DRAGON DAYS

Monochrome Weekly Theme.

2009-12-27T22:24:00.002Z

A reflection in the window between my kitchen and the hallway.

I'm sitting at the table reading a book - the reflections in this window are a constant source of amusement to me.

Aileni started this theme, and more photos can be found on the Monochrome page.

Monochrome Weekly Theme.

2009-12-21T12:12:00.004Z

Solstice greetings to everyone!

Visit Aileni and the Monochrome page for more photos.

ABC Wednesday - V.

2009-12-16T18:58:00.002Z

This fun weekly idea came from Denise.

And this week we've reached the letter V.

I'm still posting about parts of the collections in this house, and I've found V in the camera collection.

V
is for
VOIGTLANDER.

Two Voigtlanders, to be precise.
The one on the left, a Voigtlander Vito II A, was probably made in about 1955. I bought it second-hand in (I think) 1968, when I received back-pay after qualifying as a nurse.
The one on the right, a Voigtlander Brilliant, was given to my husband by my favourite-ever aunt, who was also my Godmother. It was made in about 1935, and belonged to her elder brother before he was killed in a motorcycle accident.
Both these cameras still work, but film for the Brilliant is hard to find and harder to process.

Here's the Vito open.

And the Brilliant with it's viewfinder open.

And this is a photo of the Vito seen through the viewfinder of the Brilliant.

More and varied takes on the letter can be found through the ABC page. It's worth a visit.

Monochrome Weekly Theme.

2009-12-13T15:36:00.001Z

Raindrop reflection.

Aileni is our host.
His Accolades and others' entries can be found on the Monochrome page.

ABC Wednesday - U.

2009-12-09T15:48:00.002Z

This week's letter for ABC Wednesday is U.

Staying within the confines of my collections (and those of others in the house) my first two words are
UNTIDY and UNSORTED.

These are some fossil and geological specimens on a cupboard shelf, waiting to find a proper display space.

If you look closely, you might even be able to see a piece of paper in the above bag which reads UNAKITE.

The amusing ornament below is a Harmony Kingdom Treasure Jest. It's title is "Too much of a good thing"

I think the poor cat looks extremely UNCOMFORTABLE.

Denise started this fun challenge well over two years ago. Visit the ABC page for more contributions, or to join in yourself.

Monochrome Weekly Theme.

2009-12-07T12:18:00.004Z

Started by Aileni.

The corner of a door mat.

Find more monochromes here.

ABC Wednesday - T.

2009-12-02T16:28:00.003Z

I had a hard time finding something in my collections for the letter T.
Then I thought of this jug from the old Llanelly Pottery. It dates from the second half of the 19th century.
Why post this for T?
The rich brown glaze is sometimes called a TREACLE glaze!

I love the colour, and I particularly love the handle of the jug. That dog seems sure there's something interesting in the jug!

More T posts can be found through the ABC Wednesday page. Why not see if something there tickles your fancy?

Monochrome Weekly Theme.

2009-11-29T20:54:00.003Z

For more entries visit the Monochrome page.

ABC Wednesday - S.

2009-11-25T20:33:00.004Z

This week's late entry is for the letter S.

S
is for
Skeleton and Skulls.

In his youth my husband collected skulls and skeletons. He gathered any he could find on his country walks. He even picked up small corpses, and buried them until they rotted clean.

We have very few left now, although his collection was carefully documented and recorded, and the drawings and notes still exist.

This first photo is of the skeleton of a Guillemot, a sea bird, carefully assembled from the bones found above a beach.

The skull in the second photo belonged to another sea bird, a Gannet this time.

This rather stronger skull once belonged to a fox.

All the above photos were taken by my husband - on my kitchen work-surface!

More S posts can be found through the ABC Wednesday page.

Monochrome Weekly Theme.

2009-11-24T08:57:00.003Z

A leaning post, a loose chain.

Started by Aileni, enjoyed by many. You can see them at the Monochrome page.

Abc Wednesday - R for Reclining Dragon.

2009-11-18T16:05:00.004Z

This week's letter is
R

I'm showing you another of my dragons - well, they do rather fill the house, and they make my most important collection!
This one is a very dozy dragon - and you can all stop saying he's like his owner!

This is meant to be the front of the ornament.
The dragon is
RECLINING
on a crescent moon, holding the favourite jewel of his treasure.

He looks very RESTFUL and RELAXED.

This is the REVERSE.
I think it's easier to see the REALLY sleepy expression on his face.

To find more R posts, visit the ABC Wednesday page, and enjoy the entries.

Monochrome Weekly Theme

2009-11-14T17:21:00.003Z

Started by Aileni.

Visit the dedicated page for many more monochromes.

ABC Wednesday - Q.

2009-11-11T08:00:00.000Z

Q
is for
QUINTUPLETS

My quintuple dragons have even arranged themselves in a quincunx.

Such helpful baby dragons!

For more quintessentially Q posts visit the ABC Wednesday page.

Monochrome Weekly Theme

2009-11-08T15:42:00.003Z

Tears for a fallen leaf.

This theme was started by Aileni.

Many more entrants can be seen through the Monochrome page.

ABC Wednesday - P.

2009-11-04T16:22:00.005Z

P
is for
PHOENIX

You all know about my dragons, and last week I told you about my husband's owls.
This weekI want to show you a small collection belonging to my youngest son, who feels a particular affinity with the legendary phoenix.

Above is part of his collection - horse brasses, a fridge magnet, and a small plaque.

Here's a deep blue china thimble with a gold phoenix.

These are two old Chinese snuff bottles, both decorated with the Fenghuang (the Chinese form of the phoenix.)

Finally there are two pewter pendants. The one on the right shows the Egyptian phoenix.

You'll find many more P posts through the ABC Wednesday page.

Monochrome Weekly Theme

2009-11-03T10:38:00.003Z

A dull day in Burtonport.

Visit the Monochrome page for many more entries.

ABC Wednesday - O.

2009-10-28T16:01:00.004Z

Denise is the originator of this theme.
She is very unhappy at the moment, having suffered the sudden loss of her dog.
You are in all our hearts, Denise.

This week we have reached the letter O.
In this house, O can only be for OWLS.

Yes, I know I am a dragon addict, but my husband is an owl person. His earliest memory is of an owl hooting, and he has always loved them.
This is the first owl in his collection. It came from an old hotel in Swansea, very many years ago, and has stayed with him since. It normally lives in a glass dome, but my camera refused to focus properly because of the reflections. So here is Spook, exposed to the world.

All the family looks out for more owls for his collection.

Small...

...and large.

Sometimes I wonder how we find room for ourselves, with all the collections in the house!
Please see the ABC page for this week's participants. MckLinky misbehaved earlier, so you may need to check the comments to find everyone.

Monochrome Weekly Theme

2009-10-26T17:39:00.002Z

Aileni started this theme.

More monochromes can be found through the dedicated page.

A Dragon Award

2009-10-24T12:05:00.003+01:00

I have been given a most prestigious award.

The great and powerful Fandango has passed this on to me, and it has cheered me up a lot!

As ever, the award comes with rules.

1. As a dedication for those who love blogging and love to encourage friendships through blogging.

2. To seek the reasons why we all love blogging.

3. Put the award in one post as soon as you receive it.
(I'm a wee bit late, but I hope I'll be forgiven.)

4. Don’t forget to mention the person who gives you the award.
(Done that!)

5. Answer the award’s question by writing the reason why you love blogging.
Blogging has brought me many friends.

6. Tag and distribute the award to as many people as you like.
I'm sending this to Dilly, as she is a dragon princess.

7. Don’t forget to notify the award receivers and put their links in your post.
(Done)

Monochrome Weekly Theme

2009-10-23T18:09:00.004+01:00

This post is very late in the week, but I didn't want to miss altogether.
I want to thank all of you who visited and left comments last week. I'm sorry not to have returned those kind visits - I have been quite unwell. I'm hoping to be able to catch up soon.

This week's photo is of a succulent plant on my windowsill.

Visit the Monochrome page for a load of excellent photos.

ABC Wednesday - M and N.

2009-10-21T20:22:00.004+01:00

I missed last week - not at all well.
So I'm doing two weeks in one.

M is for MUG.
I posted a new egg-cup for E, and later I found a matching Mug which I now use all the time for my coffee. The dragons are irresistible!

Now for this week's letter.

N is for Nailvarnish.
I love nailvarnish and I have many colours.

And here are some painted Nails.

Denise started this fun idea, and more entries can be found on the ABC page.

Wilma is in my heart, Denise.

Monochrome Weekly Theme

2009-10-11T11:17:00.002+01:00

Started by Aileni.

Detail of a beached crab/lobster trap of the newer variety.
The iron weight can be seen inside.

Many more pictures can be found through the Monochrome page.

ABC Wednesday - L.

2009-10-07T18:33:00.003+01:00

L
is for
LUSTRE-WARE
(or luster-ware if you live in the USA)

Pottery was glazed with a metalic finish, and this became popular in well-to-do houses. Displays of lustreware jugs brought a glow to a farmhouse dresser. Sometimes the technique was used to give a mother-of-pearl quality to the item.
Wikipedia has an article here.

I think I posted this jug last year some time. It was made in a local pottery, most likely Llanelly, and bought for me by my grandfather when I was a small baby. It's probably quite valuable now - but it's certainly not for sale!

I've shown this pie funnel before, as well. Although it's old, it's a relatively recent acquisition. Pie funnels were used to keep the piecrust from sagging into the filling, and to let the steam from the cooking escape. The ones I grew up with (which were still used at times) were much plainer items than this gorgeous copper lustre dragon!

This is an example of the mother-of pearl lustre. It's a fascinating fish-shaped jug (the tail is the handle.) The fascinating part is that it's a gurgle jug. The hollow of the jug goes right round into the tail/handle. When liquid is poured the displaced air makes a gurgling sound. I have to say that it doesn't pour all that tidily, but it's fun!

Denise started this great theme over two years ago.
Many more L posts can be found through the ABC Wednesday page.

Monochrome Weekly Theme

2009-10-04T09:59:00.002+01:00

The bell outside the Old Chapel, Dungloe.

This theme was started by Aileni.
More participants, and some wonderful shots, can be found through the Monochrome page.

ABC Wednesday - J and K.

2009-09-30T12:13:00.003+01:00

I missed last week - sorry about that!
I thought I'd show just one picture for the letter J

Jewellery-making.
It's a hobby I haven't practised much recently, but I still have all the stuff.

Now for today.
K is for
Ketu,
who is a hatching dragon made by Nemesis Now.

I think he's really cute!
(Or should that be Kute?!)

There are many more K posts over on the ABC page. Go and enjoy what others have found.