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Flight of the Hoverfly

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Flight of the Hoverfly
Wildlife Photography : Nigel Borrington

1st July and our local woodlands and fields are full of life ( Bees, Hoverflys and butterflys ) are everywhere.

For sometime I have been trying to capture these great insects in flight, using a macro lens and a high shutter speed, the images I post here are of a Hover-fly as it fixed its motion for a few seconds in front of my lens.

Its was a great feeling to look at these images at home for the very first time, freezing the movement of this fly that appeared in-front of me to never stop its motion as it went about its life and fleeting tasks.

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Posted by  |  July 1, 2014 | Categories: Gallery, Nature and Wildlife, Nigel Borrington | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

A Poem : look up at the sky, By : Raj Arumugam

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The sky above Slievenamon, county Tipperary
Landscape Photography : Nigel Borrington

look up at the sky

Oh, do look up at the sky.

look up at the sky that stretches in all directions and wherever one may turn
look up at the sky all above and that falls beyond the end of the visible earth
look up at the sky that stretches beyond one’s vision and look beyond the sky into limitless space

See, time and care and the narrowness of one’s conditioning confine one and bends one’s mind – as one’s back is bent, and one’s neck is loaded down; and one’s eyes are fixed to the spotlight-defined meters as one stands one’s ground…Oh, but just look up at the sky

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Look up at the sky in the day and see its deep blue
look up at the sky and see the clouds and the sun,
the brilliance and the lack of limits and confines
look up at the sky in the morning and see the sun rise,
behold its wonder and its colors

look up at the sky at twilight and look at it at night
with the moon and the stars and the infinite space that stretches beyond

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look up at the sky and behold its wonders and splendour and its power
look up at the sky and the space beyond and behold its brilliance and limitlessness.

Oh, look up at the sky and the space beyond – and behold the limitlessness of the mind
behold there the infinite stretch of your mind,

behold the skies and space, and behold the power and glory and the unconfined,
unconditioned freedom and brilliance of your mind and your being,
of the unconfined mind and of unconditioned being…

Posted by  |  June 30, 2014 | Categories: Gallery, Landscape, Nigel Borrington, Poetry Gallery, Slievenamon | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Ross Castle, Killarney National Park, Co. Kerry, Ireland

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Ross Castle, Killarney National Park, Co. Kerry, Ireland
Landscape Photography : Nigel Borrington

Ross Castle sits on the edge of Killarney’s lower lake and was built by O’Donoghue Mór in the 15th century.

This is one of Ireland treasures and a wonderful place to visit, the views of lower lake are just wonderful from the walls here.

History and Myths

Ross Castle (Irish: Caisleán an Rois) is a 15th century tower house and keep on the edge of Lough Leane, in Killarney National Park, County Kerry. It is the ancestral home of the O’Donoghue clan, though it is better known for its association with the Brownes of Killarney who owned the castle until more recently.

The castle is operated by the Irish OPW – Office of Public Works, and is open to the public seasonally with guided tours.

The Castle came into the hands of the Brownes who became the Earls of Kenmare and owned an extensive portion of the lands that are now part of Killarney National Park . Legend has it that members of the O’Donoghue clan still exists in a deep slumber under the waters of Lough Leane.

On the first morning of May every seven years he rises from the lake on his magnificent white horse and circles the lake. Anyone catching a glimpse of him is said to be assured of good fortune for the rest of their lives. The large rock at the entrance to the bay is known as O’Donoghue’s prison. Ross Castle was the last stronghold in Munster to hold out against Cromwell. It was eventually taken by General Ludlow in 1652.

Ross Castle is open to the public. Details from Ross Castle, Killarney, Co. Kerry

Ross Castle Image Gallery

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Posted by  |  June 30, 2014 | Categories: Gallery, Landscape, Nigel Borrington, Travel Locations | Tags: , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Sunday evening poem : Rippling stream’s circle

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River Lingaun, County Tipperary
Landscape photography : Nigel Borrington

Rippling stream’s circle

By: Chris Matt

Out here watching the water flow by.
Talking to the wind, waiting for a reply.
I don’t know what it is about this stream I admire.
Like camping and gathering around watching the fire.

There is something about these inanimate objects.
It maybe the simplicity of beauty it reflects.
How it unconditionally forms over all in its liquidity.
It is the foundation of life being perfect in its ubiquity.

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Watching this stream, there is so much to learn and gain.
This water can teach you, watch, as it starts as rain.
High above in the clouds, then it falls to the top of the peak.
As it slowly drips to the bottom, it mixes in with a creek.

It flows in a small brook, then ends up in this stream,
but it will one day rise up again to the clouds, as steam.
Like waters circle of life, we need to come together as one.
The lessons that we’ve learned here, have only just begun.

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Posted by  |  June 29, 2014 | Categories: Irish rivers, Landscape, Nigel Borrington, Portrait images | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Saturday Morning walk on coolagh hill, county Kilkenny : Gallery

Saturday morning on coolagh hill
Coolagh old church on the hill, County Kilkenny
Landscape Photography : Nigel Borrington

It’s the weekend so why not get out and about and do some walking in your local area.

Often when you walk you will find places and views that you never knew existed just driving past in a car.

What ever you do I hope you have a great last weekend of June 2014.

Coolagh Kilkenny a Gallery

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Posted by  |  June 28, 2014 | Categories: Down on the farm, Forgotten places, Images for the weekend, Nigel Borrington | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Kilkenny’s Standing stones, Time – a Poem by : Anthony Zeigler

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Standing stone at Owning, County Kilkenny
Landscape photography : Nigel Borrington

County Kilkenny has many Standing stones, often located on farm land and hidden from public eyes.

They are a reminder of times past, long ago, so long few know their original purpose or anything about the people who first erected them.

It is thought that they were used to mark the passing of time , the Hours, days and months of the year.

Time

By : Anthony Zeigler

Time is where we are
And time is where we’ve been
Time is being lost
And found again

Time is the day we were born
the day we die
Time is the hours that pass
As they come just then fly

Time is what we know
what we learn
Time is what it is
Some times it will hunt and some times it will burn

Time is all we have
Though it seems so little
Time is all around us
We are caught in the middle

Time is when we’re there
what we’ve missed
Time is our biggest fear
But we try to make the best of it

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Posted by  |  June 27, 2014 | Categories: Gallery, Landscape, Nigel Borrington, Poetry Gallery | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Images of my Violin

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Hand made Irish Violin,
made my Michael Allen, Ardfinnan, County Tipperary

I have been playing the Violin for sometime now and it is one of my favourite pass times.

I loved violin music for many years before taking it up myself with artists such as Nigel Kennedy and Jay Ungar being amongst my most loved.

Here I just want to share some images of my own violin made by Irish Violin maker , Michael Allen from County Tipperary.

I am very happy to have found him and felt it was a great thing to support a local crafts man when getting this violin from him.

Image Gallery

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Posted by  |  June 26, 2014 | Categories: Art and craft work, Comment, Nigel Borrington | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 28 Comments

Tatton Park, Knutsford, Cheshire

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Tatton Park, Knutsford, Cheshire
Landscape photography : Nigel Borrington

Tatton park near Knutsford in the county of Cheshire is located about 10 miles from my childhood home town of Altrincham. As a family we would visit the park here many times as kids, spending the day walking around the grounds and viewing the landscape along with the wild life.

The grounds are open all summer and this is a wonderful place to spend a summers day, boating on the lakes or having a good old fashioned picnic.

If you want to get a feel for the county of Cheshire in the north west of England then a visit to Tatton park and the villages that surround it are a great place to make a start.

History

There is evidence of human habitation in the area of the estate going back to the Iron Age. In medieval times the village of Tatton was on the site. This has since disappeared but the area of the village and its roadways are a Scheduled Ancient Monument. By the end of the 15th century the estate was owned by the Stanley family who built and occupied the Old Hall. By the 1580s this building had been enlarged and it was owned by the Brereton family. In 1598 the estate was bought by Sir Thomas Egerton, Lord Chancellor of England. Sir Thomas and his children rarely visited the estate and it was loaned to tenants. At the end of the 17th century the estate was owned by John Egerton, Sir Thomas’ grandson, who built a new house on the site of the present mansion, some 0.75 miles (1 km) to the west of the Old Hall. This mansion, Tatton Hall, was extensively altered and extended between 1780 and 1813.

In 1795 the estate covered 251,000 acres (1,020 km2) (392 sq.miles). The estate remained in the ownership of the Egerton family until the last Lord Egerton died without issue in 1958. He left the house to the National Trust and gave them the park in lieu of death duties. However, as the estate itself was sold by his executors, Cheshire County Council committed to a 99-year lease in place of an endowment to ensure that it was preserved for the benefit of the nation. The Trust’s ownership (run now by Cheshire East Council) is some 2,000 acres (8.1 km2) (3.1 sq.miles).

Tatton park, a Gallery

The images below I hope show something of just how great a day spent here can be.

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Posted by  |  June 25, 2014 | Categories: Gallery, Landscape, Travel Locations | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Keeping a golden retriever cool , an afternoon summers swim

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Our golden retriever , Molly Swimming, June 2014

Keeping our golden retriever Molly cool on these hot summer days is a puzzle , however she loves a summers swim and really makes the most or our local rivers.

She loves retrieving sticks and stones from the river bed and finding her some shade and cold water is a great way to cool her down.

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Molly swimming 1

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Posted by  |  June 24, 2014 | Categories: dogs, Gallery, Nigel Borrington, What Molly finds | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Culzean Castle, Ayrshire, Scotland

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Culzean Castle, Maybole,
Carrick, Ayrshire coast of Scotland
Landscape photography : Nigel Borrington

Culzean Castle

Culzean Castle, Ayrshire, Scotland has to be one of the most treasured and interesting castles in Scotland.

Robert Adam was the architect and he designed the castles structure on a basic L shaped design. The structure is a fine country house and when completed it was the seat of the 10th of Cassilis ( David Kennedy ) , earldom.

The castle was built in stages between 1777 and 1792. It incorporates a large drum shaped tower, circular inside (which overlooks the sea), a grand oval staircase and a suite of well-appointed apartments.

In 1945, the Kennedy family gave the castle and its grounds to the National Trust for Scotland (thus avoiding inheritance tax). In doing so, they stipulated that the apartment at the top of the castle be given to General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower in recognition of his role as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe during the Second World War. The General first visited Culzean Castle in 1946 and stayed there four times, including once while President of the United States. An Eisenhower exhibition occupies one of the rooms, with mementoes of his lifetime.

During my own days visit I took many images here as both the grounds and castle itself offer some wonderful photography, including a walked garden, cannon’s, walls, see cliffs and court yards.

If you are visiting Ayrshire , this castle has to be high on your list for a visit.

Culzean Castle , Gallery

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Posted by  |  June 23, 2014 | Categories: Gallery, Landscape, Nigel Borrington, Travel Locations | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments