I have always been a person of secrets, not sharing certain things till the time is right is how I would put it, but we all see things in our own eyes.

3 weeks since the last blog, could write pages on all that has been going on, certainly enough to have gone back to a daily blog, like I once would have. . I published a book and it sold out, first run was only 25 copies, that then became another 25 and then a final 25, got asked to do a very large run, but we decided no, I just wrote the words to my friends illustrations. It was just a bit of relaxation for us. Fun fact we started another little idea now.

I am on holiday this week, ready for the break, every other day at some point you will find me on a beach, I have 4 different areas to explore this week.

I only post pictures on 2 places now. Bluesky and Flickr and the very odd one here, so 3 i suppose. By this time next year it will only be 2.

It has taken me to reach the age of 60, to see the path more clearer now.


Not long after sunrise when the distant island just glowed,

A sunrise at the beach is always special for me. Seeing how the sands, get lit up with the reflecting light, I can always feel the smile as it grows on my face.

I was at the beach four times this weekend, Friday is my usual walk, got attacked by a dog. In the afternoon, I built sandcastles, yesterday morning, got the picture above, then in the afternoon, sandcastle building again.

The nutty girls were in swimming yesterday morning, it is a Saturday morning thing for them, as well as a Friday evening. Young and carefree. Singing and hollering. Enjoying there time.

Friday was my 60th birthday.


I stood and just drifted into the beauty of the setting sun.

I have a thing about socks, always buying them, but seeing these ones, Just had to give them a try.

They do feel weird at first, but now, I really like them, now have I bought more, yes. Like I have said many times, I have a sock thing.

The storm we had on Friday, fair changed my little landscape, lost the General and the Duchess, names I had for my two favourite trees, Duchess especially was a bad one, I had 3 little projects around that area and well,, now will never get finished.
But for me, I just see it as Mother Nature deciding that I need to change my focus to other things, that she decided.

The General was a massive Beech tree, but it lost its top main trunk, maybe 40ft up, when you see how large this was, it just shows the power of nature, very much a case of good bye old friends.

The plan when I reach 60 was always to stop posting as much online to cut back on time spent and to get back to, well other things.

Things I have learned, well, still dance badly, but I can still smile madly. There is a video somewhere to prove that.


I took this about a month ago, usually it is the whole of the moon,, I go for, but have to admit, much prefer this view

Over half the first month of the year is gone , Life sure does move faster the older you get, it is like chasing your tail at times. But for the me, it is more slower focused, life was so fast paced so long ago, in a lot of ways, I liked what I was able to achieve.

My next little talk is the night before my birthday, just me standing there, got a few pictures picked, all new work from this year, will only need 12 at the most, mainly just to give some focus. I think in the last few weeks, I have taken some of the best images, I have ever taken. Most will be kept for my little books or zines, I will eventually do.

I was asked to take part in an exhibition, but declined this time, You have to take your opportunities, I was told, yes if you want too.

We were snow free, during the recent cold spell. dropped to -9, some of the best pictures I f got was abstract shots with the macro lens.


This was one of them.

Till the next time,, be kind.

First time logging in for close too, 2 weeks, it was nice to see, no pm or anyone wondering where I was or if everything was all right. For me, not being missed is a good thing. I finally worked our, where I fit in. Only has taken close to 60 yrs and all the time, I had actually found it, with out ever seeing it. Beaches, woodland and the open fields, that is my fit in place.

Clarity has finally came..

Tomorrow a further press of the reset button, next year, will be one of change.

I was sitting looking at my Flickr page and I think, this year has seen a change and one I am very happy with how the pictures look. I know where it will head next year and looking forward to it.

I got talked into doing another talk, It will be Social media, i really do not care. At first it was going to be called Who gives a shit ? It is just too the little local group, that I gave my very first talk too , they are a good bunch , plus you get a rather nice sandwich there.

I got the picture Eve took of me. I just broke down. Could not speak.


It was suggested that I should take more pictures of birds, there is more chance of that than the other recent suggestion, that my real talent is in taking pictures of people, I took a picture on Christmas Day, the young one had just given me her camera too just take candid pictures, i just done my usual point and shoot and then gave her the camera back., but one picture was rather special, so much so, it has been printed 3 times and hangs in 2 different houses. She is also going to make a little zine with 14 others. Still just not my thing.

Christmas turned out a really nice day. Seeing smiles on faces and squeals of joy as well lol, I like to think I am a good gifter, knowing exactly what to get someone. it does not even have to be an item.

Today, was so dreich all day, might have mentioned that a lot, but I watched the cyclo cross and then popped out, seeing the sky change a little.


Mother nature decided to give me a little gift as well,, been so long since, I have had any hint of a sunset, but the clouds caught some colour and my smile, I could feel, it is these small things, these are the special moments.

The weather the last 2 days was supposed to have been dry and it has rained all the time, would not even call it moody weather, just so dull and very mild, think we had a high of 12C today, I was going to put the wets on, but ended up catching up online with a few things.

I am hoping to get a walk along the shore on Friday, it has been 5 weeks now and fancy looking for some pictures. part of the new project. Other new project next year will be getting a nice printer and printing a picture each week, once I get it, but like most things, no hurry , I will know when the moment is right, photography gear wise, will buy one, maybe two lenses and maybe another camera.

I am keeping it my hobby. I just want to keep doing what I love. People had been telling me, I need to do this, I need to do that, that i should not be wasting my time with some things and I should go where my talent really is.. But the thing is, I would stop being me. I just love seeing something, lifting the camera or setting it up on the tripod and taking the shot.

I am a simple man in so many ways, but also so complicated at the same time.

I looked out on Friday night, 105 people sitting there and I knew, this is not for me, it's not my world.

Maybe one day, there might be another world where I fit in, but for now i truly am happy where I am.my world is where my feet take me.


This fungi is called Dead Man's Fingers, does kind of look like it trying to escape from the tree.

I gave my talk on Friday, it went well , the hotel was very nice, breakfast was really good, weather coming home was terrible.

I have decided to start afresh with the photography. Main thing is, I still get the same buzz that I always have gotten when out with the camera, i know it really is for life. All those other things in life, I participated in, I do not miss them. I think it goes back to when I won a National championship and was asked how it felt and I replied, i feel nothing. Gambling was like that too,, there was no feeling of joy, it is not because like I use to think that I am emotionless person, that ice run through the blood, it was it never gave me the joy, that feeling.

Now, as I get older, I just do what gives me that feeling. Life can end just like that, so do what makes you smile.

Taking the first step to change can be hard, but over the next few days I will make another.


This was a changing moment for me, the morning, I decided to see, if I could paint with the camera, using intentional camera movement, yes it is not good, but it was that first step in trying