The sixth in a year-long series of posts participating in The Changing Seasons project hosted by Cardinal Guzman. All photos were taken in May 2015. These images also appear in my Wordpress blog, where you can comment directly if you do not wish to use Disqus
May was hectic, leaving little camera time and the weather was distinctly patchy. I didn't get out and about much and almost all of my photos were taken in the immediate vicinity of my home.
I had just two short walks with my camera in addition to my weekly Monday Outlook photographs, plus a few lamb shots taken at a neighbours farm.
The weather was occasionally good but mainly poor, remaining wet and cold and windy overall. When the weather was good, it was very good and we were able to go walking at Cata without coats on.
Mainly due to the continuing strong winds, the ground dried sufficiently to plough. Compare this shot with March's
PloughedFinally dry enough to plough
Bright skies and stiff breezes make for good shooting for finished knitted projects!
Lady LismoreBeautiful May skies make wonderful backdrops for completed knitted items
And continued rain keeps the wetlands topped up.
Wet,wet,wetLooking towards home across the wetlands between our house and our neigbour
The grass finally began to grow but not sufficiently and the farmers were unable to turn the cattle out on to the fields as usual. Wild flowers began to appear, the daisies coming first, followed by the dandelions in less abundance than usual (me and my hayfever were very grateful).
Lambs appeared in greater numbers in the fields. The cattle were eventually turned out towards the end of the month but not because the grass was ready. The farmers have run out of winter fodder and had no choice. As the grass is not growing well yet we are in for a short season, meaning that hay and silage will be in short supply for next year. It is a worrying time.
It is always good to see the lambs and the coos appear, they change the landscape completely
However, Beautiful Decay is always with us whatever the season and I can never resist it.
Shed roofI love a ruin
MailboxSeen on a walk
Previous posts in this series: 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05
The fifth in a year-long series of posts participating in The Changing Seasons project hosted by Cardinal Guzman. All photos were taken in May 2015.
April brought its challenges mainly in the form of a virulent chest bug. I spent much of the month indoors, trying to breathe. The weather was remarkable at times and we had several ultra-still days. Very lovely but at the time I was experimenting with long exposures and water-smoothing, so flat water was not really what I needed.
I managed to get out every Monday for my weekly Outlook shots and a couple of evening walks to the pub furnished some more images, especially the sunny evening when we took time out to stroll along the pier.
The daffodils emerged and the lambs finally arrived!
There was blue sky at times, and everywhere reminders of the past season amongst the signs of the new.
February is still very much Winter time here in Orkney. The wind do blow and the rain do rain.
A Rough Day
When the sun shines, it can look stunning but you may be sure that there is a cold wind blowing that the camera may not betray.
After the stormWhat a difference a day makes
We lag behind many places but the daffodils, though not yet blooming, are definitely now asserting a presence.
Signs of SpringDaffs!
No lambs yet - hopefully I can share some lamb photographs next month. Have a cute cat instead - this one I found sheltering from that icy wind by the bale shed one day when I took my camera for a walk over to the Cross Kirkyard.
Farm CatKeeping out of the icy wind
We have had good days, rough days, wet days and glorious sunshine but always that wonderful Orkney cloudscape is present
Amazing clouds The view over How, just before sunset
For several of the roughest days, we were away on the big island in our campervan. In fact we were stranded there when our ferry home was cancelled due to high winds and rough seas. I took many photographs but they don't fall into the spirit of the narrow geographical area for this challenge. I shared them here.
Here's my album for this month. Most are taken from around the house, a few come from that walk to Cross. Several photographs have had a trip through my Nik Collection software.
I am looking forward to improved weather and more chances to take the camera out. I have made some recent camera purchases and can't wait to get out and play with my new kit.
