ABC Wednesday - X

ABC Wednesday has reached the difficult letter X.

After long thought (and some research) I've decided to offer
X
for
XENOLITH

The name xenolith comes from the Greek for "foreign rock". In strict geological terms it's a rock which has become embedded in a different type of rock while the latter was in a molten state (see this article) although the definition can be stretched to include a foreign fragment included in a sedimentary rock.
So I'm entitled to stretch a bit!

The series of photos below show a rough piece of slate (sedimentary rock) enclosing an almost spherical group of bright pyrite crystals.

I would certainly not want to use that slate on my roof - it's much too pretty!

ABC Wednesday was started by Mrs Nesbitt, and more participants can be found on the Anthology site or the Linky page.

A very good New Year to all of you.
May the best of the Old be the worst of the New.

Monochrome Monday

I missed Monochrome Monday last week - I missed quite a lot of blogging and visiting last week - but I'm back today. I hope I'll have more chance to visit everyone from now on!

Monochrome Monday is hosted by Aileni. More participants can be found on the Linky page.

Saturday PhotoHunt - Squeaky.

This week's PhotoHunt theme is
SQUEAKY.

I present husband's desk chair!

The Saturday PhotoHunt was started by TNChick. Visit her to join the fun, and to find more squeaky photos.

Happy Hunting!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

A happy Christmas to all of my friends who celebrate today.
May your lives be full of joy.

True Colours Thursday - Green.

To visit the home of True Colours Thursday, click the link or the logo above.

This week's colour is GREEN.

I thought I'd return to summer for my first photo - Deutzia basking in sunshine!

This is a different green - a House Leek on my kitchen windowsill.

Slightly more seasonal, with sunny Holly leaves.

And bringing things right up to date, a line of rather dark-looking Christmas trees along Cope Street.

Whatever you celebrate at this time of year, may it be truly good.

ABC Wednesday - W

ABC Wednesday has reached the letter
W
This gave me a bit of trouble, but I don't give up easily, and so today I offer
Iolite, or
Water Sapphire
(link here)

Water Sappire is a greyish blue, sometimes clear, stone that changes colour according to the angle from which it is viewed, although my photos don't show this.

My specimen is a small tumble polished stone, only 2cm long. Larger crystals are very beautiful.

ABC Wednesday is the wonderful idea of Denise Nesbitt.

More W posts can be found on the no-comment Anthology, and through the Linky page.

Saturday PhotoHunt - Wide

I'm hectically busy right now, so I very nearly didn't post today. Then I realised that I'd not missed a PhotoHunt since I started back in October 2007. It would be such a shame to miss a week now!
I probably won't be able to visit much until Monday or Tuesday, but I will get back to you all!

Now this week the theme is WIDE. The shot below was taken on a misty morning drive at the very beginning of last month. At first sight it might not appear particularly wide, but you may just be able to see a low farmhouse in the middle of the right edge - that will give you some idea of the scale.

More wide ideas can be found over at TNChick's, the originator of the Hunt.
Happy Hunting!

True Colours Thursday - Red.

These days I seem to be later and later posting, and very poor at visiting, too. Must be something to do with the time of the year. I promise I'll do better soon!

True Colours Thursday is the brainchild of Poopsie Blue.
Today's colour is RED.

Now that gives me the chance to show off my most recent present. This one came from Wisconsin in the USA.
I didn't know what to expect when I opened the box.
First I found a yellow egg, and then there was a bit of a disturbance.
A fierce red dragon pushed her head out of the packaging!

I hurriedly returned her egg to her, and all was well.

Then a small copy of the mother dragon emerged from the egg!

Mother and child settled down together - keeping a close eye on me.

Thank you so much, Dr John!

My last photo is of my soft felt Welsh Red Dragon - Y Ddraig Goch Cymraeg. Red doesn't come much brighter than this!

He even wears the Welsh flag on his tail.
He sits above my computer, watching me as I work.

Get well soon Blue!

ABC Wednesday - V.

ABC Wednesday was started by Mrs Nesbitt, and is now Very nearly half-way through its second year.

V
is for
VESUVIANITE

Vesuvianite was originally discovered on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, hence its name. It has also been known as Idocrase from the Greek meaning mixed form.

For Various other V posts, Visit the Linky page or the Anthology site.

Odd Shots On Monday

Another of the Chimney Sweep Series.
I like this as an Odd Shot, not only because chimney sweeps are uncommon in most places, but also because of the way the second brush makes strange lines across his face. Because of this, it's not a shot I would otherwise post, although I like the arrangement otherwise. Maybe I should ask him to go back again to pose for me!

Odd Shots is hosted by Katney. More participants can be found through her comments and/or blogroll.

Have a good week.

Monochrome Monday

This week I have a short sequence of shots for you, taken from our back door.

Monochrome Monday is Aileni's creation.

More participants can be found at the dedicated site.

Saturday PhotoHunt - Favourite.

Today's PhotoHunt theme is
favourite.

I love so many things that it's hard for me to pick a favourite.
I thought... and I thought...
then I realised.

Blogging has brought me so many friends around the world, and is one of my favourite things.
The friends I've made are favourite things as well.
And obviously, you all know I'm mad about dragons!

Recently I had a lovely "Pay it Forward" gift from Damama, one of my very dear blogging friends. She sent me a parcel of dragons - a plaque painted by herself (I'll show you that one day!), a lovely framed picture, a dragon toy, and three adorable tiny pewter dragons.

The tallest dragon is about 1½ inches tall - less than 4 cm.

These miniatures combine blogging, dragons, and friendship in a very small space.

Favourite!

Visit TNChick for a host of favourite things.

Happy Hunting!

True Colours Thursday - White.

Yet again, I'm running late with my posting: but here at last is my contribution to Poopsie Blue's True Colours Thursday.

This week's colour is White, which might sound easy at this time of year. Not for me though - winter hasn't really got started round here - so I'm going with flowers again. All are from last summer.

Philadelphus.

Potentilla.

White Lobelia.

Alyssum.

Next week's colour is Red.
I wonder if I'll be more organised then!

ABC Wednesday - U

Today's alphabetical gemstone lecture reaches
U
for
UNAKITE

Unakite is a mixture of red and green, with some clear quartz.
There's a short description here.
For those interested in the symbolism of crystals, unakite contains the colours of Mars and Venus, making it a suitable love-gift!

More U posts can be found at Mrs Nesbitt's Place, the heart of ABC Wednesday.
Also at the Anthology site, and (if it's working!) on the Linky page.

Have fun!

Monochrome Monday

An early morning gull on a slightly frosty roof.

Monochrome Monday was started by Aileni. Come and join us - or at least view some of the photos!

Saturday PhotoHunt - Breakfast.

This week's theme is
BREAKFAST

Rinli, the cat on the right, enjoys dry catfood. It fills him up when he's hungry.
Tris, the cat on the left, is not allowed to eat the dry food as it upsets her elderly stomach. The trouble is that she loves it!

"I want some of that. Gimmee!"

"Mmm. Lovely breakfast!"

You'll find many more breakfasts over at TNChick's. Drop in and try some.

Happy Hunting!

True Colours Thursday - Yellow

Yellow can be a strange colour.
Sometimes it can look rather sickly.
Natural yellows, on the other hand, are usually beautiful.
For this week's True Colours I've chosen some yellow flowers.

Celandine in the spring.

Yellow Primula in a tub.

Yellow Potentilla in the summer garden

And yellow leaves.

This is how our crab apple looks in autumn.

True colours Thursday is the brain-child of Poopsie Blue. She chooses a different colour each week for us to find and enjoy.