Scotland & England, May 2010

Swans, Stirling University

Another repro gargoyle, nr. Liverpool

Copper beech leaves, Shropshire

Hanmer, Wales, & Shropshire, England, May 2010

Just reflections

Copper beech leaves

Two Hanmers at the family's coat-of-arms

United Kingdom, May 2010

Top: some faithfully copied gargoyles at a friend's house near Liverpool, England

Middle: Landscape near Dunblane, Scotland

Bottom: Stirling Castle, Scotland

Scotland, UK, May 2010

All black & white today, from colour originals. Top 1 is Edinburgh, bottom 2 are near Dunblane.

Edinburgh & Dunblane, Scotland, UK, May 2010

Top 2 - the beautiful capital of Scotland (it took some doing to get the tones in the top shot separated, from a colour original)

Bottom - Dunblane

Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Lali and a police box from another century (not the same as the one Doctor Who uses)

A book sale in a church - but my luggage limit to fly back to Georgia wouldn't allow me even to think about buying anything!

Bognor Regis, UK, May 2010

View from our hostess's house

Thomas A Beckett's church, famous English martyr

Bognor Regis, UK, May 2010

These, dear reader, are beach houses. How much one costs depends on its location in Britain. One of these, in Bognor Regis, on England's South Coast, will set you back 15000. GBP, pounds, that is. For the privilege of going to this particular bit of coast, opening the door, and having your time, your picnic or read or sunbathe or chess game, as often as you want.

Is it worth it?

Motion Blurs, UK, May 2010

Bluebells in the forest, near Bristol

Lali on the train, near Bognor Regis

Milborne Port, UK, late April 2010

More tree climbing, Mark behind the lens. it was a silver birch, about a 50-footer, nice views of the village from the top

Milborne Port, UK, late April 2010

Tree climbing lesson with Mark Petrauskas outside his house. Great fun!

Sherborne, Dorset, UK, April 2010

June spinning wool

Jackie Dunton Paintings, Dorset, 2010

The top one's a composite from 2 photos of Gold Hill, Shaftesbury, England's most famous view. Acrylic on Canvas. The bottom is Jackie's version of a photo of mine of upper Ushguli, Svaneti. Acrylic on masonite. Both of these are her gifts for our house in Svaneti, yet to be bought but we're hoping. Thank you so much Jackie!

Stourhead House, UK, late March 2010

Just a few paintings to liven the place up a bit - from the owner's 19th century European travels

Lichen (to rhyme either with liken or itchin', depending on where you're from)

Milborne Port, UK, Palm Sunday 2010

Happy Birthday Dad!

A couple more of the crocuses outside St John's Anglican Church in Milborne Port.

Stourhead House, UK, late March 2010

I came across this lovely old mirror and decided to use it as a frame for some group portraits. As I'd hoped, the damaged reflecting surface only added to the mood of the resulting shots. Light was low and I wasn't allowed to use tripod or flash, but it was a great experiment anyway, one I'd return to for more of the same, given the chance

Stourhead House, UK, late March 2010

This is the "Pope's Cabinet", once owned by a 17th century pope and then bought by Stourhead's owner on his travels, and recently restored at great cost - read about it here if you're interested further

Stourhead House, UK, late March 2010

The great thing is Britain's new National Trust policy: allowing one to take photos on or in any NT property, including this house, the most-visited such property in the country. No flash or tripod allowed, but other than that, help yourself. I certainly did just that - more to follow

Stourhead House, UK, late March 2010

Lai & me at a pub lunch before seeing Stourhead House with our aunt

The House's library - massive and glorious, a small section visible here

Demonstration of the gentle art of book-cleaning