I really love this lens... despite there being a small flaw in it I can't do anything about.

This is an example of Nikon's 20mm f/2.8D AF wide angle lens... and something that is rarely out of my camera bag.

The compact ultra-wideangle lens construction with Close-Range Correction (CRC) system offers 94 degree picture coverage with edge-to-edge sharpness.

Do I sound like a salesman?

While I often use this lens for landscapes and seascapes, it also comes in handy for capturing images like this:

and this

Or perhaps I should say...

This...

IS

That!
(clicky for biggy)

In the quiet of the countryside....

...or jetting off to somewhere exotic?

A comment on one of my posts yesterday made me stop and think a bit...

I'd made a social comment on being a responsible adult having stumbled across the remains of some unthinking sod's barbecue party held in a public place.

Perhaps I ought to have explained when making the post that the discarded barbecue trays and associated trash had been left at a picnic site adjacent to a children's play area...

This was the sight that greeted me when I arrived at the popular spot and caused my blood to boil; the threat to children, wildlife and the environment is unacceptable.

I'd assumed the perpetrators had been a family with children, but on second thoughts maybe that wasn't the case.

This morning I've been looking at the strewn rubbish with a slightly more critical eye... here's a brief list of what I can see:

• barbecue trays
• beer cans
• peroni bottles (Italian beer)
• cola cans
• orange juice cartons
• mayonnaise jar
• mustard jar
• lamb grill steaks
• melon peel
• kitchen towel, plastic bags and wrappers
• a carrier bag with unknown contents
• various unidentifiable leavings

Maybe I was wrong... this could be family type trash, but there's nothing there that definitely indicates kids.

What are your thoughts folks... what kind of individual has a barbecue in a picnic area and dumps rubbish like this?

It's about time I shut this thing off for the day... but before I do I'm going to leave you with this single thought.

Lots of us love the summer and spending time outdoors... so don't take your crap into the countryside and just dump it for some other poor sod to clean up after you - be a responsible person for once in your useless effing life and take your junk home or dispose of it properly!

G'night all!

I posted a video clip of Big Joe Turner yesterday and a comment from Homelyyear had me digging for a little information.

I was so impressed by what I read I thought I might write a brief biography of Big Joe "The Boss of the Blues" Turner... then I found someone had already written a fairly definitive piece.

If you're interested in jazz/blues history, I can recommend having a read of this article.

Just a couple of other images I couldn't resist grabbing at the time and thought I'd share with all you lucky people at a later date...

Nature Conquers All


Never ceases to amaze me how plants always seem to find a way to survive almost anywhere... that piece of timber must be in 20 feet of water and at least 15 feet from the nearest bit of Terra Firma...

Whips and chains on a Sunday morning? Heaven forbid...

Well no, no whips... ...but I am very familiar with these chains.

Silken Chains

Wrapped Chains

Inter-Linked

Well it must be time I subjected you all to some Rusty Usky images surely.
(click for larger versions)

Sunday morning and I've been awake on and off since 1:30... not that I mind I suppose... but when the mornings are grey and a bit mizzly like here today there's not even a nice dawn to appreciate...

The squadron of sparrows are late on patrol this morning... unless they've abandoned me for better pickings elsewhere.

Ah well I'll just settle back with a cup of hot black coffee and chill...

Well? What else did you expect?

...and rattle those pots and pans, I need to shake, rattle and roll!

I'm not on a diet or anything, but I'm obviously getting very much thinner...

Look...

You can see my ribs!

Will it ever float again?

I don't think so...

Just a couple of images I find quite restful...

At rest in Lydney Harbour

So there I was yesterday evening, watching the rain drip off my rosemary bush when my eye was caught by a sudden movement.

I looked, then looked again... and what did old Usky spy?

This little chap, scuttling around the deck...

...and feasting on the dropped rosemary flowers.

Happy little chap isn't he? Bold as brass too.

He's a field-mouse... and I just wonder where all his mates are.

I'm off to the kitchen...

and may be gone some time...

I suspect many of you are aware of the Fuck-up Fairy. Perhaps you're among the many victims of said entity?

The Fuck-up Fairy originated as a joke tee-shirt slogan worn by members of the IT repair brigade, who as we all know like to think themselves above us lesser mortals...

The original slogan has been beautified over the years, making the tee-shirt somewhat more acceptable to be worn in public. Note as well the user emphasis has mutated somewhat.

I thought perhaps it might be time to bust the myth of the mysterious world of the IT repair man and introduce you to the latest members of the PC World support team...

Have a good day y'all!

I've heard several people complain bitterly about our weather recently; it is of course a particularly British obsession to discuss the weather at the drop of a hat. Still it hasn't been that bad has it?

While it may be true mid-summer's day has been and gone and the country is gripped in something less than a heatwave; despite the odd few bright and sunny days, the British summer has pretty much lived up to its reputation this year. Perhaps we should consider ourselves relatively well off anyway?

Let's consider these few facts:

1. We live in a green and pleasant land
2. We rarely suffer water shortages
3. Our temperate climate means few extremes, weather wise
4. 12 months ago much of the country was suffering severe floods!

Looked at in those terms, our weather isn't all bad is it?

Mind you I'm not saying I wouldn't mind seeing a lot more sunshine and some really settled weather...

Who would you choose to lock up in a set of stocks?

Celebrities?

Members of the government?

Your boss?

Come on, share your least favourite people...

Now then... whose got the rotten veg?

Yesterday I posted urging you to look beyond the obvious and this morning I'm following up with a little more detail easily missed by the unobservant.

I spotted this Tudor house and thought how appropriate the "vintage" street-light was, assuming a light had to be added at all.

But of course the real find here are the signs either side of the lamp...

I rather like this pair of old enamel signs, although you may consider the frontage of this historic building has been somewhat vandalised.

It may be the effect of the sleepless night/day, but I'm damn tired....

Where the bloody hell is Zebedee when you need him?

G'night all!

Who can tell me what the Tudor equivalent of East Enders might have been?

One thing's for sure... our Tudor ancestors would have been far more accurate when they complained "There's nothing on the telly!"

Good morning blog and world...

I know I often bang on about how we all need to use our eyes more when we're out and about in our daily lives and encourage people to see beyond the obvious, but I make no apology for doing it all again today.

How much do you see when you drive through an unfamiliar town or village? If you're like me, you try to take in as much information as possible, while concentrating on traffic conditions, pedestrians, etc. I hate missing the detail on buildings, although of course sometimes it is unavoidable when the roads are busy.

Quiet shops on a quiet street in a small rural town...

But things obviously weren't always this way...

A closer inspection of the upper wall of the premises to the left indicates a much busier history here...

If this building was once North Street Brewery, I can't help wondering how many other brew houses there may been in this small, rural town? I suppose the only way to find out will be to revisit and spend some time wandering around to see what I can see... anyone fancy joining me?

Sleepless night...

Sleepless day...

Bloody knackered, so no blog today.

God damn I'm tired....

Well it is Sunday!

I posted a wee bit yesterday about HMS Belfast and although there doesn't appear to have been much interest in it, I just couldn't resist posting a second image of the ship.

HMS Belfast

A few facts and figures about the ship:

• Built: Harland and Wolff Shipyard, Belfast. Keel laid 10 December 1936
• Launched: 17 March 1938 - St. Patrick's Day
• Commissioned: Commissioned into the Royal Navy 5 August 1939
• Standard displacement: 11,553 tons
• Overall length: 613 feet 6 inches (187metres)
• Beam: 69 feet (21metres)
• Draught: 19 feet 9 inches (6.1metres)
• Armament (1959): Twelve (4x3) 6-inch; eight (4x2) 4-inch HA/LA; twelve (6x2) Bofors AA
• Propulsive machinery: Four Admiralty 3-drum boilers; four steam powered Parsons single reduction geared turbines driving four shafts at 80,000 shaft horsepower
• Maximum speed: 32 knots (36 miles / 58 km per hour)
• Complement: 750 (850 when acting as flagship)

I'll climb back in my box now and stop boring the world...

Have a good Sunday all.

No, I didn't spell the title wrong... I'm thinking about ships, not body parts.

In 1936, the Admiralty decided to order two enlarged and improved versions of the large light cruisers of the 'Southampton' class. These were Belfast and Edinburgh.

Like one of my ships, HMS Bulwark, HMS Belfast was built at the Harland and Wolff Shipyard in Belfast. She was launched on St. Patrick's Day, 17 March 1938.

Commissioned to the Royal Navy in August 1939, Belfast joined the 18^th Cruiser Squadron and saw active service throughout the Second World War.

There are plenty of documents available detailing HMS Belfast's explo