Close to Home – Snap Scan & Stitch

STARTING FROM HOME

The first of these albums is of images taken in the garden, and some from the kitchen window!

We live in a beautiful place, Oakamoor, in the Staffordshire Moorlands.

STARTING FROM HOME

STARTING FROM HOME – WINTER VIEWS

BIRDS IN THE GARDEN

MORE BIRDS IN THE GARDEN

MORE BIRDS AND WILDLIFE IN THE GARDEN

FLOWERS IN THE GARDEN

GARDEN FLOWERS: HELENIUM STUDIES

GARDEN FLOWERS: HONESTY

ON THE LINE

THE RAILWAY LINE WITHOUT THE TRAINS

FASCINATING FUNGUS

MORE FUNGI

SPORTSFIELD

SPORTSFIELD RUST

ICE PUDDLES

FLOWERS AND SEEDHEADS

BUTTERFLIES ON FLOWERS

OTHER INSECTS ON FLOWERS

HOGWEED SEEDHEADS

MORE PLANTS

I will be adding albums showing the flowers, seedheads, trees and other things that interest me.

SPORTSFIELD

March 21, 2018

There used to be wonderful old sheds, tractors and more, and I found the textures, patterns and colours inspiring.

Unfortunately for me, the sports field has been taken in hand and spoiled it for me!

ICE PUDDLES(13)

August 07, 2012

Oakamoor sports field used to have a very pot-holed car park, and I dashed down with my camera whenever we had frost, and sometimes the ice patterns were wonderful, particularly when they reflect the blue of the sky or include the browny mud! Sadly, the sports field has been ‘taken in hand’, and now the car park offers me no pleasure!

This page has images of Oakamoor in the Staffordshire Moorlands where I live. Oakamoor is a village in the Churnet Valley, a little-known location except for Alton Towers.

The albums start with views around and from our garden, and others will broaden the outlook to the village and valley and then to the wider area.

Page under construction

There are more albums of flowers and seedheads in the left-hand column

STARTING FROM HOME(19)

September 12, 2015

I decided to split this album to make 2 smaller ones, and something happened to this part of the album. I will arrange them and add information asap.

These views are all taken in and from our garden, which looks across the valley to our castle on the skyline, Alton Towers. We experience many and varied climatic changes, and I hope to add more. Seasonal changes are wonderful, fresh and varied greens in the spring, wonderful autumn colours and the delight of seeing more clearly in the winter, but yet with the reds of buds waiting for the spring and much more. The summer is my least favourite season with its uniform greens and dense, overgrown brackens and much more.

STARTING FROM HOME – WINTER VIEWS (16)

September 12, 2015

BIRDS IN THE GARDEN (24)

March 01, 2019

I haven’t taken many photographs of birds and other wildlife in the garden – they move too quickly! I didn’t have my camera handy when a sparrowhawk landed on the egret’s beak and sat for quite a while. I must keep my camera handy.

I have been watching the Greater Spotted Woodpeckers, regular visitors to our bird table. A juvenile is waiting to be fed by the parents, although some of the pictures show it on the nuts and apparently feeding itself!

MORE BIRDS IN THE GARDEN (25)

July 04, 2020

Labels and information to be added

MORE BIRDS and WILDLIFE IN THE GARDEN (22)

March 01, 2019

FLOWERS IN THE GARDEN (22)

July 06, 2020

GARDEN FLOWERS: HELENIUM STUDIES (14)

July 26, 2020

GARDEN FLOWERS: HONESTY (9)

July 08, 2020

I have been taking photographs of honesty seedheads in a different light and am fascinated by the colours – and the cabbage white caterpillars feeding on them.

CROCOSMIA and MONTBRETIA2020-08-08 (8)

August 08, 2020

Add album

On the LINE

The Churnet Valley railway line runs through the valley and used to be a main line between Manchester and London, as well as serving Thomas Bolton and Sons copper works in Oakamoor and Froghall. This section of the line has long been disused by the railway but is a great favourite with families, cyclists, dogs, walkers and people like me who like to look around and observe the changes of the seasons.

THE RAILWAY LINE without trains (20)

August 28, 2018

The disused Churnet Valley railway line has become a favourite place for families, dog walkers, walkers and nature lovers.

It isn’t a site of special scientific interest or even of outstanding natural beauty, but it is a wonderfully safe and peaceful place to walk and enjoy the countryside.

Being so close to home, it is my regular walk, and I love to look around and notice many things which interest me and are easily overlooked. This album will have general images of the line in different seasons between Oakamoor and Alton, but mainly the short distance between Oakamoor and Lord’s Bridge.

ON THE LINE – Fascinating Fungus (24)

June 25, 2017

While walking on the disused railway line, I noticed a fungus which fascinated me. It is called Fomes fomentarius. I discovered all sorts of fascinating things about it. It is known as hoof fungus as it resembles a horse’s hoof, tinder fungus and has many other names. It was used to start to light fires, hence tinder, to keep metal from rusting when stuck into the softer part of the underside of the fungus and has even been found in graves in archaeological digs. Unfortunately, it is a killer as well as a rotter!

MORE FUNGI (22)

February 26, 2019

This album will include other kinds of fungus but also more Fomes to show different colours after rain etc.

I must revise the names of the fungi. I used to be quite good!

WILDFLOWERS AND SEEDHEADS

BUTTERFLIES on FLOWERS (20)

July 04, 2020

I love it when I find an insect on a flower. Occasionally one will stay on the flower long enough for me to take a photograph. When possible, I use the macro setting to try to get close, but that can be difficult.

MORE CATERPILLARS (8)

October 15, 2021

These are caterpillars found on the sports field and in my neighbour’s garden.

OTHER INSECTS ON FLOWERS (24)

July 28, 2020

HOGWEED and other UMBELLIFER SEEDHEADS – They can’t help their name!(23)

February 20, 2019

I love flowers and seedheads. I enjoy taking photographs of Hogweed flowers and discovering that I have ‘captured’ an insect photographically. The irregularity of the petals and the umbellifer form are some of my favourites. I have more to add.

Some of the images are on the line and some are on the sports field.

ROSEBAY WILLOWHERB (9)

November 04, 2020

I love the various stages in the life of the Rosebay Willowherb and have been watching their development throughout the year. I think I shall use them as a starting point for some of my creative work.