Staying in monochrome mode...

There are a whole bunch of my images that I'm quite pleased with and although my 'favourites' tend to vary from day to day, this photograph is one I seem to come back to time and again.

Landscape in Black & White

Hope you might enjoy it too.

Just feeling the need to slide back to the era of black & white imaging... in digital mode that is... since I no longer have my own darkroom.

The Second Severn Crossing

...has lost his trike.

The river mud on this tidal section of the River Usk is notorious; people have been known to sink up to the waist and get themselves trapped... must be a horrible way to die, waiting and watching as the river rises as high tide...

I had a really good sleep last night... about seven hours worth.

Of course I woke up several times, but still it's a vast improvement on my recent sleep pattern....

The trouble is when I sleep like that it always takes me forever to get myself together in the morning... my head aches and feels muzzy... I'm disoriented and slow...

And joy of joys I seem to have started a head cold... so today I've got red eyes and a runny nose too... great, eh? Oh well...

Go on then... all together now... 1... 2... 3...

Oh balls it's Monday....

...goodnight all!

I posted an image of this little chap earlier today and thought perhaps I'd just put in context.

He looks a bit lost among all his mates doesn't he?

Do trees use toilets?

This little chap's obviously in dire need... he's got his legs crossed!

An old boss of mine was always fond of saying, "The impossible we can do immediately; miracles take a little longer."

Which category does walking on water fall under

Seriously, this is not trick photography...
The chap's walking on a sandbar... you just can't see it.

Hello all.

Just thought I'd say...

...I have absolutely nothing to say!

It occurred to me looking back over some of this morning's comments that I ought to offer an explanation about one of mine...

I said earlier that Rhossili Bay is a great favourite with hang-gliding enthusiasts and water-babies alike... but if you don't actually know Rhossili Bay, you wouldn't know why.

A picture speaks a thousand words... so I'm going to shut up now!

There we are... 'nuff said!

I'm often asked questions about image editing software:

• What do you recommend?
• What should I buy?
• Why is Photoshop so expensive?
• What are the alternatives?

Since the glorious weather I was raving about less than an hour ago has deteriorated into a dull greyness and the first spits of rain are now landing on my window, it looks as though I have some time on my hands so I thought I'd address the topic here.

Adobe Photoshop, in all its various versions.

Photoshop is a truly superb image editing package; no software gets to be the industry standard software set without being good. By virtue of the fact that everyone else is playing "catch-up," Adobe have been able to price Photoshop beyond the reach of most individuals.

Other than the cost of the package, there's little or nothing to criticise where Photoshop is concerned.

Adobe Photoshop Elements

To all intents and purposes, Elements is a cut-down version of Photoshop.

For the average user there is little you cannot do with Elements and in my eyes this is a serious contender for an image editing package at a cost of around £70.00 (discounts are available if you shop around).

Paint Shop Pro Photo X2

Paint Shop Pro seems to have been around forever. From humble beginnings this software is now part of the Corel group and is quite simply excellent. I've heard Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 referred to as a Photoshop CS lookalike; I'd argue with that in as much as PSP is more akin to Photoshop Elements and is priced accordingly. However PSP has been around in its own right for many a year and has a loyal following. Expect to pay less than £80.00 for this software.

GIMP: the GNU Image Manipulation Program

Breaking away from commercial software, GIMP is an extremely versatile graphics manipulation package and having used it myself I can vouch for how good it is.

GIMP has one real benefit though... it comes FREE!

If you visit the GIMP web you'll find tutorials, demos, FAQs and of course the downloads.

There are versions of GIMP available for Linux, Mac and Windows users; just make sure you download the appropriate version for your operating system.

There are, of course, dozens and dozens of other image and photo editing packages available to buy; I'm not about to tell you what you should or shouldn't buy, but the packages listed above are offered as a starting point for consideration.

What do I use? Photoshop is the image editing package I use most... no, not the latest version.

I also have:

• Nikon's Capture NX, written specifically as a photo-editor for Nikon's digital SLRs
• GIMP
• Paint Shop Pro 9
• Fireworks

For more information about the above go to:

• Adobe Photoshop and Elements
• Paint Shop Pro
• GIMP

I hope this is useful to anyone seeking image/photo editing software.

The sun is shining and although there's a fair breeze here this morning, it is truly glorious outside.

For the first time this year I enjoyed my morning coffee on the patio communing with the birds and talking to my fish... I know, I know... sad git!

I'm all fired up to get out with my camera though and see what I can find to interest my eye.

I'm sorely tempted to take a jaunt out but doubt somehow I'll find the beach as deserted as I did this day...

A glorious place to walk, hand in hand along the sand...

The time is moving on so I think maybe I'd better get this week's Little Something for the Weekend posted.

It's still a bit dark to see what the weather's doing outside as yet, but I can't hear any wind or rain against the window pane. Fingers crossed for a dry day today.

It'll soon be April and time for home wine makers everywhere to be gathering dandelion heads...

...and after a few glasses of "piss-the-bed" wine, who's the say things won't look a little strange?

Just topping up my rusty fix...

Seems there are lots of people in Blogland suffering withdrawal symptoms today...

I'm one among many it seems...

For me it's a lack of Rusty Stuff...

Ahhhhhhh......

That feels so much better......

The idiom time and tide wait for no man suggests that people should act without delay... have you ever wondered about the origin of such sayings?

Here are a few suggestions for the origin of the time and tide idiom:

For thogh we slepe or wake, or rome, or ryde, Ay fleeth the tyme; it nil no [will no] man abyde.
[c 1390 Chaucer]

The Tyde abydeth no man.
[c 1520 Anonymous]

Tyde nor time tarrieth no man.
[1592 Greene]

Time and tide tary on no man.
[1639 Clarke]

Let's step into the state-room, and turn in: Time and tide waits for no one.
[1767 Barton]

Come, come, master, let us get afloat. ‥Time and tide wait for no man.
[1822 Scott]

This one's obviously not an original, but it made me smile...

Time and tide wait for no man. ‘And a school bus waits for no boy.’
[2002 Washington Post]

Apparently mine is the most sick-making boring blog on the internet; thank you so much for letting me know your opinion Anonymous.

You see the thing is, I don't really care what you think... if you really want to let me know how you feel have the decency to tell me so and leave a valid email address so I can answer your inane rant...

On the other hand get a bloody life or simply slide up your own backside and reside with the rest of the shite!

...which I wasn't going to, there was also a cityscape in my dream...

I didn't have the right sort of image to illustrate the 'scape in my files though, so I thought I'd make one...

...and here it is.

Thought I'd do this as a new post...

The gales around the Gower coast on the morning of 1st November 1887 caused two ships, heavily laden with timber, to be stranded off Mumbles' Head. Unable to navigate the stormy seas to dock at Swansea Harbour, the struggling ships found themselves being blown down the Bristol Channel by the increasingly strong south-easterly winds. One ship luckily managed to reach the shelter of Lundy Island, but the oak-constructed barque of the Helvetia, struck the dangerous sandbank of Helwick Sands. With the next turbulent swell, the ship gained freedom from the shallow waters but was swept precariously around Worm's Head into the shallow waters of Rhossili Bay.

Click for larger version

The captain of the Helvetia dropped anchor here and was taken ashore by the coastguard. However, he refused to abandon his ship altogether, leaving the crew aboard the barque, afraid that given the chance, someone might steal her. Unfortunately, the wind refused to die down and when it changed direction suddenly, it forced the ship to drag her anchor. With nightfall rapidly approaching, the decision was finally made for the crew to abandon ship. The tortured wreck of the Helvetia was discovered the next morning, laid to rest upon the sands and surrounded by her cargo of 500 tons of wood.

During the following weeks the timber was systematically collected from the beach and gathered for auction sale, where South Wales timber merchants purchased the cargo at a bargain price. Arrangements were made for the timber to be taken by ship during the summer months. It was during this phase of the wood clearance operation that the sea brought a second disaster to the area.

The steamboat Cambria, from Llanelli, and a small Mumbles sailing vessel, having loaded the Helvetia’s timber from the bay, were both caught short by the tide. The captain of the sailing vessel carried his anchor out to low water to assist in leaving the bay later, but the propeller driven Cambrian needed to wait for high tide.

As the tide came in, the wind picked up pace causing the waves to intensify and swell. As the Cambria started to float with the rising water, it unfortunately turned sideways onto the strengthening waves, and looked as if it would surely be wrecked. However, with the help from the coastguard, the ship was stabilized and the crew managed to sail away safely later the same day. The ship's anchor had been left behind, however, and so some local men were hired to carry the anchor over the sands at low water, to the nearby area of the bay known as Kitchen Corner. There they attached a buoy to the anchor, making it ready for collection when the ship returned later.

When the ship returned to the bay several months later, the Cambria’s master sent a boat ashore with some day-tripping landlubbers. After spending the day at the Rhossili public house 'The Ship Inn', these men finally recovered the anchor. Unfortunately, the weight of the anchor, accompanied by the weight of the six rescuers, proved too much for the boat, eventually causing it to capsize. All six men were thrown into the ocean. Only one of the men made it to the shore alive.

The wreck of the Helvetia itself was sold cheaply to a local man, but before he had a chance to strip the precious copper keel from the vessel, she had started to settle in the sand. Nevertheless, he made good salvage of the ship's deckboards by flooring his kitchen with its wood.

Rhossili was not a stranger to profit from shipwrecks, previous centuries had witnessed the violence of the Rhossili Wreckers - who lured in unsuspecting ships caught in troubled seas to be smashed against the rocks, in order to acquire their cargo. Such purposeful wrecking confined to the past, the locals would still always make good use of the wreckwood from the beaches, and nearly all of the surviving old farm buildings down the far end of the peninsula are constructed from such reclamation.

The ocean-stripped oak carcass of the Helvetia shipwreck is today an easily recognised landmark of Rhossili and must be one of the most photographed of objects on the Gower peninsula as a whole.

The sessions I've been having with my therapist seem to be doing me some good, but oh boy do they leave me feeling shattered... the stuff running around in my head wouldn't let go last night so I didn't sleep much... then I crawled back between the sheets around 9:30am and I'm just up and about and trying to make sense of the rest of the day... my head aches and I'm not sure whether that's from too much sleep or because I'm just befuddled and probably a bit dehydrated.

I dreamed about some weird stuff while I was sleeping, which I won't go into here, but part of the dream took place on this beach and featured the wrecked ship's prow you see here.

So I've kind of had a wasted day, except for having caught up on vast amounts of sleep... so I'm sorry if anyone's wondered about my whereabouts today, I've had an unscheduled and very long lay-in...

Do you recycle your waste products?

You do?

Well done you... you're helping to save the planet!

Tell me though, does your authority recycle everything you'd like them too?

And what do they do if you happen to put something in the wrong box/try to recycle something they won't take?

I hope your authority has a better attitude to incorrect items than Monmouthshire County Council...

A new neighbour had moved from an area where plastics were recycled... Monmouthshire County Council won't take plastics for recycling.

This is what the recycling guys left....

Do you think our new neighbour got the message?

If sitting in the morning sunshine is too much for you, perhaps you ought to seek out a more shady spot...

...like this one.

Best you don't doze off though... the tide's still coming in and you might get your toes wet!

Take the weight off, sit a while, rest and soak up the sunshine...

Ahhhhh... that's better.

...car!

Welcome to Planet Usky.... where nothing is real... but everything is true...

You can't beat a good bit of fantasy... it spices up everyone's lives... well it should spice up everyone's lives... in an ideal world...

Someone pass the suspenders please.......

I spotted this growing in Roath Park, Cardiff last summer...

I've absolutely no idea what it is, but I liked it so I photographed it. The thing sort of reminded me of bromeliad, but also in some respects of an orchid, or one of the succulents... I suppose the flower-head must've been getting on for two feet tall.

Quite an amazing thing... so I thought I'd share it.

When Mr. Praline (John Cleese) realises he's been sold a dud he takes it back and complains to shop owner (Michael Palin)... the shop owner does his best to persuade Mr Praline there's nothing wrong, which for me leads to one of the funniest outbursts in Python comedy:

Owner: No no! 'E's pining!

Mr. Praline: 'E's not pinin'! 'E's passed on! This parrot is no more! He has ceased to be! 'E's expired and gone to meet 'is maker! 'E's a stiff! Bereft of life, 'e rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed 'im to the perch 'e'd be pushing up the daisies! 'Is metabolic processes are now 'istory! 'E's off the twig! 'E's kicked the bucket, 'e's shuffled off 'is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile!! THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!!

Excellent stuff!

I kind of digress though because I really wanted to share this image of pine cones growing on of my local trees with you... in a few short months these little chaps will be huge, full of seeds and potential food for all kinds of animals and birds... except perhaps parrots!

Oh yes, back to Monty Python... you can watch the original Dead Parrot Sketch if you've a mind to.

Hope you're all feeling bright and cheerful this morning? If not, this may help a little... I hope.

I seem to have been here off and on most of the day today... and this will be my seventh post... I must be crazy!

Anyway it's time I drifted off for the rest of the evening I think, so I'll wish you all a very good night.

My oh my... you won't get many of these to the pound!

Or should that be kilo?

Since parts of the country still seem to be in the grip of unseasonably cold weather, I thought some of you might need a little warming up. So here's some hot stuff for you.

Exclaimed the actress in surprise
For she beheld the Bishopric
With thunder in her eyes...


Usky's version of the lighthouse on Plymouth Ho

And not a sign of any Viagra either!

I know I've posted this image before and make no excuses for doing so again. Capturing the wave splash may have been fortuitous as photography goes, but the intrusion did rather ruin an interesting study.

This is the building that was the object of my attention.

Nice ain't it? Full of character and charm.

There's a building in Dartmouth I've always rather liked... I'm not sure I can say why exactly, it just appeals to me.

Actually there are quite a lot of buildings in Dartmouth I quite like, but this one has to be top of my list I think.

So anyway I wanted to share the building with you... just in case you might like it too.

It may be the stark contrast between the black and white that appeals... the red brick 'stripe' down the front... the box-bow windows... the balconies... or just the whole lot rolled into one... I really don't know why, but I do like it.

What a bunch... which one will give way?

All they're missing are sombreros and bandoleers!

What's going on here then?

Answers on a postcard please....

I somehow doubt that's a real term in any way, shape or form, but Andy Warhol was still the inspiration for this image ...

Poppy Head

...with images...

It's that damn train again!

...with images can be a lot of fun... especially when you set yourself a bit of a challenge to make life more difficult.

I wanted a speeding train and that bit was quite easy... the next bit though caused me to think about things a bit... I wanted it in an 'alien' environment that wouldn't look too far out of place. The stone arch was photographed in a churchyard and in some ways reminded me of the entrance to one of Brunel's railway tunnels... so that was it... I got at it.

Anyone got any comments?

I couldn't resist a tad more fiddling with an underground image...

Original

Treated with a difference glow

With an infra-red filter

Wrapped in plastic

I was playing earlier this morning and though I'd share a couple of images with you on the off chance you might find them amusing...

This is an image I took in Gough's Cave in the Cheddar Gorge. It is shot in 'natural' light and has not been coloured in any way.

If we saw colours at the infra-red end of the spectrum, the image would appear like the above.

And finally, this is the colour inverted (negative if you like) version of the same image.

Here's another pair of images... I entitled the original "Maiden's Prayer"... I dare say you can work out why!

Hope you find these interesting...

Good morning everyone. The weather is pretty foul, but thought I'd send you good wishes this Holy Saturday and hopefully help brighten the start of your day.

Whatever you choose to do today, have fun doing it and enjoy your Easter weekend.

I think this might be forsythia, but I may well be very wrong! It's nice and bright though in a pretty, yellow, sort of a way..

I make no apologies for this...

Happy Easter!

To quote King Bob:

Mama, take this badge off of me
I can't use it anymore.
It's gettin' dark, too dark for me to see
I feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door.

Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door

Well? What are you waiting for? It is Easter after all...

...and old Usky has been wide awake...

Some good things come from insomnia though... I've been compiling some information for a friend, so I don't feel my night has been in the least wasted... typically though at 5:30 in the morning I'm starting to yawn and feeling a bit weary... perhaps I can make like my star-sign namesake here and doze the day away...

All offers for taking the position of guardian will be considered on merit.

Cartoon time...

With Secret Squirrel

"Flat out...

...like a lizard lounging" ...to quote Paul Hogan.

Grey

Squirrel

Well this is something you won't see every day...

Jet Powered Goose!

Personally I think he's just showing off... she doesn't look too impressed though.

Have a good evening all!

Red Ken's latest recruits hit the streets...

"You Shall Not Pass!" shouted Gandalf

Oh Deer... so hard to resist!

Someone pass the bag of buns please...

If you happen to visit Lydney, have a little time on your hands and are looking for somewhere quiet, I suggest you seek out St Mary's church.

This large church is mostly Early English, with the tower, aisled nave and chancel dating from the 13th century.

The east window and that in the south aisle contain Early English stained glass, whilst in contrast, in the north aisle is a modern window showing the Franz Joseph glacier in New Zealand; donated in 1941 by Lord Bledisloe to commemorate his tour of duty as Governor of New Zealand.

St Mary's is mentioned in 13th century documents and was built in the Early English style, as was Lydney's Preaching Cross.

The church still has its own station on the Dean Forest railway, although oddly access to the footbridge across the tracks has denied.

St Mary's Halt, Lydney

Bizarrely, St Mary's church really is on the wrong side of the Forest of Dean railway tracks...

Access to the footbridge is denied so even if passengers alight at the station there's no way there's no way for them to get to the church without jumping down off the platform, crossing the tracks and then climbing over the fence... how odd is that?

So anyway, here I am back in Blogland having had most of a day off... did you miss me?

I haven't been doing anything particularly amazing today, although I did go and have a walk around a boating lake... not that there are any boats on the lake... but there are plenty of waterfowl.

A friendly bunch the geese... though there's always one who wants to give you some grief isn't there?

He, she or it was quite a fine looking bird though... and would make a very nice dinner I'm sure.

Anyone know how you tell the difference between male and female geese?

Just in case you thought I'd fallen off the face of Blogland... thought I'd better say hello.

Hope you're all fit and well today?

While I construct a proper post, I thought I'd just offer you a re-working of the olive tree stump image I posted yesterday.

I love Greece... the history... the people... the sunshine... the wonderful kalamata olives...

I also love the way the locals recycle 'stuff' with a view to decoration. Take this chunk of olive tree, standing beside the entrance to a very small eatery... I think it adds something rather special to the tiny 4 table restaurant.

The proprietors also sold tubs of their own olives for really silly chea prices.

Can anyone find a home for a street sign?

Monday's always seem to come around rather quickly don't they? I'm sure the weekend's are getting shorter!

My therapist tells me to use mind over mood... so if you've got the Monday morning blues perhaps you should think yourself happy?

Here are two versions of the same image... the viaduct at Merthyr... and my question for you... which one would you choose?

Please click the images for larger views if you wish.

...letting your girlfriend draw with the sun-screen.

I couldn't resist this...

This group were obviously on a family outing to Stratford and I kind of felt for the photographer who was desperately trying to take images of all the interesting places...

Just look at the expressions on the faces of the others... I tell you, I recognise that "Oh come on, I'm bored witless with this!" look.

I was watching the Antiques Roadshow the other day while I was doing the ironing... and was quite amazed by the value put on some odd bits of Victorian pottery by the so-called expert. It was a cup and saucer... Royal Derby I think... with a blue and gold pattern... rather similar to the stuff my Grandmother used to keep locked away for Sunday use only....

Anyway it got me thinking... dangerous I know... but if a not very inspiring bit of Victorian pot can be worth several hundred pounds, what sort of value would you put on these pieces of Victoriana?

I've posted these images before, but decided to rework them and clean them up a bit so am posting them again.

This 'sculpture' is in Newport on the reaches of the Old Town Dock.

The sculpture represents a wave and has been the subject of much controversy ever since it was erected.

Like a lot of other modern 'art' I suppose this is one of those things you either love or hate... I'm quite indifferent myself... or maybe I've just become used to it!

Anyway, there it is... The Wave.

What do you think you'd find if you climbed inside the little tunnel at the bottom of the tower...

1. Wales achieve a Grand Slam in this year's RBS Six Nations rugby tournament.

2. Lewis Hamilton wins the Melbourne Grand Prix for McLaren.

3. Neither Ferrari finishes...

It doesn't get much better than that!

Can I just introduce you all to Idris Dragon?

Idris will be joining me in front of the huge, high def, wall-sized plasma screen this afternoon, getting quietly sozzled while we watch Italy v Scotland, laughing at Ireland v England, and shouting like demented dragons at Wales v France...

The fridge has been commandeered and is filled with good Welsh ale... and the odd bottle or two of French champagne... a good day will be had by all!

Well it has finally arrived... Super Saturday...

Will Scotland avoid the Wooden Spoon?

Will Wales complete the Grand Slam?

Will Lewis Hamilton grab the first pole position of 2008?

Bring it on!

Have a great Super Saturday everyone.

I've always rather liked the Moody Blues, but this post has absolutely nothing to do with their album of the same name...

I arrived early for my therapy session on Wednesday, so had a little time to kill. The sun had come out and I wandered into a local park.

I could see a strange concrete structure and strolled over to take a look; it turned out to be a series of skateboard ramps and as I was stood looking at it this guy on a BMX bike arrived.

Seemed to me the ramps were well suited to this kind of activity.

I guess peddling up and down the ramps would keep you pretty fit too.

Looked like quite a lot of fun though...

Until he started doing this!

Click any of the images to get a larger view if you're so inclined.

If anyone here can explain to me why the guy's panty-clad ass had to be hanging out, I'd be glad of an explanation.

Well here I be, back indoors again... and while I sneak around to read all your blogs I'll leave you with another little piece of art to look at.

It is art I tell's ya... it's black & white... and infra-red too!

Oh... you might just recognise the sky in this image too...

I'm not really here right now... in fact this blog post is nothing but a figment of my imagination... until it actually gets published that is... then it will be a figment no more and a matter of actual fact... ahhhh... ain't technology a wondrous thing?

So here I am, not here at all, sharing a few images of Newport's most famous landmark...

Not everyone's cup of tea I know, but Newport's Transporter Bridge has featured in various films and draws visitors from around the world.

Old Usky has a busy day ahead today and won't be spending much time here in Blogland. So anyway, I just wanted to wish you all a very happy Friday and I'll catch up with you all later in the day.

Mean time I'll leave you with this quiet place to rest a while...

This is something I've been playing with and just wanted to get some feedback from you folks: what do you think of this?

Please click to enlarge.

So much for Usky's plan to have a nice day out today... somehow I just knew things were destined to turn sour...

Well first things first I had an appointment with the dentist... just a check-up, but I'd managed to miss the last several so this was like the last chance saloon... either I turned up this morning or I'd be struck off the list!

The dentist lady had a bit of a moan because it'd been so long since I was last there (more than two years ago) and went on and on about how teeth deteriorate with age and given that I am now in that age bracket where teeth are really vulnerable... yawns... nods... opens gob...

She poked... she prodded... she shhhhed with a cold air blower... scraped and prodded some more... then said in a very huffy voice there was nothing wrong... well I could've told her that!

I felt a bit sorry for her really because I'm sure she wanted to stick needles in me and get her drill out.

Anyway by the time I got out of the dentist the skies over the Bristol Channel were looking pretty grey and miserable so I decided a trip to the coast was probably not a good idea.

I got in my car and headed inland... it would be a day for churches and cemeteries and anything else that caught my eye...

Driving up into the hills, the little yellow picture of a car engine lit up on my dashboard... bugger! Okay so I pulled over and opened the bonnet... have you noticed how modern car engines don't really look like car engines anymore...

Sod it... I drove home... 'phoned the dealership... bring it in next week... and it had started to rain...

So no walk by the coast... no churches... no cemeteries...

In true Blue Peter style... here's a couple of images I prepared earlier.

I spent two hours with my therapist yesterday having a really good mental workout... these sessions always leave me feeling shattered... but also leave me in a reflective state of mind... so last night I just gave in to fatigue and has a really good sleep and this morning I'm kind of mooning about in a thoughtful sort of mood...

I haven't looked out the window yet, but I can't hear any wind or rain today so I'm hoping to get out for a nice quiet walk somewhere to continue my reflection. Perhaps I'll find a country church with a quiet churchyard and just watch the world go by...

...arty farty that is...

You might want to look at this enlarged to get the most out of it.

Some of you may recognise this image... I posted it on the Photography Group blog a couple of weeks ago...

Well here's a reworking... and I'd be interested to hear what people think about it.

Gosh, isn't it a windy old day? Well it is here anyway... trees lashing around and odd bits of rubbish scooting along the road like tumble-weed!

Anyway, here's wishing you all a Happy Wednesday and offering a little something to, I hope, brighten your day.

Have a good day y'all!

An American friend of mine, who just happens to use one of my images for desktop wallpaper, had a system crash the other day... some kind of power surge completely zapped his hard drive.

Anyway long story short and all that, he got himself up and running reasonably quickly with the aid of a new hard disk and dropped me an email to ask whether I still had his desktop image... I do... and this is it:-

Fairly apt given the weather we've been having I suppose.

Here's a bit of a challenge for you... an eye test if you prefer...

Look at this image:

Click it to make it larger if you wish...

Now answer these questions:-

1. How many constituent parts make up the image?

2. What is really out of place here?

Just a bit of fun.

It's always nice to freshen up after a hard day... or a hard night come to that... and this bubbling, tumbling water looks so inviting doesn't it? Come on, get your kit off and let's go for a morning splash about.

Last one in's a sissy!

Oh no... wait a moment...

Things aren't always what they seem are they?

This is no fresh water stream... it's a sewer... still want to splash about in it? No, I thought not!

Howdy folks!

Hitch up your pony... brush down your chaps... shake the dust off your hat... and slide on over to the saloon with old Usky for a morning 'lifter'...

Have a great Tooosday y'all!

...thank you... there obviously is a god!

And to celebrate I think I'll post another Rusty Rock

I have the mother and father of all headaches today... no I'm not seeking sympathy, it's only a headache and it will go away... but I wish someone could explain why it is with the weekend just gone, the guy across the road decides to spend a Monday evening with the garage door wide open tuning one of these...

Thank god he's got young kids who will be toddling off to bed soon... he's bound to stop then, isn't he?

...and anyone else who fancies plugging something in.

You never know what you'll pull out when rummaging in your draws...

Good morning all - hope the arrival of Monday morning hasn't been too traumatic for you.

It can be a funny old world at times can't it? One minute we're all tootling along pleasantly and everything in the garden seems fine. The next something happens that causes a minor melt-down and things go a bit pear-shaped...

Do any of you folks use mind-mapping techniques as memory aids or whatever? It's something I've been trying recently to help work through the state of confusion caused by my depression. Sometimes I think it works, other times I'm not so sure... one thing I do know... my memory, both short and long term, but particularly short term is really hopeless these days. I guess my neural networks are less like logical links and more akin to a rat's nest!

I used to have the most perfect memory... not so much photographic, but I could recall conversations or the salient points of meetings verbatim; very handy really because it meant I didn't need to take notes! It's all gone now though... ...I'm lucky if I retain anything at all these days.

I've just realised in fact that I forgot to post the answer to the weekend teaser yesterday... so I'll go and do that now!

Occasionally in life we all have to undertake tasks we'd rather not do; this is one of those times.

It is with considerable regret I inform you that one of my oldest blog chums has decided to call it a day and hang up his keyboard; I refer to that doyen of Yorkshire wit, Grumpybloke.

Those among you who know GB will undoubtedly miss his presence here as much as I will and I’m sure you’d want to join me in wishing David all the very best for the future.

Take care GB old mate; gone but not forgotten.

Rocks like these, which fell from a Welsh cliff-face onto the beach below, attract old Usky like a pin to a magnet...

Well, you know Rusty Usky and his fascination for all things rusting...

I know, I know... what the heck am I doing up and about at 4:30 on a Saturday morning? For a change I do actually have a reason for it...

So anyway today is crunch day for Wales in this year's Six Nations championship... a win against Ireland today will secure the Triple Crown and keep the lads in red on course for the Grand Slam. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed.

See all yo good folks later... I'm off for a cup of coffee and an early breakfast.

Or maybe just top bird...

Never let it be said Rusty Usky missed a rusty opportunity....

...can you find for a bunch (or just one) of these?

Dipsacus Fullonum

Have a little think and see how many uses you can list for teasels.

Yesterday evening I posted this image on the Photography Group blog and mentioned SARA.

The Severn Area Rescue Association (SARA) is an Inshore Rescue boat and Land Search organisation covering the Severn Estuary and upper reaches of the River Severn.

SARA is the largest independent lifeboat service in the UK, second only to the RNLI, with 8 operational boats and approximately 150 personnel.

For more information, please visit the SARA web site.

What rabid minded fool decreed poor Usky should be wide awake at three in the morning...

...I just couldn't resist this

Well you know me and my penchant for anything rusty!

And now I think it's time I hung up my keyboard for the night....

I never tire of photographing this bridge... there's just something about it.

For anyone who doesn't doesn't recognise it, this is the M48 Severn Bridge - the first motorway link across the River Severn between Aust on the English side and Chepstow on the Welsh.

...in the increasingly important battle to keep you head above water that is.

Here's an interesting web site for budding gardeners interested in growing their own fruit and veg... and as it's produced by the Royal Horticultural Society you can assume the information is all good.

Now, where did I leave my spade....

There are always bits of tree being washed up along the Severn foreshore and some are far more interesting than others. Even the less than interesting ones often deserve a second look...

Take this salt-blanched tree trunk for instance. I've no idea how long it may have rested on the pebbles or when it last swam in the River Severn... probably with the last powerful Severn Bore I'd guess. Anyway, it looks kind of plain and ordinary and rather boring... until you move in close...

The texture of the timber and the remaining bark makes some very interesting shapes don't you think?

...or

Anyone know a good fence?

It seems that there's a fence between Heaven and Hell, which had fallen into disrepair. St. Peter sought out Satan.

"Hey, Satan, it's your turn to fix the fence. The big guy says it looks awful. Get it done."

"I like the way it looks," Satan answered. "I'm not doing anything."

"You have to," said St. Peter. "It's your duty. You signed a contract when we built the fence, and you are obligated to repair it."

"You think I care about that contract?" asked Satan. "You should know better than that. I said I am not doing anything, and if you don't leave me alone, I may just tell you what you can do with that contract."

"If you don't make the repairs," St. Peter said angrily, "The law will make you. If you don't live up to your obligations under the contract, we'll sue you."

"Sue me?" Satan couldn't help laughing. "Where are you gonna get a lawyer?"

Time for my old bones to hit the mattress....

Goodnight all!

No, no... not the drug induced state that does all kinds of strange things to the mind... not even the exhilaration of driving down a deserted motorway at hrumph MPH....

I want to spend a moment talking about shutter speed... I know, those of you not interested in the technicalities of photography are already yawning... I understand that... skip straight to the images.

Do you photograph moving water?

Are you happy with your results?

Maybe you need to experiment a little with your camera's shutter speed...

Here's an image of water running free over a small weir. Note the water looks kind of stationary against the crispness of the odd rocks... it's an okay image, but it's nothing special...

Okay, in the above example the camera's shutter speed was set to 1/350s so is relatively fast. Not fast enough to 'freeze' the water, but certainly fast enough to 'steady' it.

Slowing the shutter speed will allow more water to pass the camera during exposure... this will creates an illusion of movement. If you experiment here you'll find you get some interesting results.

Here's a second example, this time the camera's exposure is set to 1/50s... just look at the difference in the texture of the water.

To me, the water here is far more pleasing... but here's a tip for you. If you want to generate some really stunning results, set your camera on a tripod and try shutter speeds of 1s, 2s, 4s, 10s.... trust me, you will not be disappointed!

Happy Speeding!

This little chap was obviously hungry... he was stood on the corner of a picnic table singing his little heart out.

I had nothing to offer him, but I did stop and listen to his song.

...for a Rusty Usky moment!

From the quay edge at Black Rock.

As I mentioned in my post the morning, Black Rock was once the site of a ferry service between Wales & England across the River Severn.

Black Rock was an important river crossing point for many centuries and dates to pre-Roman times.

During the Roman occupation Black Rock was on the main route between Aquae Sulis (Bath) and Venta Silurum (Caerwent).

The ferry service originally carried foot passengers, cattle and trade goods on rowed/sailed boats leaving from a small quay; this is what remains of the last stone quayside at Black Rock.

Evidence suggests the present stone ramp replaced an earlier one of similar construction.

The cobble stones at top of the ramp are slowly grassing over, but indicate the original roadway.

After the railways came to Wales a branch line was built to Black Rock; the cutting that carried the track is no more than an overgrown ditch nowadays.

When the line was opened in 1863 trains would travel out onto a wooden pier, where the passengers would get off before climbing aboard the ferries.

The pier was severely damaged by fire in 1881 and demolished after the Severn Tunnel opened in 1886, but parts can still be seen at low tide.

To cope with the tidal rise/fall a special dock area was carved into the river bottom allowing the ferry service to run 24 hours.

Notice the small lighthouse to the left indicating the line for the ferry boats. The pier ran down to the right of the image.

The lighthouse marker.

I hope you've found my little trip into local history interesting...

You may not know this, but before there was a railway tunnel under the River Severn and long before anyone thought of building road bridges above it, there was a passenger ferry service that ran between Black Rock on the Welsh side to New Passage on the English side, carrying passengers, cattle and iron ore. The Black Rock ferry also pre-dates the Aust ferry.

In 1863, the Bristol & South Wales Union Railway built a branch from the main line to Black Rock. Trains would travel out onto a wooden pier, where the passengers would get off before climbing aboard the ferries.

Very little exists of the pier now, but it was sited here.

From the foreshore it is possible to examine the base of one of the remaining piles and as you can see, the Second Severn Crossing is only a short distance downstream.

So there I was walking along the foreshore and minding my own business... and into my field of vision leapt this old slag... and he was wearing his best hat too!

Or then again... it could be a pimple!

Spotted this little beauty on my way home from the hospital today...

She was all alone in the edge of the hedge so I just had to stop and say "Hello."

They always say a watched kettle takes longer to boil don't they? I wonder if it's really true...

Well I had a hospital appointment this morning... I won't bother going into all the gory details... suffice it to say I had to give a sample while I was there... so 2 litres of water and 90 minutes later... feeling as though I was waterlogged... I asked the nurse how long she'd got... she told me she'd be there until 8 o'clock this evening... thank God I didn't have to wait that long for my bladder to finally give in and play the game!

Good morning all... hope you're not feeling too jaded this Monday morning?

I spotted this sign on Friday:

Couldn't help thinking maybe the pub was having a bit of a laugh!

(Click to enlarge)

No, not like that... what are you like?

Just for a bit of fun this morning I posted this image and asked if anyone could identify it:

There were a couple of interesting guesses and a near miss or two from the likes of Madtrucker, who suggested it was part of a field gun.

In fact it's a gun that was taken from a captured German submarine and presented to Chepstow by King George V... you may think that a bit odd.

The gun was placed in Beaufort Square as a memorial to Able Seaman W. C. Williams V.C. who was killed in action 25 April 1915 and a native of Chepstow town.

Oh... the bronze statue doesn't belong there at all, I just found him loafing about...

Well done Spicy... on your submarine guess.

I'm feeling in the mood for a bit of fun and wondered if anyone fancied a what is it sort of game this morning?

I took this photo in Chepstow's main street...

...any idea what it might be?

My weekend teaser is still running of course, if you fancy having a crack at that too.

Wales is full of history... we are blessed with stone age hill forts and iron age remains... Romans, Normans, Chartists and goodness knows what else... heck we still have Bronze Age Man living and walking among us.

Handsome looking devil isn't it?

...today is Saint David's Day

Dew...

Sorry, I really couldn't resist.

Dydd Gwyl Dewi Dedwydd! Happy St David's Day to you all from Usky.