Weekly Photo Challenge: Foreign

Sara Rosso says `Foreign. While foreign (rightly so) often brings up images of things outside of your own nation, it can also apply to things outside of or different from your normal environment, or even something which is out of place in general.’

Foreign is fascinating, if it’s different I’ll love it and want to experience it, so this week the challenge is fab as far as I’m concerned. The photo I’ve chosen was taken in . . . any guesses? 

To at least one blogging friend this isn’t foreign and I know that a fair few of my visitors live there!

If you would like to join in visit http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2012/10/26/weekly-photo-challenge-foreign/

A Chestnut Walk to the Powderham Folly

Glorious weather and the dog’s need of some exercise made today a day for checking out Autumn’s progress. Earlier in the year I went to Kenton to take photographs for Lynne at On the Bench and found a new walk. At the time it was too cold to walk any further but it was always meant to be one to return to. The walk goes through the Powderham estate, the home to the 18th Earl and Countess of Devon. Building of the castle began in the 14th century and I’ve included a photo of the rooftop.

The start of the walk was a narrow muddy track through the marshes and then a climb up through the woods. There was a constant soundtrack from both the sawmill and the crazy sound of pheasants, whose presence tormented the dogs.  There are many ancient and magnificent oak trees but prominent today were the chestnuts, gnarled and old but still very productive. Empty shells were everywhere; no doubt the squirrels have full larders.

I was hoping for more leaf colour but there was very little display from the trees, we have only had one frost so far in east Devon. Plants in the hedgerow were definitely more autumnal though. In the field at the top of the track is the folly, built in the 18th century, and the view opens up, showing the river Exe looking east.

Click on any image for a slide show. I hope you enjoy my Sunday walk and have a lovely week!

Jakes Sunday Post: City

It’s Sunday so it must be Jake day and his theme this week is City. He says that a city is a ‘large center of population organized as a community. The word city is derived from the Latin word civitas, which denotes a community that administers its own affairs. In ancient Greece such an independent community was called a city-state; it consisted of a chief town and its immediate neighborhood. The cantons which constitute the Swiss federation are not unlike cities in this sense. During the Middle Ages a city was usually identical with a cathedral town; accordingly, when King Henry VIII of England established new bishoprics in boroughs, he made these into cities. In modern Britain city is merely a complimentary title conferred by the monarch on important towns.
In the United States a city is a chartered municipal corporation. Charters are granted by state governments according to requirements prescribed by the legislature of that state; a city must usually attain a certain population before it can be granted a charter. City charters vary in the degree of power they confer on the municipal authorities, and the measure of local autonomy is usually, although not always, regulated by the number of inhabitants. The chief executive officer is generally a popularly elected mayor, but many cities now have professional city managers.’

This is Bergamo, in Lombardy, Northern Italy. It has a population of 120,000 and lies at the foothills of the Alps, about 25 miles from Milan. Jake would love it if you joined in, http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/2012/10/20/sunday-post-city/

 

Travel Theme: Couples

Ailsa at http://wheresmybackpack.com/2012/10/19/travel-theme-couples/ has couples as her theme this week. She has some great shots on her site – especially the parrots. Visit and join in! Here are three of mine. 

Colyford Musicians

Winchester chicks

Nina and Steve with Dido and Daisy at Hound Tor!

 

Travel Theme: On Display

Ailsa said ‘No matter where you go, there’s always something for sale somewhere. The items on display in local stores are often evocative of the flavours and aesthetics of the culture you’re in and make for really interesting photographs.’ The things I have photographed are not for sale but displayed in the Museum of Anatolian Civilisation in Ankara, I’m sure that still counts.

Would you like to join in? call in at Ailsa’s Place she would love to see you.

Checking up on Fifi

Do you remember my solitary post about Fifi the Black Swan ? Well I just wanted to report that she is still on the river and looking healthy. 

I realised today how much smaller she is than the white mute swans on the river, they would easily be able to pick on her. It seems they leave her alone now that they are no longer nesting, let’s hope it stays that way.

Jake’s Sunday post: Delicious

I wonder how many similar photos to mine there will be this week! I have just been for a walk by the river and decided to finish with a hot drink in the Coffee Cellar on the quay.

They always have divine home made cakes, but I managed to resist this time! Inside is lovely, they have comfy sofas and dogs are welcome but today was just warm enough to sit outside and people watch. Another other nice thing about the Coffee Cellar is that when they make you hot chocolate the put the bit that won’t fit into your cup into a little jug. My friend had the full works with cream, for me it’s just the marshmallows.

Thanks Jake for your DELICIOUS challenge!

Travel Theme: Animals

http://wheresmybackpack.com/2012/10/05/travel-theme-animals/

Ailsa has chosen Animals to mark World Animal Day on Thursday, 2 days ago. I was very privileged  to be able to visit Sepilok, Borneo to see the orang-utans, really high on my ‘do before I die’ list. I hope you like this beauty! 

Sunday Post: Favourite Spot

It shouldn’t take too many guesses to work out that my favourite spot is the river Exe! From north of Exeter, through the city and anywhere down to the estuary at Exmouth, I love it. 

http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/2012/09/29/sunday-post-favorite-spot/ for worldwide favourite spots and Jake’s brilliant animations 🙂