Monday 20 May 2013

Bluebell Wood

I finally managed to get out with my new camera and test it out, though only on it's automatic setting. I went to the local woods where I walk Archie, but there aren't many nicer places to be than here when the bluebells are in flower.


It's not a huge wood but it's big enough to walk a circular route and give Archie enough exercise.


I don't know what Archie was up to here but he's looking pretty sheepish.


The bluebells are just stunning, they're such a gorgeous shade of blue.


It's such a shame that the bluebell season it so short, though if it were any longer, perhaps they wouldn't be quite so special.


I wonder how many woods in the UK are named Bluebell Wood, there must be hundreds.


Like most flowers, the bluebells are later than usual this year owing to the prolonged cold spell.


It looks like this fallen tree has been here for years, the plants are growing all around it.


The ramsons or wild garlic is in flower at the moment too.


There's a hole in the trunk of this tree and if you stand very still and don't make a sound, you can watch a little bluetit go in and out. It's nest must be in there.


Here's the little hole. You wouldn't even know it was there unless you saw the bluetit popping out of it.


I love this photo showing the three stages of a dandelion, the flower, the seed head and the stalk after the seeds have blown away.


There was Lesser Celandine dotted around the woods too, it looked lovely intermingled with the bluebells.


We have to walk through a farmers field to get back home. Archie loves to run through here.


I think Archie's cheesy smile tells us that he enjoyed his walk.


I'm going to enjoy learning how to use my camera.

26 comments:

  1. Liking Archie's smile, aren't dogs funny. I love bluebell woods, the colors are amazing. We did the garden yesterday and parts of it are like in the woods, and we have bluebells! How great is that!

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    1. Archie always has me chuckling at his antics, he's so funny. It must be lovely having a new garden with all the surprises popping up throughout the year, I hope everything's to your taste.

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  2. Lovely colours in your pictures Jo, the close up one is lovely. Bluebell woods are so wonderful x

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    1. I think the colour of bluebells en masse is just stunning. I just wish they'd last a bit longer than they do.

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  3. I'm glad you're getting out with your new camera! The photos are good (as is the subject!) and it's always exciting as a blog reader and photographer to watch someone develop their own style and craft. Can't wait to see more of your efforts!

    Tash from vintagepretty.org

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    1. I'm sure my efforts will be popping up on my blog regularly, that's if Eleanor doesn't snaffle my camera first. She's very keen to improve her own photography skills and is now wanting a camera similar to mine. I have to say that she has more of an eye for it than I do though, she takes some quite good photos.

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  4. Glad you have got out and about with your new camera and found such a wonderfully pretty scene to practise on. Bluebells are just so lovely.
    That photo of Archie smiling made me laugh!
    Lisa x

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    1. I love bluebells, I can't resist a walk in the woods at this time of year. Having such a lovely scene to photograph is helpful.

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  5. That looks like a lovely walk with plenty of interest for you to take photos of with your new camera.
    I like the dandelion picture. Flighty xx

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    1. We often go to the edge of the woods and look out over the farmer's fields as there's always birds of prey there. I'm not all that good at identifying them though. I like the fact that the dandelion photo shows all three stages.

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  6. I think you have produced some fab photos with your new camera Jo! I love bluebells and they look so pretty mingled with the wild garlic too.

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    1. The bluebells do love pretty mingled in with the wild garlic, the scent was really strong too. I hope they last a while longer yet.

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  7. Great photos, Jo. Archie does look funny with his cheesy grin! :oD

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    1. Archie's such a funny dog. He pulls some really funny faces too.

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  8. Lovely photos, Jo and so clear. Love the tree and the fact that there's a bluetit making its home in the hole in the trunk. Archie looks pleased with his walk. I've said before, I think, he reminds me so much of our daughter-in-law's dog, Rupert, who is very sweet.

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    1. I wondered where the bluetit had disappeared to when I saw it, it must have a nest in there the times that it flew in and out. Rupert's a great name for a dog.

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  9. Glad that you're enjoying and getting to grips with your new camera. I too love bluebells - they remind me so much about playing in the woods as a child, they just transport me back in time. I'll be off to my Photography Class tomorrow and it's on Photoshop again - I haven't got it but everyone else has - so I'll sit around like a lump of lard again this week! When in the car on Saturday I commented to the OH that I would be wasting my time going as I don't understand Photoshop when a little voice piped up "You mean Adobe Photoshop, we've been doing that at school. If you get it, I could teach you!" Lessons from a 12 year old!
    June

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    1. It's funny how things can remind you of days gone by. I think bluebells conjure up images of hazy spring days and children playing. Good luck with your photography class. You might be best just getting Photoshop and having a play around with it. I tend to learn more that way than being told. I get lessons from Daniel and Eleanor in everything technical, I'm just not technically minded yet the younger generation seem to pick it up at the drop of a hat, though I remember having to programme the video recorder when I was a kid as my mum and dad couldn't grasp it, so I think we were the same once up on a time.

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  10. You are doing well with the camera, as those photos are stunning. I've only once walked through a bluebell wood, and was totally entranced. Mine aren't peeking through yet, though most of my daffs are up now. I want to be there as usual. Love the trees too.

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    1. It took me back a bit when you said you'd only once walked through a bluebell wood, I think we sometimes take the things we often do for granted. I have a few bluebells in my garden which are in flower, they look really pretty underneath the Silver Birch tree.

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  11. Your camera takes great photos! I bet you're really pleased with it. Jx

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    1. I am really pleased with it. I want to get out and about a bit more so that I have different subjects to take photos of. Perhaps I'll get chance this weekend.

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  12. Well I think these photos are really nice. I love bluebells. We have a few in the garden but I feel like I need a walk in a bluebell-filled wood now! x

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    1. I have a few bluebells in the garden too, but you just don't get that impact with them that you do when they're en masse in a woodland setting. The colour is fantastic.

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  13. Beautiful photos. We are so lucky to have these bluebell woods in Britain. I don't think they're common elsewhere. xx

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    1. I think it is a British thing to go walking in woods in spring time to see the bluebells, they're so beautiful.

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