Click, take a trip!

Hello again and thank you to those who have recently started to read me blog because I looked at the information I see where you're from if sometimes where you find about the blog from.
A note to any of my TB followers, you're very welcome here cos while some of our interests are different, we have much in common and can learn a lot from each other.
As a good number of you know, several of us  are off to Sammy's picnic just outside London this weekend, where no doubt we'll be on our best behaviour with her partner and a few groan ups present so I'm writing this early as I need to get my stuff all together and we know whose responsibility that is, don't we?  In  2015 I have to stuff!(lol)

 I'll have a camera on me but this is my new 'proper' one as the one I used to have like disappeared although it had developed a fault and maybe the groan up's removed it as rubbish?
It's an Olympus OM20 (North America: OM-G) film single lens reflex that enables you to use different lenses and see what your lens is about to commit to film before you take the picture.
But as I was kind of explaining to Rachel on Tuesday night, it has a auto exposure mode that when you adjust the aperture ring to alter the amount of light  through, it sets the shutter speed to ensure the picture is neither too dark or too light that you use most of the time.
Like her Olympus  OM1 you can also set the shutter speed by hand using a selector on the front of the camera where the lens mount is where you may need to set the exposure on a small part of the picture if most of it is either very dark or very bright by hand or wanting a specific shutter speed for effects like blurring the moving water in waterfalls.
Compared to the automatic by design budget OM10, it's better finished with milled parts, better positioned controls and a more robust body that can take the professional Motor Drive 1 to wind film fast.
It also has not only a brighter focus screen, the equal of dearer Olympus cameras of this sort (not interchangeable though), the information is better presented with shutter speed, exposure mode and flash indicated to the left of the viewfinder so it's clear and not in the way of picture taking.
In the field as I did use it that day, it is a more enjoyable camera to use although the OM10 is very capable especially with the optional plug in manual shutter and is more easily found in stores and online.
I also have the original instruction book for it too.

Meadowland III

After the last  more heavy weight entry I thought I'd write something a bit different today.

To me, as much as we talk about the active, doing things, like the places we travel to, the things we undertake there are times when you need something that's more reflective, enabling you to think through the stock of experiences you'd had.
They may not be just those of the last few days or weeks even but from way back in time because those past events have helped shape us and do influence to a point how we see both ourselves and the things that are currently happening in our lives.
So time spent away from the immediate hear and now, albeit online activity or face to face in favour of time in a secluded pleasant place well away where we are able to let our mental guard down and just think at length free from interruptions is beneficial.
Standing, watching local meadowland is one thing I find that helps and it sums it up in that at first glance it doesn't look that busy but when you really get to focus in, you see a lot of small connected things happening.
I think learning to discern things, identifying patterns is very desirable in itself.
*Photo by me.

"I want to be a betterer girl"

I do wish I felt better today and will be resting after doing this but I woke up also with a bit of an idea for a post.

Sammy write something a few days back about her emotions and how she feels about herself the other day that struck a chord with me.
When we think of 'naughty' what we usually are thinking of is the girl (or for that matter boy) who is mean to others.
It may be that you set out to upset someone by saying unkind things about them and the things that matter to them, you pull their hair, pour paint all over their art or ruin their toys.
That might come from feeling insecure in the presence of someone who either is popular or who has something we feel ought to be ours and needs to denied the pleasure from them.
Most of us can relate to this either as one who did this the odd time or were on the receiving end of it and personally I get it both ways although it is many years since I last did anything naughty in that sense.
Sometimes arising from that childlike sense of wonder and excitement  we can more  thoughtless, we dash and maybe collide hurting each other when it would be more sensible walk slowly instead, we attempt to do something that sounds like fun but oblivious to risks involved for ourselves and others and so on.
On the the other hand there are other things that may have continued from an early age, such as not appreciating what others may do for us, feeling very much World must conform to and supply our immediate needs with a pout and a stomp.
You may feel the best way of getting what you want is shouting over anybody who has the audacity to question or just fail to give total support.
Although starting something can be daunting just putting things off because we'd sooner not or prefer to do more enjoyable or possibly have a lazy streak even doesn't help us and may not help those we are are close to like partners, work colleagues or friends who rely on us especially when we agreed to do them.
In effect sometimes we self sabotage things.
It's no secret to some of you I share some of these traits which I'm getting quite a bit of support in overcoming because they hold me back when I could be that much more effective and responsible.
There's nothing wrong in wanting to be a betterer girl if you're prepared to accept some growing pains and maybe your present issues aside you've the maturity to see it.
If that's you, go for it.

Rest

The bright sunny start of the week as anticipated started to fade but nonetheless it's great to be out in the fresh air away from Status updates and the like just switched off, relaxing, in your hello kitty stuff.

One advantage of being in this part of the North-west Midlands is easily access to open countryside even if some of it is uneven due to severe subsidence from Brine Extraction that caused the plant and a good number of properties around this location to sink into the ground.
Quite often you can see a variety of different birds flying overhead, moths and butterflies about over the adjacent meadowland and the swans by the canal looking rather graceful with their young.
No surprises then that's where I rush to for an hour or so of peace and quiet.
Last night I spent sometime switched off listening to  Chamber music by Fauré - I'm going through a French composers phase at the minute - care of my music player totally engrossed in it. So peaceful.
*photo by me.

Seasonal habits

I was looking at a TB  related site  a couple of days back when I saw an entry that piqued  my interest.
Well it won't long before the weather starts to get warmer which overall is good thing but it means we get warmer and in our attempt to cool down we perspire especially if we'd been doing anything physical such as playing or riding your bike.
So it makes sense to have a good wash and change the clothing nearest to our skin feel fresher and -and there's no nice way of putting it - reduce the chances of stale sweat smelling near others.

 Changing may also make sense if our play has lead to us getting a bit dirty and we're going to be sitting down to eat as people don't generally like dirt and especially mud being brought back in the house.

Horned edition

One day when it wasn't raining for once -it's been a wet week, eh?- and I went for a long stroll taking a few pictures when something came into sight.

Over a period a part of the area where I was walking on has gone back into use after a very long period where the area, badly effected by Subsidence saw farming stop has been turned into a grazing area.
Unfortunately they don't have have grazing Unicorns but they sure had these  magnificent  beasts out in force..
They looked really content as I spent a good half hour with them following and talking with them and anyone passing by.
I just love the outdoors
*Picture by me

Creature comforts

May Day is here an I'll be out for a while having no intention of being stuck behind the keyboard as I have a few things I'd rather be doing today and that is better for me I feel anyway.

Between some drama elsewhere and the odd unexpected chat my mind started to think back a bit to things I felt comfortable nay even safe and one thing that came to mind really was this.
Being sat on a lap feeling loved, cared for eating or better still being given Candy.
It's hardly surprising this whole thing still resonates strongly with me.

May Edition

So the White Rabbits have been around overnight and we're into Mae, oops May now so it's the first post of the Month and Monday is in the UK May Day so I might as well write the entry today.
Seeing that Christine had mentioned Hello Kitty Colouring books elsewhere my thoughts went to something else such as pretty messenger style bags, cases and so on and yes a plushie to take away with you although I wouldn't miss out on taking a dolly with me anyway for company and playing with.

Going back a bit in time Saturday Morning cartoons were what we got up for between all the fuss about when we setting out to get the shopping done very much in tow with Mommy who always held my hand to keep me safe as I get lost and aren't good with road sense (still aren't either).

This American series was one I loved for the personalities, girlish appeal and yes, simple enjoyable beat music you could sing along to imagining yourself playing the tambourines with no MC rapper or keyboard in sight. 
I used to record their songs on a small spool tape recorder from the television to play in the days before we had video recorders.
Pretty much the Catgirl band too!

Now back to some 2015 Frozen colouring...