365 ~ May 23rd ~ 29th

Posted in 365, Fuji, FujiX-T2, photography, self portrait, urbanTagged , , , ,

This week we are back to the sodding selfie challenges, which as you know by now, is my bête noire, and this week has been no different. I haven’t even got annoyed with it all, just slogged through, fed up. I think also the incessant cold temperatures, grey skies and rain have taken it’s toll, it’s end of May FFS, it should be a bit warm at least, and I just felt like hunkering down, reading books, and wasn’t inspired to do photography. But I committed to myself to do the year, and stopping now would harm my doggedness! Anyways, on to the pictures, slim pickings though this week, sorry. The extra theme to this week’s selfiefest, is ‘skills’. I don’t actually have skills, superpowers would be more appropriate, but I can take a step down the ladder for this. 😜

Day 143~ versatile. ~ It is PICTURE YOU Week and that means it is all about you.  This week we are celebrating and featuring our skills! Skill :-

a) : the ability to use one’s knowledge effectively and readily in execution or performance

b) : dexterity or coordination especially in the execution of learned physical tasks

c) : a learned power of doing something competently: a developed aptitude or ability

I don’t know about you but I do a variety of activities (none of them that well) and therefore have acquired a skill or two along the way.  I am quite versatile in the number of physical activities I do…cross country and alpine skiing, water skiing, kayaking, cycling, swimming, backpacking, running, and snowshoeing.  For me,  versatility is the spice of life!  I like changing things up and keeping things fun! Show us a skill or two that you have!  Even better, show us a picture of yourself multitasking!  

Sigh. I am not so versatile as all that, and this lady’s picture was of herself jumping high in another cocktail dress + red stilettos which I greatly admired as I would kill myself on landing if I tried that. Not that I have a cocktail dress, and my stilettos are consigned to the back of the wardrobe. So I figured my photography is quite versatile as I shoot film, instant and digital.

versatile

Day 144 ~ work. ~ I enjoy strolling the beach looking for treasures. It takes a bit of skill to know where to look and it can also sometimes be hard work… especially if you’re in a race against the incoming tide. I can be a picky sheller so only a select few make it back home with me. I’m always on the hunt for my favorites – sharks eye, baby ears, and conch shells.Is there something you enjoy that also takes a bit of work? maybe it’s a hobby or activity? Give us a glimpse of it today! 

Yes I like beachcombing too, and other stuff, but today I was actually AT work, the paid kind. Of course I can’t do photography there, but I do check Phil’s ears on a regular basis so figured that’s a fair representation of ‘work’.

work

Day 145 ~ pleasure. ~ I may not look like I am finding much pleasure while pruning my spider plant, but I really am. I have to keep it pruned in order for it to stay a reasonable size because it comes in every winter and I just have no space for a larger pot. I am excited to get it back outside now that the days/nights are warm enough. It thrives going in and out each year and I take much pleasure knowing that I have been successful at keeping it alive. I do not have a natural green thumb so I am thankful that it’s such a hearty plant.  What is something that you take pleasure in doing? Show us what it is!  

To be honest, most of the things that I take pleasure in I’ve already photographed in previous selfie weeks, but I took the cue from the lady and watered my flowers, which I love to see growing. (It was raining at the time! 🤣)

pleasure

Day 146 ~ 5 o’ clock. ~ What is happening in your life at 5 o’clock?  Is it the end of your work day?  Your work out time?  Dinner time?  Family time? Or something else altogether?  Maybe, 5 o’clock in the morning is more your thing!  Whatever 5 o’clock you go with, show off a bit and give us a glimpse into whatever mad skills you have!

5 0’clock in the morning??? 😳 Pfft! So at 5 o’clock pm I’m feeding Lord Vincent, though it’s not easy to get a shot when he is so intent on putting his head in the trough!

5 o’clock

Day 147 ~ engaging. ~ What a great word, one with so many interpretations! My first thoughts about engaging make me think about participating in some type of activity or becoming involved with some type of object such as a musical instrument. There is also the perspective of an engaging your personality. My granddaughter has a delightful laugh that is so engaging I want to hear it every day. Being an outdoor kind of gal, I prefer engaging in any outdoor activity that holds my interest. This is our favorite lake to go fishing and its not too far away. My husband is an avid fisherman and everything I know about fishing I have learned from him.  Sometimes I wonder if catching fish is skill or luck!Show us what skill you have, that you are engaging in today.(Picture for the prompt is of me in a boat on Jackson Lake – with my fish, of course… heehee)

Today I was engaged in doing repairs to my mosaic dragonfly which I made to go on the outside of my shed studio. The weather forecast is promising fine weather for the weekend and Phil is going to revarnish it to keep it nice and protected from the North East winds we get and when he’s finished, it will join the butterfly I did a couple of years ago.

engaging

Day 148 ~ craving. ~ A craving is a longing or a desire for something.  We often associate it with food, but we can have these feelings for almost anything.  I crave calm and stillness…but most days both elude me.  Maybe it’s all those other skills that we have celebrated this week that overpower this desire.We often think that portraits are about showcasing beauty and hiding imperfections.  For me, the most powerful portraits illustrate realness and connection – connection to another person, a place, a thing…or yourself.  Your face is not necessary to show this kind of connection.  In this image, standing still in the greenhouse, a place that slows me down, tells the story of finding calm much better than seeing my face would have. What do you crave?  Illustrate it in today’s self portrait.  

this one was easiest of the lot! As I mentioned, May has been one long slog through pants weather, and we’ve been longing for sunshine and warm temperatures. Today the sun came out and it was lovely!

craving

Day 149 ~ splendid. ~ So where does my skill come into this photo, you may ask! These are alliums in my garden, which I planted years ago, and every year they pop up.  Just so that I can take photos of them. The skill is choosing the fabulous bulbs to plant, deciding where to plant them, and then enjoying the pleasure of having them show up every May so that I can photograph them.  What is splendid in your life that you have skilfully managed to grow, look after, or just admired!

This lady didn’t put herself in the picture at all! So naughty! Anyway I already photographed my flowers on day 145 but moved them around for this one. Every year (except last year obvs.) I go to the garden centre and choose some flowers to grow over spring and summer, not necessarily for photography purposes but just to look at and enjoy. Lots of cleaning out the old stuff from plant pots, planting the new stuff and making sure the snails can’t get at them. That’s what the copper strips are for around the pots, it keeps the slugs and snails away without killing them. They are looking quite splendid in the sun I think.

splendid

Thank fully that’s the last of the Sodding Selfie’s for now, until next month. So nice to have the sun at last, and we are planning a mini Bar-B-Q for ourselves later.

Stay tooned for our next adventure which will be ‘minimalism’.

59 thoughts on “365 ~ May 23rd ~ 29th”

  5. Lovely pictures; looks like you do have superpowers after all. Lord Vincent getting his head down in the trough, and Phil having his ears examined; what a portrait of the artist this is! Congratulations! Scorching weather today, hope it’s the same for you…

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  7. I love the expression on Phil’s face while you’re poking around in his ear.

    Mrs Spider plant really doesn’t have a green thumb. You have to work really hard to kill a spider plant, so I’m sure it will give her pleasure for a few more years, regardless of what she does to it.

    I’m very envious of the red stilettos, even though I couldn’t wear them. I can’t even remember the last time I wore shoes with a heel, although I keep a pair, just in case.

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  8. That dragonfly looks absolutely FAN.TAS.TIC! 🙂
    As to “versatile”: maybe you’d want something like the vest and/or belt I got lately: https://is.gd/0A02iS
    If that link to the picture itself doesn’t work, this here [https://wp.me/p4uPk8-3zd] should take you to the complete blog-post.

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          1. Well, I’m disappointed anyway Fraggle. Furthermore, the BBQ was only *fine*? Gee, seems like I’ve just stepped in a pile of disappointment. It’s everywhere!

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          3. I need somewhere to vent, Fraggle! Did you misuse a semicolon somewhere? Mention the idea of miniaturising animals? Try to kill a lovable bear?

            I’ll go to Alex’s.

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  11. I’m envious of your beautiful flowers. I don’t have much in the way of a green thumb. I plant a few in the flowerbeds, but I stick with marigolds because they’re so hearty and impossible to kill.

    We have your rain and cold weather. It’s dreadfully raw outside and dismal. Tomorrow we might see that glorious sunshine you have. For that reason, Craving is my favorite this week!

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  14. I love your dragonfly. I’m so envious of people who have such artistic talent. I laughed at ‘Pleasure’ because I see you are like me in forgetting or not even thinking about removing price tickets and labels from plant pots before planting up the flowers 🙂 ‘Versatile and ‘Work’ really meet the selfie brief but I think you cheated as much as the prompt persons for the others – though I like the pics.

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  15. Your photos are full of life. I love these ones, they speak by themselves. Your cat has a charming name, and your dragonfly is gorgeous! You are so good at photography with all your cameras, may I ask one technical question? How do I know the dpi of a photo?

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    1. Thanks Elizabeth. Finding the dpi of an image is different for Windows and Mac computers, but straightforward for both. Google for which one you are using and the instructions are there and easy to follow. X

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  16. I feel your pain with the selfies – This was a particular difficult week (in my opinion). That being said, I love all your photos! The dragonfly is gorgeous (you are very talented, my friend!) and the cat is adorable! (and congratulations on the feature for the sunshine!) xoxo

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  21. Yes love the dragonfly…and all your photos…they are wonderful (I dont like that sound of that woman in stitlettos in her kayak jumping off mountians or whatever..pain in the arse!). Sorry Ihaven’t visited more…I’ve missed a lot!

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    1. It’s ok you’re busy. The stiletto lady is Ok really I think, just living the American dream, also she has hearing problems I think as she commented on one of my photos that she couldn’t do without her audiologist. So I’ve stopped being mean. 🤣🤣🤣

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