to stand and stare when I see such sights.
I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing nature up so close.

I'd often wondered how the deer would react if they came in contact with the resident fox.
Well, I actually got the answer because I witnessed a confrontation.
The deer charged towards the fox, chasing him off and soon had the field all to himself.
It was like watching our own personal wildlife programme.
Such a privilege.

As usual I'm linking up with My Sunday Photo over at Photalife.com
If you'd like to see lots more photos then follow the link above.

Have a great day and thanks for adding to my visitors this weekend.

I hope to see you again soon.

Summer Slips Away and Autumn Arrives

Summer has slipped quietly away and I for one will miss it, even though it wasn't a particularly good one for us up here in the North East of Scotland.

I'm hopeful that our Autumn will be spectacular... and so far it's not doing too badly. 

I thought I'd highlight just a snippet of what's happening around our place.

The fields of gold have been harvested with this beast!

It doesn't look particularly large on this photo but this was captured on my zoom lens... the machine is approx 250 metres away!

Trust me it's huge.

It must be a terrifying thing to see and hear if you're a little wee beast.

With all of the various changes with autumns arrival, our little elegant resident roe deer is in the process of changing his summer coat of reddish brown to grey.

I've done a little research and I believe he might be between two and three years old.

He appears regularly near our house and settles down to rest, which is a huge honour. 

He must feel safe.

I think it's pretty special having such a majestic neighbour.

 I'm not sure if I've mentioned in previous posts, but I've been trying to photograph one of the few wren's that frequent our garden. 

Yesterday I had a chance but oh my word he's a flighty little critter!

The photo below was taken from my kitchen window across to the decking steps... as you can see it was also raining, so not the best conditions for a photographic shoot.

But I'm happy that it's not just a blur.

The blackbirds are enjoying this time of year too with lots of goodies available.

This particular blackbird is enjoying the berry bonanza.

If I'm showing you some of our visitors, then how could I not include our new robin.

He's looking mighty handsome in his new red waistcoat and is still friendly.

Everyone knows I love to take photos of the busy bees and I'm including this one because who knows it might be the last visit of the year!

Oh how I'll miss them.

But there'll be lots of other wonderful sights to capture with the coming seasons.

I'll hopefully have my camera at the ready and be snapping away, so feel free to pop back anytime.

I'm linking up with My Sunday Photo over at Photalife.com

and Image-in-ing.blogspot.co.uk

Have a great weekend and thanks for popping over to my place.

Meet my neighbour... the deer

My Sunday Photo was taken one day last week...a very wet day.

We have the ruins of an old barn just on our boundary and the local deer seem to be quite taken with stopping off for a snack.
I think this particular young buck is partial to bramble bushes.

As you can see...he certainly knew I was watching him, but he seemed not to mind.

I'm not sure if you can see from this photo below the leaf hanging out of his mouth. 

Here's a better look at him...as he carried on wandering.

It was a very wet evening and he looks a little more bedraggled than normal...but then who doesn't when they're caught in a downpour.

Here's a few more photo's.

...and finally an unedited photo of last nights amazing sunset.

I'm linking up My Sunday Photo with Photalife

and Image-in-ing.blogspot.co.uk
Thanks for visiting my place.

I know I've not been able to visit many of my fellow bloggers, but I hope to soon.

Have a great Sunday everyone.

Whatever the Weather

Name any kind of weather and I bet you I can confirm that we've experienced it here today.

We've had rain, sleet, snow, sunshine, thunder and lightening... all accompanied with an Arctic blast of freezing wind!

The sort of wind that my Mother used to call 'a lazy wind'

The kind of wind that doesn't go around you... it just goes straight through!

I remember December was so much warmer than this.

If at any time today I looked out of the window, it definitely looked like we were in the grip of winter. 

But along with this changeable weather, we've seen some spectacular sights... from the sun kissed snow capped mountains, with dramatic stormy cumulus clouds behind them adding to the drama, to the beautiful snowflakes drifting slowly down to earth making a white magical landscape. 

But my favourite sight of the day, was to see the local roe deer sparing. 

Not quite rutting, but perhaps practicing for tougher bouts ahead. 

I think it's possibly a yearling (or young male) testing his strength against an older buck. 

The younger deer has been taunting and baiting the elder all afternoon. 

There is a doe (female) involved, but she got bored with the proceedings and after finishing eating, she wandered off to possibly take a snooze in the thick yellow flowering gorse.

Meanwhile, the boys were tearing around the field and didn't even notice her departure. 

I did think at one stage that I really should go to set up my video camera... but then I thought I'd rather watch and enjoy them, than miss it whilst searching for the camera.

Yesterday, I witnessed the female chasing off a fox, who had obviously come into her personal space.

Later this afternoon, I was rewarded by the deer coming right up to our boundary to nibble on some new shoots.

Stunning isn't he? 

I'm getting so used to them walking nearby now, so much so that I'm thinking of names for them!

They have the habit of visiting up near the house at night time too, whilst we are sleeping. 

Well we are until they set off the intruder light! 

I hope your week is going well and that you have been able to appreciate nature too in some form or another.

Today, I thought I'd link up with Our World Tuesday and Wordless (on Tuesday at image-in-ing)

I hope you enjoyed your visit here today and will come back soon.

Hopefully, I'll have some springiness to share with you.

Click, Click, Blooms

Well another week has started and I just can't believe that I actually missed Monday!

What's going on? 

I'm still getting to know my new camera and here's one shot that I managed, although I'm still a little disappointed that I had to take it through the window. 

As you can see... she knows I'm there but tolerating me.

It must be tasty pickings.

I'm hoping that over the summer months... she'll stay and allow me to take a photo from outside.

Here's a few more colourful shots to help brighten the day.

Even though we've had misty foggy days the signs are there that we have in fact entered Spring.

We just need the temperature to catch up too.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by.

Today, I'm linking with Mersad over at Through my lens.

and Our World Tuesday

If you'd like to see more photographers work, then click on the link above.

Misty Monday Morning

This week has started with a very misty and atmospheric Monday morning.

In fact, it's remained wet and murky all day.

The sound echoes and carries amazingly far on a morning like this, so I was surprised to see our local deer chomping away having their breakfast out in the open.

I'd been busy drawing at my kitchen table when I became aware of their presence. 

If I say I now have about 63 photographs of them, I don't think I'd be overestimating. 

After standing and waiting for them to come closer to the house, whilst having my finger poised on the camera... ready to click... my legs and back aching... I couldn't help but think and admire all of the wildlife photographers out there. After all I was in the warm house.

I wonder if they find they sneeze just at the crucial moment too.

I apologise for the quality of my photographs, but I had to take them all through my window.

If I'd have tried to open the door, then they would definitely have ran off to hide in the gorse.

I know this because it's happened so many times before. 

They are roe deer which are small and elegant with a pale greyish brown coat that will turn to reddy brown for the summer months. The males antlers have a rough or ridged surface.

The one on the left of this photo is a stag, and the doe is on the right.

Note she has a very white patch on her rump with a short tush.

If you'd like to know more about the Roe Deer then click here which will take you to the British Deer Society. They also have fantastic photographs (unlike mine).

I couldn't believe it when this chap came so close and actually stood on the plinth, turning to look at me. You can see his wee antlers on this shot.

Today, I'm linking with Mersad over at Through my lens.

If you'd like to see more photographers work, then click on the link above.

So that's Monday nearly over and I hope your week has got off to a good start. 

Thanks for visiting.

Have a great week and I hope to see you again soon

Goodies, Geese and Getaways

Today started brilliantly when a parcel arrived at my door... it had traveled all the way from Australia

from my friend Tracey Fletcher King. I hugged it just in case some of the heat was still contained within but alas it didn't... but then it had traveled 12,000 miles!

Tracey has relaunched her fantastic Cuppa With Friends Project so why not pop over to see her amazing artwork. You will not be disappointed. 

Here's some of my goodies from her The Tea Spot giveaway and I have to say I've been grinning from ear to ear ever since I opened it. 

First thing this morning, even before the postie arrived we had another visitor...

it was a lovely way to start the day. 

It's the nearest that she's come to the house but I hope that she keeps coming. 

The photo above reminds me of yet another gift that I've received in the last week... 

I'm such a lucky bunny aren't I? 

 ... and it's not even Christmas yet.

Isn't he cute... and he helps to keep my cosy too. 

It's just the perfect size for cuddling.

I now have two hotties... the other heart one shown below was from my son as part of my mother's day pressie. 

 As you can see it's well loved

Although the weather has been atrocious over the last few days... hardly getting light yesterday at all. 

But last weekend was glorious. 

The type of day that you just need to get out and enjoy.

So we took a drive further north and stopped off at the little town of Ellon.

Here is the bridge crossing the River Ythan.

Of course we had to stop at a little tea shop for a cuppa and cake to keep us energized.

We also stopped at a farm shop in Crimon and met these inquisitive coos.

The countryside around Aberdeenshire is spectacular with huge skies

I wanted to get a little closer to these visiting geese, as they refueled in a nearby field before moving on... but as you can see even though I thought I was stealth-like in my approach they spotted me and scarpered.

It's good to get out and about especially on a day like this. 

I treasure these things and store them away for wet, dark rainy days.

Roll on spring although I wouldn't mind a little snow. 

(Eek....did I really say that?)

Whatever you are doing this weekend... have fun and enjoy

Thanks for stopping by and I hope to natter again soon

 

xoxo