TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY ONE a

"If you enjoy the fragrance of a rose, you must bear the thorns it bears."
(Isaac Hayes)









Taken with the 'Nik' on macro mode.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY a

Once again Thursday Challenge is here and our prompt is MONEY (bills, coins, something valuable...)

The opulence of Hindu festivals takes some beating!

This was an extra special one... the official opening of a new mandir (temple) on the grounds of Chinmaya Mission Vibhooti Ashram in Kolwan (near Pune).

As you will note, it is dedicated purely to Lord Ganesha.

The building and all within it was made possible by world-wide fundraising, much of the investment coming from overseas devotees, as well as the many, many within India. Some donations could only be the price of some fruit. Others, the price of a car.

The greatest value is in the giving.

These photos were taken with the old Uniden digicam and without flash...
















NOW - it is also Last Thursday - my day for going a bit daft with the imaging software. Looking out my window last week all I could see was grey.  Then the sun peeked out.  I decided to play.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY NINE a

Wings on Wednesday -
YAM's take on the good, the bad, the ugly and the downright hilarious in the photography of birds.

(c) Yamini Ali MacLean

This time last year I was in OZ and enjoying a huge variety of bird life.  Not only is variety restricted in Scotland... it's hiding from me!  Am out and about this week, so hopefully can add to the files a bit.  Meanwhile, here's one from the archives; taken with the Uniden quite some years ago. 

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY EIGHT a

Shipping by...
From the window seen...

Grim day for a jaunt on the yacht chaps... the Ocean Youth Trust of Scotland vessel "Alba Explorer", which features on the intro video on their home page.

Taken with the 'Nik' on auto.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY SEVEN a

Monday's Critters

Darling old girl, "Bonny" was focused entirely on her ball.  I got the opportunity to throw it for her but it got taken back to mum... which is perfectly good behaviour around strange 'aunties' who just stop and demand a photo shoot!!!

Met whilst walking the promenade last month. Taken with the 'Nik' on auto.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY SIX a

MOONdays

Gracious, another month-end looming...

Is that one suitably 'howl-oh-e'en' for you?  Taken with the 'Nik' on nightscape mode.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIVE a

Saturday Symmetry

There was an inordinate number of model ships on display at the Dunoon museum - on glass shelving and mirror backed cabinets, making photographing them quite the challenge; particularily as the afternoon sun was glaring through and reflecting off it all too. It demanded some post-processing.  

Bit of a battleground, d'ya reckon?

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY FOUR a

"If your daily life seems poor, do not blame it; blame yourself that you are not poet enough to call forth its riches. For The Creator, there is no poverty."
(Rainer Maria Rilke)

I know, I know, this is the same piccie as last week.... but summer has faded and this was just too fragrant to pass over so quickly!!!

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THREE a

For the Thursday Challenge this week we are to present HOME (house, apartment, caravan...)

That's my place, middle level on the right.  Not the whole thing... the windows tucked in behind the street lamp, barely visible.  The 'for sale' sign marking the spot.

I hadn't bought it at this stage.



















Four weeks later it was my very own.

It took a lot of effort and about four months to get it to this stage. As you see, when the sun shines it's a veritable solarium.  It is the most recent of many places called as home. From caravan  to bungalow, to house; from tent, to bunk room, to ashram 'cell'... All hold a part of me and part of them is in me.

Home is where the heart is...and my heart is in 'OM'.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY TWO a

Wings on Wednesday -
YAM's take on the good, the bad, the ugly and the downright hilarious in respect to photographing birds.

This year's generation of herring gull. Taken with the 'Nik' through the window glassly...

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY ONE a

Shipping by...
From the window seen;

Of the Stena Teekay line, which is plain to see (well almost!), but was a bit late to catch the name; strongly suspect this is the "Alexita", Bahamas registration, oil tanker, unloaded tare over 77 kilotonnes.  As measure of size, check a-stern for the local fishing craft...

Taken with the 'Nik' on auto; a little post upload cleanup to sharpen it but only to bring out the colour a bit more; not too much as part of the fun of this is to demonstrate the prevailing conditions here.  In this case? Filthy.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY a

Monday's Critters

Daddy Long Legs!!!  AKA Crane Fly. Was always fascinated with these; then when got to OZ, found that their 'daddy long legs' was a spider. At least these blokes don't leave web everywhere...

Taken with the 'Nik' on macro mode - in my bathtub.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY NINE a

SUNdays

Not the same as last week's!  This was the next evening and just a wee tad earlier; about 9pm.




















Taken with the 'Nik' on sunset mode.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY EIGHT a

Saturday Symmetry

The stair at Dunoon's Castle House. Aspirations of grandeur.

























Taken with the 'Nik' on museum mode.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY SEVEN a

"Great wisdom is generous.  Petty wisdom is contentious."
(Zhuangzi)

Taken with the 'Nik' on auto, at Toward Lighthouse.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY SIX a

Thursday's always bring a challenge; from a prompt word, what can we picture?  The word this week is HAPPY (smiles, events etc)

For this I am entering some random choices from time spent at Sandeepany Sadhanalaya, Mumbai; a spontaneous selfie with the webcam... group efforts for a music workshop (the Uniden handled by another)...one of the 'little brothers' enjoying monsoon (the 'Nik' on auto)

(c) Yamini Ali MacLean

(c) Yamini Ali MacLean

(c) Yamini Ali MacLean

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE a

Wings on Wednesday -

YAM's take on the good, the bad, the ugly and the downright hilarious in respect to photographing birds.

These two prints are from the Lord Howe Island trip. Woodhens were very nearly extinct.  From less than a dozen birds remaining, the flock is again strong and thriving.

Nice link for info.

Taken with the old Minolta.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR a

Shipping by...

From the window.

The USS Samuel B Roberts, FFG-58, guided missile frigate. Launched 8th Dec 1984, commissioned 12th Apr 1986 out of Florida.

Sharp ship - not the sharpest shot.  Sorry 'bout that...

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY THREE a

Monday's Critters

This pair of lovelies adorn the lounge sill and I swear they wink at me from time to time.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY TWO a

SUNdays

As you will have gathered, it becomes necessary to think laterally when photographing the sun in Scotland... Blazing the clouds at about 9:30pm late August...

Taken with the 'Nik' on auto and through the glass of window.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY ONE a

Saturday Symmetry

...picking up from last week, more of the electrifications exhibit at the Castle House museum...

Cables, more cables, insulators...

DANGER WILL ROBINSON... 

What is it??? READ ALL ABOUT IT!


Taken with the 'Nik' on standard auto.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY a

"We are living at a time when creeds and ideologies clash; but the gospel of human sympathy is universal and eternal."
(Samuel Hopkins Adams)

Another raindrops rose. 

Taken with the 'Nik' on macro mode.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY NINE a

Over at the Thursday Challenge we have been asked to present you with something SHINY (reflection, mirror...)

That pretty much covers all options I think!  It was actually on here last year sometime, but in the original red and chrome version.  Tinkered a bit by paring the colour almost to monochrome, which alone brought out the extra glow.

Sun on bumper, Mumbai 2013, taken with the 'Nik' on auto and adjusted in FOTOR.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY EIGHT a

Wings on Wednesday -

YAM's take on the good, the bad, the ugly and the downright hilarious in respect to photographing birds.

Joy of flight - and the odd tourist chip supper...  Black-head gulls at Hunstanton, North Norfolk.

Taken with the 'Nik' on sports mode.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY SEVEN a

Shipping by...

Views from my window.

One of the first shots I took of the Bute ferry.  It was before I bought the flat actually, so mid-winter...and apparently a bit of an uphill swim... That's mostly Eider Duck in the foreground.

Taken with the 'Nik' on auto everything - also not from the window, but down at the promenade.  Same direction.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY SIX a

Monday's Critters

In the Asquith (Sydney) garden, a spinner rests.  Taken with the Uniden digicam on macro mode.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY FIVE a

SUNdays

Another from The Wash, North Norfolk.  ...can you blame me?

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY FOUR a

Saturday Symmetry

This one is for dad &*>

At the Dunoon Castle House 'museum' there is a right old jumble of stuff to browse.

Next visit, I may ask to handle these.


..............OOHH but look what I FOUND - you can download the books dad... DAD, you can download the books.  There are 10 volumes ... DAD!!!

(ahem) forgive me.  It was his life.  

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY THREE a

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."
(George Orwell)

Poppies in North Norfolk.  Taken with the 'Nik' on standard mode.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY TWO a

Thursday Challenge asked us to show 'TOGETHER'... things that belong...

Like sea and sky? There can be no horizon without them.

Or land and water?  There can be no shore without them.

TAKE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY ONE a

Wings on Wednesday -

YAM's take on the good, the bad, the ugly and the downright hilarious in respect to photographing birds.

Last of the Blue Jay...