Come away with the raggle taggle gypsy-o
I’m posting for Paula, over at Lost inTranslation who says,
For this theme you are invited to translate the tactile quality of the surface of an object into an image, and to make it black and white.
I’ve chosen some texture from 2500 years ago, that’s getting more tactile as it ages.
Jithin at Photrablogger says that his challenge is to find the beauty in almost everything and that it helps you to see ordinary things in a different way. This is my entry this week.
What constitutes a wild flower? Among Jude’s definitions are ones that haven’t been planted. I totally admire the tenacity of plants that burst up between rocks, through tiny gaps in paving stones and I’ve even seen Buddleia growing roof on guttering, three floors up. So, wild Campanula does grow in the UK, but this is an escapee, a seed deposited by the wind perhaps, that managed to attach itself to a minute grain of earthy material to help it germinate. I think the spot it’s chosen, attached to a container for things going on a journey, is a perfect foil for its wild spirit, do you agree?
The theme for Jude’s Garden Challenge this month is wild flowers, why not join in?
https://smallbluegreenflowers.wordpress.com/2016/05/22/garden-photography-solomons-seal/
I had to work out from dates where I took this photo. I know it was near Techiman, perhaps Baobeng Fiema in the Brong-Ahafo region. But I’ve never forgotten the joy on these children’s faces, jubilation even. 
They will be teenagers by now, I wonder how their lives have evolved.
Jubilant, adjective: showing great joy, satisfaction, or triumph; rejoicing; exultant.
And any of my friends that want to play.
One of my favourite things as a child was to roly-poly down a grassy slope in the park, was it yours too? It isn’t actually that long since I last had a go. It was still fun, but would have been more comfortable if my plump places were distributed slightly differently. I’ll probably still do it again though.
Last year when my son and grandchildren had a go at Killerton Park, I took the photos instead.
There was definitely mischief in the air that day!
Paula wants to see your favourite park, large or small for her Thursday special.
Another good year
For sweet crab apple jelly
John Downie prevails
Paula loves abstracts and says that they are everywhere, and can be seen in everything. I agree and love them too, and black and white adds to the mystery if there is one.
You can join in with the challenge if you’d like, Paula would be delighted.
Last Sunday afternoon I paid a flying visit to Lanhydrock, a National Trust property in Cornwall. Arriving just before 2.30 there wasn’t much time to linger, and after the bluebells, the grounds beckoned.
Down the long drive we go.
Here’s the gatehouse.
First look at the formal gardens, with the chapel in the background.
Part of the gatehouse door.
It’s raining so I’m going inside the house and I may take you one day, but for now you can see the view through some of the windows.
After exploring the vast house full of treasures great and small, I resisted the gift shop. Luckily my friend didn’t, so there was fudge to share 🙂 and this door led to the courtyard.
Where an equally handsome door was firmly closed.
We head around the corner, where a very pristine garden waits.
Which isn’t really my cup of tea, I prefer a far less structured, wild look, but I can still admire one occasionally. The rain is annoying now, the mizzely kind that while not heavy, get’s you very damp. We walk back through the gatehouse,
wishing for more time to explore the windy paths.
And back up the long drive to where we began, passing the bluebells growing on top of the banks, with late primroses at the bottom.
I’m sharing my Lanhydrock visit with Jo. She’s been travelling Europe for weeks, but I think she’s still walking for Mondays,
Jude invites us to share images of wild flowers for the month of May, and this one is about as wild as you can get. Luckily she doesn’t seem to say that they can’t be exotic, because this one was taken on the banks of Kinabatanga river in Borneo.
I don’t know what it is, it looks quite like a streptocarpus, but I think they originate in South Africa? Visit Jude to join her Garden Challenge, which has a different them each month.
Lucid Gypsy 