The Unusual Visitor

I didn’t intend to do any bird-watching this morning (Friday) but as I was putting out the bird seed I spotted this little fellow.

I quickly grabbed my camera and managed to take this shot.

I cannot recall seeing a Long Tailed Tit in my garden before.

He only lingered a short time. I made myself comfortable in an out of the way place and waited.

One of our resident Collared Doves showed an interest in what I was doing.

I waited a long while but the Long Tailed Tit didn’t return.

Unfortunately house work waits for no man so it was back indoors and on with the dusting with frequent looks out of the window to see if he had returned, but no sight of him.

Still, I was pleased to see him and if I am lucky he will return.

Not the best of images either. I realized while looking through the shots I had taken that the Auto-focus was not centre weighted. Ok for the Dove but the branches are more in focus than the Tit. [Note to myself - check and recheck].

Oh well, I spent a good part of the morning looking out of the window waiting for a bird to return for food and now I must spend some time looking out of the window waiting for my wife to return with food.

Must dash, I think I hear the car!!

It’s live!!

At Last. The day that you all have been waiting for (well, I have been looking forward to it) has arrived.

The web site of David Clare is now on-line.

It has been a steep learning curve for me but for a first attempt it’s . . . . well you check it out and decide (but don’t be too harsh on me!).

I have to give loads of thanks to my Nephew, Nathan. The work he has put in behind the scene in setting up my web-space, making sure that all links work and ensuring that I made my start date has been truly outstanding.

Thanks Nathan. I owe you a pint or two.

Now, enough of this. Click a link and visit my Web Site at http://davidclare.net

Thank You

Relaxing Weekend. Doing Relaxing Things

I was speaking to my Grandson Callum (7 yrs old) on Friday and asked him what he was doing this weekend. “Just relaxing” he said.

“Doing what” I asked.

“Just relaxing things” He replied.

So after a busy week clearing the attic and garden of rubbish that is just what we set out to do.

On Saturday we went for a walk in Pegwell Bay Nature Reserve and a pleasant walk it was.

Richborough Power Station was looking particularly dominant especially as a lot of foliage and trees have been removed from the Reserve while landscaping occurs.

I had been hoping to see the Longhorn Cattle this year and was lucky enough to see them and take these images.

Sunday we decided not to take the car so we walked to Dead Donkey Lane (beside the Royal Oak Petrol Station in Canterbury Road East).

I was pleasantly surprised by the clearing up that has occurred. It used to be an over-grown path that I used to walk my dogs along but lately it had become an inhospitable place to go. Not anymore. Well done Thanet Council (presuming it was down to them). Another pleasant walk restored.
Did we have a relaxing weekend doing relaxing things?

Yes, I would say so.

Tech Details in order of image

Richborough Power Station: 1/125sec f13 ISO800

Longhorn : 1/125sec f7.1 ISO800

Longhorn Sitting: 1/200sec f10 ISO800

Dead Donkey Lane: 1/125sec f2.1 ISO800

‘Get Out Of Bed. You Lazy Soldiers’

We have been clearing our Attic out this week – yes girls,  all your ‘fluffy’ toys, old school exercise books and school uniforms have gone. (hurrah). Things we ‘kept’ for our Grandchildren were covered in dust, dirty and not up-to-date enough.  Would a 2008 seven year old boy want to read “Ponies in Danger” ? ……………I think not!

It has been an eye opener just to realize how much ‘junk’ had accumulated (I once found mouldy sandwiches left in a lunch box several years after it’s last day at school!)  and with some items dating back to 1973 and not having seen the light of day since then it was time to realize that they no longer had any significance and had to go.   So go they went!

Anyway, I did spend some time going through things ‘just to make sure’.  And guess what, I found this little gem;

I was a Bugler in my Army days and I remember this as if it was yesterday (It was actually 1963 when I was a Junior Soldier).  We were on a training exercise staying in a camp with Nissan Huts and were sharing the camp with a Regimental Company of Regular Soldiers.

As Duty Bugler I had to play Reveille every morning at 6.30am.

The Regular Soldiers were not impressed with my ‘early morning calls’ (I became acquainted with some new words describing my playing abilities!).

The ‘Regimental Wag’ (I think that was his title) gave this cartoon to me as his Company left the Training Camp. Unfortunately it is not signed.

“Get Out of Bed, Get Out of bed, Get Out of Bed you lazy soldiers” Are the words to this Bugle Call.  The unauthorised version replaces Soldier with B******’s!!!

This is one item that will not be discarded.

Busy, Busy, Grandchildren!

This weekend we looked after our Grandchildren Joseph and Henry while our daughter Janet and Tony spent a quiet weekend away.

So, while they were here we were:

Who would you say had the most fun?

Sunny Sunday in Broadstairs

A glorious day in Broadstairs today (Sunday). Lots of people enjoying the sunny, but chilly day.

This is one of the images I took:

I haven’t got the time to write in any technical details. Being badgered by my wife to help with the dinner.       Oh well, one’s got to eat!!

Added Monday.

Tech Details:  Canon 350D   1/125sec  at  f4.0 (with Polarizing filter)

Launch Date Set

The launch date for my new web site has been decided.

I have only some little finishing touches to do and get some expert advice from my daughter Janet’s ‘Technical Adviser’ (a bit of advance warning for you there Tony) over this coming weekend. Providing it passes his critical eye then it shall be up-loaded on…………..before I tell you I will just whet your appetite with a couple more of my sketches. The first one is Droit House, Margate and the second is Church Square, Rye. Sussex. Both of these can be seen within it’s pages:

Now, I trust this has got you eagerly waiting and ready with your fingers poised over the keyboard to enter the URL. Well, you will just have to wait for the launch date to get that little bit of information!

The launch date is . . . . . . . Monday 25th February 2008.

There, now you know. Return to this blog then for the URL.

How much more exciting can it get!!!!

Tim, The ‘Cat Napping’ Cat

Tim is our ‘adopted’ cat, well to be precise, we are his adopted family. He used to live next door but decided he liked our house better than his and our female cat Phoebe even more so! So about five, or was it eight years ago, by mutual agreement we began looking after him. Both Tim and Phoebe, the latter sadly no longer with us, would share a bed during the day. (Feet firmly on the floor was the rule for ‘boy’ visitors back then) and Tim would spend the night out, which he still does.

But Tim is really an ‘outdoor’ cat who likes his homely comforts during the cold winter months but in the summer or warm weather he has his favourite ‘napping’ spots in the garden and our bench is a lovely sun-trap for him.

I found him in this pose today (Sunday).

He is a bit deaf, has failing eyesight and dodgy hips, and is no threat to any living thing in our garden. (Sounds familiar says my wife!). The birds don’t even bother to fly off the feeders when he walks by!

We have often thought that this bench is past it’s best but, like the 2006 (or is it the 2005 Christmas Tree), at the bottom of the garden (another of his favourite spots), we are reluctant to dispose of it. Well, as with any old member of the family, you cannot just dump their favourite ‘cat napping zones’ can you?

Daughters take note!!

A Robin’s Tail

It is a lovely sunny day in Ramsgate today. I went into the garden to feed the birds and heard ‘our’ Robin singing for all he was worth from the top of one of our trees. (They are very territorial you know and they remain in the same garden and protect their space quite vigorously from other Robins).  He was either letting all around know that this is his area or trying to attract a mate. I like to think it was the latter as there was no malice in his song. Just joyful melody.

I found him in quite a difficult spot to get a good photograph. This is  the best I could do:

I think from this angle you can tell he is a boy!!!

There is nothing so cheering as listening to a Robin in full voice. It  lifts the spirits and warms the soul just as the sun was warming ‘our’ Robin.  Brilliant!!

Five Years and Still ‘Blowing Strong’

Yesterday evening was orchestra rehearsal for Pfizer Wind Orchestra. We have a busy schedule this year as we are doing more engagements than ever before and we are producing a CD to celebrate 5 years of existence.

In November we are having a Gala Concert at the Theatre Royal, Margate in Celebration of our Five Years.

I play the Piccolo and 2ndFlute. Not at the same time you understand (to clear up any confusion as to my playing abilities) but when the music requires one or t’other. Lots of practice at home (when my wife is out – the piccolo is a bit intrusive when Coronation Street is on!!).

“Practice at Home. Rehearse with the Orchestra” is the maxim for all budding musicians.

One of the pieces might be ‘An Irish Rhapsody’. I like this one because the Piccolo has a prominent part all the way through but it is not too demanding.

Other pieces, as suggested by the audiences at our concerts last year, include:

The Lion King

Phantom of the Opera

Swing When You’re Winning

The Big Country

And Others yet to be decided.

So, if you are in the Thanet area you are in for a treat. As the saying goes “Look in the Local Press for details”.