GotPassion?

Camley Street Nature Reserve and St Pancras Station

Part of our holiday entertainment, me and two girls 10 and 7 years old.

Camley Street is situated next to St Pancras and is an oasis in a very urban world. When there we saw a heron, some turtles and a pond-skater which wasn't really that much considering its a nature reserve. We even had a pleasant walk around this small site, unnfortunately there just wasn't really much for the girls to do.
We arrived around 10am and there was a holiday club later in the day. It would have been nice though if there was something for the kids to engage them a little when just walking around the site, maybe their own little map with things to look out for?
We would recommend it for anyone who was in the area anyway but probably wouldn't recommend for a special outing!

As you can see from the above, it was great for photos and I took lots of really lovely photos of the girls as well as the wildlife and the flowers!

Why Spotify?

Taking a break from photos to talk about a very cool program which I think you should try!

Spotify is a music application that allows you to stream music from the internet. 
What is streaming you ask? Well it is the opposite of downloading. Downloading involves you taking possession of the file on your computer whereas streaming allows you to access it remotely, you can stream music and videos. Sort of like watching the t.v through someone's window!

Spotify is sort of like a personalised radio. You find the music you like, create a playlist and then you can add similar music. It is in fact very good at allowing you to personalise your music. The above screen capture shows my Spotify and if you can see the songs you will see it is a very random selection.

You can pay for Spotify which will you give you unlimited music and no adverts. At the moment I am quite content to hear the adverts and as I listen to Spotify in addition to my own music I am quite happy to be restricted to 20 hours.

It is a great way of checking out new songs and having more variety and now they offer it free to everyone I'd really suggest checking it out. The main disadvantage is that they don't have *all* music, but hopefully the more people that use it, the more likely musicians will be to let their music be on it (I hope!) So click below if you would like to try it out and follow the link to Spotify "Open".

I want Spotify!

At the moment my playlists are all about random (Taylor Swift?!), and I'd like to get them a bit more organised and maybe add a few more different artists. One step at a time...

Maternity Photos on the Andover.

I have known this lovely couple since they joined my church (separately) a few years ago. It has been a pleasure to get to know them individually and also watch as they have come together, getting married last year. Now they are expecting the arrival of their baby imminently and so it was a great chance to improve my maternity photo skills.

The session took place on an estate in North London. We were originally going to Parkland Walk but it was raining a bit too much and I knew there were lots of covered walkways on the estate. An excellent location, will definitely be going there again! They are such a lovely couple, and were constantly laughing.

This baby is going to be born to the most amazing parents and community, lucky child! Thanks for being such a great couple to photograph!

The rest of the photos can be seen here: Ann and Adrian are having a baby!

 

Parkland Walk

Parkland Walk is a lovely green oasis in North London of which I am really growing to really love. It runs along a disused railway and is a little surreal/ghostly especially at the abandoned platforms, where you can just imagine the trains that used to go along the path. The whole thing reminds me a little of the film Fried Green Tomatoes which features ghost towns and ghost railways (if you haven't seen it, you should!)

There are two sections on Parkland Walk, one that goes from Finsbury Park to Highgate and then another at Muswell Hill. I can't remember the exact location for getting on and off there, but I know my Dad knows, so Dad, please tell me in the comments section!

So after little DanDan's birthday party, I met up with my folks who were in Muswell Hill. After the obligatory confusing conversation about what to do and the best way to do it we decided on Parkland Walk (the Finsbury Park section). Which got even more confusing as then we got in a 'discussion' with Dad about the best way to reach it. Turns out he knew the way to the second section (so we were both right!)

So armed with a packet of Polo's, on we walked...

Polos.

I'd like to mention here that my parents never go anywhere without polos. They bulk buy them. Such is my Dad's love of Polos, that one birthday he received about 50 packets of them from his various children. So if you are ever walking along and in need of refreshment, and you see one of them, ask for a polo. According to them, a polo is an appropriate alternative to water or food.

I am starting to believe the same thing.

Keswick: Summer 2010

The Lakes as wet as they are have a special place in my heart, especially Keswick, which is near Lake Derwentwater. The reason being that it is the one I have seen most often, but the town has a lovely atmosphere and the whole area is just so beautiful.

So the chance to go and spend time there with my favourite people was just too good to miss. So after visiting my godmother off I went to Keswick and had a lovely time. I can even forgive the amount of rain for giving me photos like the top right one.

 

(this is just a selection, for the full album visit: Evie Winter's Flickr)

Memorable moments:

- Poor nephew had terrible terrible chicken pox and had to stay confined to the tent and any trips were to locations there wouldn't be many other people. 

- Sitting in the rain, eating dinner. If you can't beat it - join it. Next time I shall bring wellies.

- The 6 year old girls utter excitement at being allowed to go to the toilet on their own. 

- The pencil museum, really it is a very cool place!

- Simon Guillebaud speaking, lets not forget I was there for the convention so had to go to a few talks. I can highly recommend Simon Guillebaud should you ever have the chance to hear him.

- In the efforts to get a good photo I lay down on the ground next to the lake and got in the way of my nephew's attempts to skim a stone, hit my ear and side of my head. Ouch!

- Sharing a bed with 6yr old LissaLou, one night I tried to shove her back over to her side, she opened her eyes and burst out laughing. The moment was so funny even I laughed. 

- Tasted more cheeses than I have in my life due to our friend's going to the cheese shop every day.

- Running in to old friends!

- Finding out that the field we were in was flooded out in the Cumbria floods last year, and hoping all this rain didn't mean it would happen again!

- Our showers were at the nearby Keswick school who lost two children in a coach accident in May. There were lots of tributes scrawled on to the wall which was really rather touching. Cumbria seems to have had a bit of a rough ride over the past year or so and I hope for them that the next year is kinder on them.

And we finish this with a different perspective of Keswick Boat Landings...

 

 

Hadrian's Wall

 
    

Some of my favourites from Cumbria. 

It is hard to miss, but note the green green grass. One of the advantages of living in the land of rain. Down here in the South, whilst we have somewhat less rain, our grass is all yellow. 

One of the things I love about London, is the history. Whilst there are less buildings in the Lakes, you can find the history if you look. 

You can feel the history deep beneath your toes. 

Such as Hadrian's Wall, which is 1800 years old. Housesteads Roman Fort is so well preserved you can almost see the paths the solider's walked.

With all the hills, the views are majestic and I doubt they have changed much since the romans looked upon them which is quite amazing.

Note also the viaduct, for some odd reason I do love viaducts. They are too bridges what chocolate is to strawberries, or a necklace to a nice dress - they just make them so much more exciting!

The flowers are from my godmother's lovely garden, which is entirely on a steep slope and a little bit unnerving to walk around, trying to be careful you don't fall down it. 

 

Saviour of the World

One of my favourite songs at the moment which I just wanted to share.

Oh there is nothing like a good song to relax to. 

By the way, I would like to state for the record I attempted to make Calzone today. But with gluten free flour I am doomed and shall not attempt any such thing again until I have normal flour.

I think I should even put that on my goals for my age 31.

- Perfect the art of of pizza bases.

I mean I would be happy if only it was edible. Thats not too much to ask is it?

Well I am happy to report week 1 out of 3 of my 10 hour days is almost done. And it has been fun. I am looking forward to next week much more because by then I'll feel lots better and well the world will be a brighter place when I am not constantly blowing my nose and can talk properly. Oh it will be good.

Holidays

A little treat from my flatmate on monday. Are days are almost polar opposites atm, I am out from morning to evening and then she is out evening to mornings, so we haven't seen each other since Monday, should you see this Mimes, I am looking forward to another cake tomorrow!

The holidays is a funny old time when everything is topsy turvy. For me it means working longer hours and not having much in the evenings, which is probably just as well as I think I'd be too tired to do anything.

Advantages of 10 hour days
- Get to see lots of the girls and quite honestly its fun, they are so lovely to spend time with. 
- Feel more productive (well not so much atm as am a little ill, but once I feel better I will be.
- Feel a bit more part of the work force than I do when I start work at 2:30
- Get to pick up a metro in the mornings from Finsbury Park station (small joys)
- There is something about walking the streets in the mornings that just make me feel happy.

Last week I enjoyed a lovely break in the Lake District, spending part of it with one godmother and then the second part with my sister and family and friends in Keswick for the convention there. 

When I arrived my brother in law mentioned he had seen my other godmother, I am ashamed to say we didn't believe him mainly on the basis he has met her only once a very long time ago. But he was convinced enough that we managed to send a few texts and track down her mobile no. (no mean feat up north where the reception is rubbish to non existent).

And strangely enough. She was there! And with a few other people we haven't seen in the longest time, well since we were kids, like 10 + years ago! Amazing.

So to enjoy some photos of the Lake District, check out the album at Flickr. Be warned quite a few pics of the family and friends, but feel free to skip those if you just would like to see the beautiful scenery.

May I also mention that if you have a flickr account it makes navigating the photos a whole lot more easier! Maybe I should blog about that some day?

My goals for the holiday are to set some goals for the next year and to work out how to improve my time management skills so I can achieve those. But for now is beauty sleep to prepare myself for this 6am wake up, top goal will probably be blog more. Well I could hardly blog any less could I?

 

The Humble Bumble Bee

We have a lot to learn from the humble bumble bee.

Honestly we do.

Can you imagine the humble bumble bee think the thoughts we think? 

 

"Will I have enough food to eat this month, will have enough money to supply all my needs and my wants as well. Will I have enough for a few luxuries as well?"

 

"Is this really the plant for me, or is there a better plant somewhere. A plant more suited to me?"

 

"Will I crash instead of landing on that plant, oh dear... I am not sure I can fly any more."

 

"And even if I do land, where should I land. That lavender is taller yet, that that some is bluer and yet again, that one is nearer."

 

"Does my bum look big in this?"
 
 
 
 
 

Brownie Camp

Well, last week my lovely Brownies got to join a bunch of other Brownies and Guides for a camp in Essex and I am glad to say all the feedback has been totally positive and the girls had a fab time. 

Particularly hightlights involved crate building, grass sledging, doing their own bbq's, late nights, hanging out with their friends, a big camp fire sing along (including such classics as 'Marilyn Munroe', 'Ah de do da day' and my personal favourite, 'There are no bananas in the sky') and of course lets not forget the three girls who came to my tent at 4:20am and woke all the leaders up with the profound question 'how do you knock on a tent'. Unfortunately for me, they were from my unit and so I was the one who rolled out of bed to get rid of the poor moth who found itself stuck in their tent. Half asleep as I was, it didn't really occur to me to tell them to enjoy the experience of the outdoors, as I just really wanted peace and quiet and to go back to sleep.

Well having downloaded the trial version of Lightroom, I have been having fun with the editing options and making the pictures look a little different. Enjoy!

This poor butterfly apparently lost its ability to fly and the girls were trying to shoo it in to the air again. I think it was just lazy, or hot and looking for a rest.

 

Yep the girls really did make their own bbq's!

 

The entrance to the toilet block, you can only imagine how thrilled the girls were with this and the numerous spider webs inside the toilet block. Not. I tried to tell them about the spider that looked a bit more like this WARNING SCARY BIG SPIDER when I went to an outhouse toilet once (honestly toilet so small there was just enough room to shut the door, spider was in the corner above the door). I don't think they really saw the difference. The little spiders here are apparently just as scary. At least they make pretty webs.

 

Being near an airfield is a lot more fun when taking photos than it is when you are trying to sleep in the wee hours, planes were very noisy. I'd also like to add, despite it being the hottest day of the year at 32 or something, the night was freezing freezing freezing, and I slept with leggings, trousers, tshirt, hoodie and socks. Trying to tell myself not to complain because it was just a few hours til the heat returned.

 

Do you see all that fluffy white stuff on the ground?

 

Well this is a close up. It was everywhere, somewhat annoying but very pretty. Kind of looked like it was snowing in the summer.