Which way to the beach?
Photo Challenges
An Ancient History Treasure Trove
Kilmartin Glen is a small village in Scotland somewhere between Oban and Lochgilphead. The Glen is home to more than 800 ancient monuments within a few square miles, and is said to have one of the richest concentrations of historical sites in Scotland.
Starting between the 7th and 8th century candidates for King would place their foot on the sacred Dunadd’s Inaugural Stone, signifying he was now married to the land.
Last summer I was fortunate enough to visit this area with my family, all of us in one way or another tracing our Scottish roots.
Nether Largie South Cairn is the oldest of the series of cairns found in the valley, probably dating back to the fourth millennium BC. It’s incredible to think that structures such as these still remain standing after so much time.
The small entrance to one of the cists, or coffins, found at Nether Largie South Cairn. Was a King buried here?
Along the lane from the South Cairn to Temple Wood, even the stone walls are ancient.
Temple Wood – or Half-Moon Wood – was so named only in the 19th century, after the planting of the trees around the circle. It is thought that the site was first used for burial around 3000BC
No-one is really sure of the significance of the Nether Largie standing stones, but it has been suggested they were erected 3,200 years ago and used to predict the movements of the sun and the moon.
Reaching back in time
Even a year later, looking back on these pictures I am left feeling nostalgic for a time and place I have never really known.
To see more old things, head over to Terri Webster Schrandt’s Sunday Stills: Objects over 100 Years Old challenge.
Some Odd Balls
Every Sunday Cee’s Photography hosts an Odd Ball photo challenge.
Odd Ball Photos are those great photos that you take which really don’t seem to fit into a common category. We’ve all taken them and like them, because we just can’t hit delete and get rid of them. If you have any of those type of photos, this challenge is for you.
Because of time zone differences I am too early for today’s challenge, but here’s my contribution for last week.
The pictures speak for themselves in terms of odd-ball-ness.
A Photo a Week Challenge: Street Lights. Also: A Revamp
In an effort to motivate myself to contribute more to this blog I have decided to do a make-over. You may have noticed the name change, from Far Out in Africa to the more appropriate and less restricting (at least I think so) I’ll Give You a Letter For That.
For now not much else will change, but I think the non-Africa posts will seem less irrelevant.
Let me know what you think.
I know the title says A photo a week, but I’m terrible at making decisions.
So I’ve included a number of pictures that ‘may’ fit with the theme, which I took during a visit to the UK to visit family last year.
If you want to play along please visit Nancy Merril‘s post, where you can read the rules and hopefully join in the fun.
Moonset over Glossop in Derbyshire
Small alley in Durham
Durham flower display
Street lights in Newcastle upon Tyne
Crossing the Tyne Bridge, towards Newcastle
An intriguing sculpture stairway in Newcastle
At the Quayside Market, Newcastle
A narrow flight of stairs, Newcastle
G for Green is Go and God is Love
Shadows
When I first decided to take part in the Daily Post Shadow photo challenge I thought any pictures I used would have to be limited to those taken either early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when shadows are long and dramatic.
Then I came across this picture I took of these little guys, soaking up the mid-day sun on Boulders Beach in Cape Town.
Last year I was invited to write a small story about Walking With Rhinos in a local publication.
Although the walk I was on sets off early in the morning, I was lucky it was mid winter – by 07.00am it was already pretty hot.
Now back to Cape Town, where wedding guests play a genteel game of croquet while waiting for the bride and groom to appear after family photographs
Walking back to the car one evening, after an extended Sunday lunch at The Brass Bell, we came across a micro pig playing with a dog in a children’s play ground.
Happy, hot dogs take respite from the glaring sun.
Our shadows briefly rest on the Zimbabwe bank of the Zambezi River, a fleeting reminder that this used to be home.
WTF Friday – Which Way Africa Style (Part eight)
Sadly Cee’s Which Way Challenge comes to an end next week, so this will be my last entry for this challenge. Cee will be hosting a brand new Compose Yourself Photo Challenge starting next week and I look forward to taking part in that.
I will continue to enter her other challenges and will also try to continue with my own WTF Friday theme.
After what feels like a record long dry season we are finally heading towards the rains. The dust will settle and the cooler temperatures will be a relief.
I took the next three photos while driving through the Mashonaland Province of Zimbabwe a few years ago.
It was during the rainy season.
Advertising pays!
Grid
Waiting for a Taxi
The Colour of Cupcakes
Piet’s daughter turned 21 earlier this year and we celebrated the event on a wine farm near Stellenbosch.
Happy 21st cup cakes
Click here to see more interpretations of the Sense of Taste.
WTF Friday – Which Way Africa Style (Part seven)
It seems the whole of Southern Africa has retreated to the Dark Ages – literally.
In short, there is not enough electricity being generated – in the entire region – to meet demand.
There are many theories and rumours about why this has happened, ranging from ineptitude, to not enough rain to feed the rivers providing the hydro-electric power, to sub-standard equipment supplied during a dodgy tender deal. I suspect all are true to some extent but no-one is prepared to shed any light (sorry) on the matter and tell us what is really going on.
What this means is that we are now being subjected to load shedding. In my case, for six days a week we have no electricity for eight hours a day and on the seventh day – fingers crossed – the electricity does not go off at all. Last week it was only five hours off for five days of the week, so it is getting worse: the poor folk in Lusaka are enduring ten-hour cuts, with a fourteen hour cut one day a week, so I am thankful I don’t live there!
This makes keeping up to date with work – and more importantly, blogging! – very difficult and until we can make a plan with a generator and/or solar power both are going to be a bit sketchy and intermittent.
Any Zimbabweans reading this will be wondering what I am moaning about – they have dealt with severe load shedding for the last fifteen years (some are lucky if they receive two hours electricity supply a day) – and I apologise. But having thought I had left all that behind me I am taking a while to re-adjust.
In the mean time, here are my entries for this week’s Which Way Challenge.
Once a week Cee from Cee’s Photography Blog runs a Which Way Photo Challenge – everyone is welcome to take part. You can read the rules for the challenge here.
Birchenough Bridge, Zimbabwe – taken in the late 1980’s
Rural fuel station in Zimbabwe
Eastern Highlands, Zimbabwe
I'll Give You a Letter For That 