Posted on September 13, 2009 at 04:10 PM in Photography | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
Posted on February 14, 2009 at 01:59 PM in England, Photography, St. Ives | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Posted on February 07, 2009 at 11:38 AM in Cows, England, Photography, Sheep, Snow | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Posted on January 31, 2009 at 06:39 PM in Dogs, France, Photography | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Posted on January 30, 2009 at 04:07 AM in Boules, France, Games, Photography, St. Paul | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
I have a few more photo to share with you - a bit of this and that.
Posted on January 24, 2009 at 04:37 PM in France, Nice, Photography | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
Posted on January 16, 2009 at 02:34 PM in France, Nice, Photography | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Posted on January 15, 2009 at 03:08 PM in France, Nice, Photography | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Posted on January 09, 2009 at 11:14 AM in Cows, La Pêche Enterprises, Moo Cards, Photography | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Posted on December 31, 2008 at 12:59 PM in Cows, England, Photography, sheep | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Posted on December 28, 2008 at 04:17 PM in Lambretta, Photography, Quirky | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
"Hello, my name is Tony Mendoza. I'm a photographer and I just
Posted on December 27, 2008 at 02:43 PM in Books, Cats, Humour, Photography | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Posted on December 25, 2008 at 05:00 PM in Cows, England, Photography, sheep | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Posted on December 25, 2008 at 09:05 AM in Christmas, Photography | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Posted on December 17, 2008 at 03:28 AM in Current Affairs, Photography | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Posted on December 12, 2008 at 03:53 PM in Current Affairs, Photography | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
{post script}
No seagulls, swans, dogs, people or Buddhas were harmed in
the making of this blog, nor were they coerced into wearing the pointy hats.
The seagulls were a bit reluctant at first - but they eventually came around.
Posted on December 11, 2008 at 03:14 PM in Humour, Photography | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
The dreaded day has arrived. This morning I woke up to an empty field. Naughty Boys were no where to be seen ! Either they were eaten by some Eastern Europeans or the farmer has taken them back to his farm. But since I've not noticed any people walking through the field with knife and fork in hand, I would hope it's the latter one.
The remark about Eastern Europeans may not seem kind or politically correct - it is how it is - here in United Kingdom. With the influx of Eastern Europeans to this country, vast amounts of fish are being netted from England's rivers and the Queen Mum's beloved swans, which are protected species, have been slaughtered and wings piled six feet high next to migrant camps, evidence of recent banquets.
What's next ? A Barbeque Swan Wings franchise next to the fish and chips shop ?
Although Eastern Europeans may be breaking UK laws, I empathize with them. My very own Grandparents, poor as church mice, emigrated to the US from Ukraine and with no strict laws against it, fished, shot and skinned anything edible to feed the their six children. It's no wonder then that the masses of buffalo disappeared from the prairie lands - mark and learn.
Enough of that, I'm here to blog about bovine, not use this as a platform for social and political beliefs.
So then, back to my cows.
I've always suspected Naughty Boys were girls but since I'm more city girl then country girl and know nothing about cows and cow bits and parts - I call them "boys." I believed the farmer to round them up around November time, not this soon ! No more waking up to see them queuing for turns on the scratching post, nor will I see them running full speed to huddle together, sheltering from the steady pouring of rain, beneath the row of trees just outside my window.
Hopefully, you will not think me too "barking mad" for posting cow photos and blogging about these critters.
Some might say that to be barking mad - is a good thing.
Cows, bless 'em, are messy, mucky creatures; bovine have a constant glob of gooey ooze from their eyes and they drool, slobbering a gelatinous slime that hangs from nose and mouth. They also chew with their mouth open, stink of poop, and have a fog of annoying flies that follow them everywhere. Cows eat and eat and poop and poop and poop ! Nevertheless, I love these critters ! Each one has a distinct personality, some days they can be playful and loving life and other days, grumpy and unsociable. Just like a typical British man.
But cows are more than just drooling, pooping fly catchers. They are highly intelligent, curious creatures. It's proven that cows are problem solvers and have incredibly long memories - never forgetting humans who have hurt them. They also interact in socially complex ways amongst their own, forging relationships that last forever or perhaps holding a grudge against another cow who has treated them unfairly. Like humans, cows are capable of learning lessons from each other, some are slow learners and others are very bright. It is said that a cow's intellect is matched closely to that of a dog and slightly above a cat's IQ - by a whisker. (bad pun)
No matter what you think or may not think about cows, I hope after reading the last paragraph, you might see them differently somehow and not merely as; cow + baked potato.
Goodbye Naughty Boys - I'm sure going to miss you !
{post script} This was originally posted 21 September 2008.
Posted on December 08, 2008 at 01:58 AM in Cows, Photography | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
I love Paris ! I've created a little vintage slide show from photos I've taken of Paris. A glass of red wine and some French music would set the mood ! Charles Trénet, Edith Piaf, Paris Combo, Jean Sablon, Coralie Clément, Isabelle Antena are a a few of my favourites. Wear a béret if you have one. Enjoy !
"Avec amour"
Marsha
Posted on December 03, 2008 at 05:47 AM in Paris, Photography | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
I had all sorts of misguided expectations before I landed on this lush, green island called England. Fanciful visions of infinite curtsying, of crinoline and petticoats, and gentlemen wearing top hats. Romantic, chivalrous gestures on every street corner of stately men forever throwing down their capes over puddles so that delicate ladies might cross without getting their shoes soiled. Alas, methinks the lady has watched one too many BBC period dramas !!
Although life in modern day England is not like living in a Jane Austin novel, there are a good few traditions that have endured still. One, of course, is the custom of drinking tea. Britons drink copious amounts, millions of cups per year. And they also, love to say the word "lovely" over and over again. "That's lovely" or just "lovely" in a very lovely voice. Whenever I say "lovely" it doesn't sound as - lovely - must be my stilted, nasally, Yank accent.
I'm very fortunate to live in a pastoral area of Eastern England and opportunity affords me to wander the bucolic countryside taking pictures of just about everything. I've been obsessed with cows lately and my fondness is for a herd, the eight, who I call "the naughty boys" that graze in Wilhorn Meadow just outside my front door. They can be an ornery lot somedays, never pausing once to look up from the relentless grass gorging so that I might take their photo. I will sorely miss their grumpy faces when the farmer collects them back to his farm for the winter months.
Some weeks ago whilst on the hunt for wild blackberries at the lakes near my home, I discovered another muddy rabble of bovines, munching happily, swishing tails and pooping piles. I was halfway across the field, when one looked up from his meal and stared - dead pan stare - watching, watching, watching...
Slowly, like a gentle, lumbering elephant he started making his way towards me, his head bobbing up and down in mechanical momentum as he trudged across the meadow. Then like an unspoken secret cow code, one by one, each cow followed suit, trekking after their horned leader. At ten feet from me they stopped, standing all in a row, to get a closer look at this human visitor and to greet me in proper cow style. Moo. The cows back in Montana can certainly learn some manners from these prim and proper English critters !!
You might title the above photo as "The Stand Off"
Do you spy the little, dozy black faced sheep laying down to the left of the herd? Clearly, the cows have accepted him as one of their own. He's made himself quite at home - this little sheep - and has no idea that he's not a cow. Using a long lens, I found myself much too close to frame everyone to my liking so I turned around and traced my steps across the meadow. When I turned around and looked through the lens again, this is what I happened to capture. Cow wants little sheep to get up and follow the herd - so he gently nudges...
How cute was that ?! So there he is, the little buster - standing there in the midst of all his cow comrades. I'm going back to the lakes soon, weather permitting, to check up on him and to see whether he's learned how to moo yet. I'll keep you posted.
*Note: As of today, December 1, 2008 - little sheep is still hanging with the cows.
{Post Script} This archive was originally posted Friday, 5th September 2008.
Posted on December 01, 2008 at 04:45 AM in Cows, England, Photography | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)