Welcome Spring

On my side of the world spring is really getting into its stride. I've been away for a week

of our school spring holiday and seen some beautiful gardens, one of my favourite coastlines, and a lighthouse - of which more later.

For now I want to post some photos I took an hour ago in my own garden. I love dwarf Japanese maples, and just as they have stunning autumnal colours, they also have lovely foliage in the spring, albeit in less intense shades. Here are 5 of my little trees:

As well, the wisteria is out,

the jasmine has begun sending its sweet smell around the garden:

the pink leaves of the 'Toon' tree (cedrela sinensis) are sprouting

and Mr A has planted 36 precious tomato plants, each one carefully protected against predations by the resident cat and dog ;)

You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt.  

~Anon

Thematic Photographic 165: Welcome Autumn?

Well it may be the beginning of autumn for Carmi at Written Inc., and for all of my northern-hemisphere friends. Here it's well and truly spring, and to take part in this week's theme I have very little to offer but a lovely liquidamber tree and some fungi from last autumn:

Enjoy your season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, y'all - I'm looking forward to summer!

What English teachers know...

English teachers know: that texts are always invitations to a party and that not all 

parties are the same.  For instance, at some parties they spike the drinks. 

Enjoy the invitation and check out the party.

Words by Terry Locke. 

Pictures from here, here, here, here and here

It's in the detail....

I spent a lovely day on Capri in April of this year, and I was already in the process of planning a post entitled "A Day in Capri" when I saw that Carmi had put up It's in the Details for this week's Thematic Photographic theme...

I kept my post but decided to zero in on the details and leave the 

big-picture shots for another time. Please click to see even more detail!

 You get to the island after a short ferry trip from Naples:

It's always intriguing to look up and see details on the buildings:

And as always, it's just as fascinating to watch people as anything else around you:

Many of the hotels have beautiful tiled signs. The Quisisana is the top place to stay on the island (no, we didn't stay there):

Maybe this one was more down-market:

There were some really lovely flower beds in the public gardens -

and also some detailed tiling on a beautiful seat - not sure it 

would have been too comfortable, though:

There are tiled signs everywhere

And I especially liked the bull with one red horn outside the La Palma:

And finally, some detailed advice on personal safety...

I had great fun cropping these pictures to look more closely! Hope you have enjoyed walking around Capri with me. Go here to see more posts around this theme.

Sunday Snapshot

Ah spring! it's a cold, wet, miserable day. All of my lovely magnolia flowers are being blown off the tree. Still, daylight saving started this morning, so things can only get better.

Here's a shot to remind me that warmer, gentler days are coming. This is one of the many small lakes near the thermal resort city of Rotorua.

Thematic Photographic 162: Playing with Light

Check out the great photos for this week's theme over at Carmi's blog.

Here are my playing photos, light-wise:

The Oriental Pearl tower, Shanghai, taken from the Jin Mao tower (421 m high)

The Oriental Pearl tower(350 m), taken from the street

Driving in Milan at night:

Flowers made of felt, lit up at the Festival of Lights, held annually 

in New Plymouth, New Zealand:

What English teachers know

English teachers know: that they owe it to their students to draw a curtain on the world of noise and to help them find the silent moment where the prong of insight emerges into light.

 

Words by Terry Locke
Pictures from here, here, here, and here