Clearly getting more discerning!

Is there only one then?

For a while this mistle thrush has been visiting a small Rowan in my front garden, but he is very shy and I usually just see him flying away. Which is nice because I cannot remember the last time I saw one around here. This morning I was able to grab three shots through a bedroom window quickly using the 150-450mm lens on a K1 handheld, all just cropped slightly. I use a preset of TAV with 1/1000 sec and f8 but the ISOs are rather high so I have reduced the noise a bit in Lightroom; by the time I have twirled the exposure down the bird had flown (again) so I have added exposure compensation of -2/3 to the preset and see if that gets better results next time.

I tried retirement once, well I thought I would take Fridays off for starters but then herself says Oh great, there’s lots of jobs that need doing so now you will have the time! It lasted one day. My conundrum is that by working I can afford the occasional treat but hardly ever find the time to enjoy it. Still, maybe when interest rates go back up to 5%........

Oh thanks for that, for some reason I was thinking of a paper cut-out but now I recall the Picasso drawing. Didn’t realise the connection between the two. As for the description, she’s Welsh, they have a way with words! ‘Giddy kipper’ anyone?

Let’s step back a bit - what reason to go mirrorless? Mostly for reduced size and weight although high frame rate and movie options are also a consideration. For saving weight it seems that you have to go for a smaller sensor like 4/3rds as the size and weight of lenses is directly proportional to the image size they produce on the sensor, no matter whether on a DSLR or a mirrorless body. Against this is shorter battery life so you need a couple of extra spares, and larger sensors produce better results in low light. Everything in photography is a compromise one way or another and the trick is finding what is most important to you and what you are prepared to compromise on.

Whilst you lot are rhapsodising about your poncy cocktails I have been making bread from beer! Gift of Padstow Brewing Co. bread mix and bottle of ale, and as a bonus there is some left in the bottle.

Ok here’s another from the mistress of tact: why (to me) is there a photo on the study wall of some old bloke with a parrot? The ‘old bloke’ is Matisse in his apartment holding a dove, photographed by Henri Cartier-Bresson. The significance is the hinted reference to Matisse’s famous peace image of a dove after the war. Just a postcard, not an original print unfortunately.

Thought I would share this- couldn’t be bothered to make a special trip to usual barber so called in at one of the many new places popping up. Trouble was the guy couldn’t understand English so before I knew half the side of my head was shaved away! Best not to upset him so let him finish. Tonight her indoors tactfully said wouldn’t it be an idea to let my hair grow long - a bit b****y late for that says I!

Just to show that Warwickshire also had its fair share of the white stuff here are a few from Monday.







All gone now, but finally, one I grabbed through the bedroom window - a Redwing, still wet from bathing in my pond.