I FELT AUTUMN IN THE AIR TODAY

 As I was walking Flickr this morning, I noticed a difference in the air.  

It suddenly felt like autumn.

Those first signs always make me feel sad because I know that the darkness is coming.

The short days, the cold wind and the long rainy afternoons...days....weeks. 

No more trips to the beach for me, or swimming.. 

THIS YEAR I never even made it to the beach even though it is 20km away...Sigh..

New Year New Beginnings

Here goes another year...

I don't know what to say, it seams as if time is simply flying by..

I do hope 2019 will be as fruitful photography speaking as 2018 was. I had a fantastic summer walking a lot and taking numerous amount of images, also developed a new relationship with my photography on a completely new level ...All is well

 Enjoy my faves from 2018

I FOUND A TREASURE

Today is a pretty miserable day weather wise. 

It is raining or drizzling very consistently, enough to make you thoroughly wet if you are out and about walking the dogs totally unprepared.

I was trudging  along keeping pace with the guys when suddenly I found a treasure.
A real sign that autumn is here but we don't know it yet.

Actually I can see the change in the bog lands. The rusty glow in the grasses and the wind blown rushes. It's all there in the tree leaves and the chill of the early morning breeze..

And then there is this, just one among the last of the green.

FLOWER DREAM

Connemara Pony Says Hi

Recently I met this lovely Connemara Pony. He is like the mascot of Moycullen.

He lives in a field right before all the hubbub happens. 

I also cannot resist a good photo when I see one, 

He is SO charming!!  

He can be really friendly or be just so bored and ignore you to death no matter what you do. 

I guess everyone tries to grab his attention when passing.

On a few occasions I got lucky!!

Here is me and the pretty pony from Connemara that lives in the Heart of Moycullen 

Who knew ponies like Tiësto?

More horsey photos HERE

Just an Ordinary Cloudy Day

So what is the perfect weather for you?

For me it doesn't have to be a sunny day with the gorgeous blue sky so I can enjoy myself out there along the winding roads of Connemara.

As long as my hands are not freezing off while holding the camera,  the wind is not blowing me away and I am not getting soaked to my bones... everything is fine. My walk is normally enjoyable.

To be honest I prefer a moody cloudy day for photos much more than a bright sunny one with heightened contrasts and strong shadows. And if you throw a bit of drizzle now and again to sharpen the air and wash off the colours in the fields and mountains around me..wow..there is no stopping me.

Today was just an ordinary cloudy day in Ireland but the light was bright and bouncy even dough there were clouds most of the time. Still the few images I took were lovely and I think represent Connemara at it's best.  Enjoy

Here  I managed to catch a rare boxer beast in a state of extreme 

happiness and joy

Totally Snowed In

Yes, we are indeed, totally snowed in this morning. Storm Emma is throwing the worst it has against us today. 

Our water pipes froze 2 days ago. By the way it looks outside, there is no hope!!

Even the cat doesn't like it much outside

Let me IN!!!

My daughter was saying today that so far she thought having no internet or phone was the worst thing ever but actualy now she agrees that having NO water is deffinitely worst than that.   

Somehow, it doesn't look like there will be any changes soon. The weather hasn't changed a bit since last night. It's not that it is outrageously bad, but I want my pipes to defrost, so we can see if there is much damage and get the water flowing!!

I think, I am going to grab the camera and venture out for a few shots ;-) what else is there to do?

Forest Walks

One of my favourite things to do in my spare time is walking.

Walking through the fields, walking in the bogs, walking in the Hills of Connemara, walking with my dogs and especially walking in the forest.

The smell of earth and fallen leaves.. The happy singing of the mountain streams..The peaceful silence and the playful light in the branches of the trees... all that and so much more  is what keeps me coming back and back and back...

I will show a few shots from a random walk from last year when Flick was a tiny puppy and was just learning the secrets of the forest. 

Now, after walking there every day for a year and a half, I would say he looks like he simply belongs in it. 

Forest Walks by Annie Japaud Photography