A new year and a new beginning for the fabulous Soul Source photography thread. We've had so many fantastic contributions from so many members over two very long-running and very lengthy threads now, so it makes sense to start afresh.

For people who perhaps haven't contributed before, the idea is very simple: although the emphasis has been on nature/wildlife/flowers and scenic views, just post up and share pics you've taken of, well, just about anything.

Here's three from me, which were taken today in a small nature reserve behind Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. Although it started out as a very clear and sunny afternoon, conditions changed very quickly and it became very overcast - and, I have to say, there was very little in the way of birdlife to see. Perhaps they'd all cleared off elsewhere as the place was pretty busy with people out burning off the Christmas calories.

 

Happy New Year!

7 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Thanks Rick. Only ever had Li 150,s. And I haven't any pictures unfortunately. I know there is some of me from my scooter days but don't see the lads or girls that I knocked about with  very often . Only seems to be at funerals these day.

Steve

Ste I can remember you cruising around Widnes on your Lamby, usually on your way to the clinc to do a spot of fishing

1 hour ago, Widnes63 said:

Ste I can remember you cruising around Widnes on your Lamby, usually on your way to the clinc to do a spot of fishing

Clinc, fishing what memories  . Everyone said how tough and rough Ditton was but it was a great place to live and be brought up mate as you know

Wouldn't have changed it for the world

Ste

17 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Clinc, fishing what memories  . Everyone said how tough and rough Ditton was but it was a great place to live and be brought up mate as you know

Wouldn't have changed it for the world

Ste

Ditton! I were brought up 20 feet under water in a gravel pit. Walked 22 miles to school in snow and ice with one clog between five on us...........................................................................................

Evening mate. 

6 minutes ago, Peter99 said:

Ditton! I were brought up 20 feet under water in a gravel pit. Walked 22 miles to school in snow and ice with one clog between five on us...........................................................................................

Evening mate. 

They've never had Water, Schools or Clogs in Ditton Pete..... although I believe a new six toed Clog shop opened there last week.

3 minutes ago, Zed1 said:

They've never had Water, Schools or Clogs in Ditton Pete..... although I believe a new six toed Clog shop opened there last week.

Evening mate. Hope all is well.

Peter. Gaz. How very dare you both to cast aspersions on mine and Ste. (Widnes 63 )upbringing.  depending what way the wind was blowing our mum's would have to do the washing twice, not saying it was a dirty smelling place. We had the local tourist attraction of Ditton alps. It was the local chemical tip which bulldozers had made roads through causing cliff like side's, hence the name Ditton alps. Life in your hands wagging school on their. Didn't know what chemicals where escaping from within, regularly burnt holes through your shoes or any splashes on pants would result in a hole appearing.

Ste

16 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Peter. Gaz. How very dare you both to cast aspersions on mine and Ste. (Widnes 63 )upbringing.  depending what way the wind was blowing our mum's would have to do the washing twice, not saying it was a dirty smelling place. We had the local tourist attraction of Ditton alps. It was the local chemical tip which bulldozers had made roads through causing cliff like side's, hence the name Ditton alps. Life in your hands wagging school on their. Didn't know what chemicals where escaping from within, regularly burnt holes through your shoes or any splashes on pants would result in a hole appearing.

Ste

It's interesting that you joke over this Ste (we do the same our side) yet I understand Halton has the highest cancer rates in Europe........ cant think why?.

Here's the latest picture of my Grandson.  Thomas obviously finds something very funny. Answers on a post card please.

Edited August 11, 20168 yr by Winsford Soul

3 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Here's the latest picture of my Grandson.  Thomas obviously finds something very funny. Answers on a post card please.

has  he just pulled your finger

29 minutes ago, gogger said:

has  he just pulled your finger

No, His Grandads just told him City have payed £50m for John Stones.

1 hour ago, Winsford Soul said:

Here's the latest picture of my Grandson.  Thomas obviously finds something very funny. Answers on a post card please.

Wow. He's beautiful Steve. 

1 hour ago, gogger said:

has  he just pulled your finger

Not this time mate. 

Steve

28 minutes ago, Peter99 said:

Wow. He's beautiful Steve. 

Thanks my friend. He obviously takes after his grandad but with more hair. 

Santorini sunset.

Edited August 12, 20168 yr by Maxwell

 A spring day in Flam Norway

My trip on Widdybank Fell with the botany group last Monday with a final transect of the rare flora of Upper Teesdale. The flora we were looking for which were all present were Bog Asphodel; Alpine Bartsia; Alpine Bistort; Scottish Asphodel; Grass of Parnasus; Globeflower; Deer Grass and Long Stalked Yellow Sedge. Of course there were lots more flora on there including lots of Alpine Eyebrights. Here are a few of the views of Cronkley Fell from Widdybank meadows. I was in shorts and tshirt, everyone else was well wrapped up, saying it was cold 

This is a stunning photograph. Not taken by me. Just had to share it on here.

The jumping spider caught a hover fly and as you can see its eating its head. Macro photography at its finest. In fact its photography at its finest. This will no doubt win prizes and competitions

steve

Edited August 13, 20168 yr by Winsford Soul

Art that was in my parents Art Gallery, back in the 70s.

 

Dear Mum

What was it you said about me NOT digging in the dusty cacti garden?

P.s, before you answer that, I need to tell you that I love you and what a good boy I am.............................usually!

x

On 8/11/2016 at 19:35, Winsford Soul said:

Here's the latest picture of my Grandson.  Thomas obviously finds something very funny. Answers on a post card please.

Only just seen this.Great photo Steve

On 11/08/2016 at 20:35, Winsford Soul said:

Here's the latest picture of my Grandson.  Thomas obviously finds something very funny. Answers on a post card please.

Gorgeous!

x

19 hours ago, crazylegs said:

Dear Mum

What was it you said about me NOT digging in the dusty cacti garden?

P.s, before you answer that, I need to tell you that I love you and what a good boy I am.............................usually!

x

I hope the little chap didn't get any spines in him, cacti can be vindictive. 

Wembley Arch Sunday 7th August  

No, they are all tall and we removed all the lower spines and the shorter cacti before we bought him home from the rescue centre. (He is far too precious to be hurt)

But he just loves to dig in the white stones, usually after chasing gecko's. Which means my veggie patch remains intact!

x

Edited August 15, 20168 yr by crazylegs

17 hours ago, TattooDave said:

I hope the little chap didn't get any spines in him, cacti can be vindictive. 

Sorry, bit upside down quote/response there...................fingers had a mad minute 

x

Edited August 15, 20168 yr by crazylegs

2 hours ago, crazylegs said:

No, they are all tall and we removed all the lower spines and the shorter cacti before we bought him home from the rescue centre. (He is far too precious to be hurt)

But he just loves to dig in the white stones, usually after chasing gecko's. Which means my veggie patch remains intact!

x

That's good, my Happy chases lizards, but knows to stay away from the cacti.

Managed to take this beauty on Monday evening over Wynch Bridge in Teesdale. Grass of Parnassus wildflower. It grows profusely in this area  

Gibraltar, earlier today

Zephyranthes grandiflora on the balcony

Well its that time of the year when we sadly say goodbye to the Swifts. Always the last to arrive in the UK and the first to leave.  This year I first recorded seeing them ( 4 ) on 6th May and I saw ( 2 ) on the 15th of August, not seen any since despite spending a few hours searching the skies whenever I heard or saw Swallows or House Martins as they often fly with them.

Steve

54 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Well its that time of the year when we sadly say goodbye to the Swifts. Always the last to arrive in the UK and the first to leave.  This year I first recorded seeing them ( 4 ) on 6th May and I saw ( 2 ) on the 15th of August, not seen any since despite spending a few hours searching the skies whenever I heard or saw Swallows or House Martins as they often fly with them.

Steve

Hi Steve

Another summer almost gone - time wizzes by. 

I always struggle to differentiate between swallows. swifts and martins. Need to read my books more.

Hope all is well mate.

Peter

 

17 minutes ago, Peter99 said:

Hi Steve

Another summer almost gone - time wizzes by. 

I always struggle to differentiate between swallows. swifts and martins. Need to read my books more.

Hope all is well mate.

Peter

 

Good evening my friend . All is well thank you . Hope you're fine and dandy. 

Easy to tell them apart. Swallows have a very long forked tail. Martin's are slightly smaller with a small v shape tail and are either blue and white, house Martin's or brown and white sand Martin,s. Swifts don't belong to the hirundine family but are similar. Much larger than all the others and brown all over, they have a very long scythe like wing shape. Hope this helps you 

Steve

On 17/08/2016 at 21:02, TattooDave said:

Gibraltar, earlier today

Nice one Dave.  I've run up the Rock, around it and through it.

13 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Well its that time of the year when we sadly say goodbye to the Swifts. Always the last to arrive in the UK and the first to leave.  This year I first recorded seeing them ( 4 ) on 6th May and I saw ( 2 ) on the 15th of August, not seen any since despite spending a few hours searching the skies whenever I heard or saw Swallows or House Martins as they often fly with them.

Steve

Rather sadly, the swifts in our locale departed about two weeks ago. Don't think I've ever known them to leave so early. We had a small number of swallows take their place in the skies, but in many respects that just showed they were flying further to find food as normally their domain is the nearby lake.

Wish they'd stayed because for the last week we've been absolutely plagued with mosquitos, a problem that's affecting not just us locally, but also the Netherlands as a whole thanks to what's been a rather rainy summer.

 

A few pics of the guest room in our house.

Friday afternoon trip to the goat farm in the Amsterdam woods. A bit rainy, but nothing to stop us from enjoying ourselves. Have to say though that for mid-August there was a real autumnal feel in the air.

I found this last year, only the one plant and it's supposed to be a native to Spain.  It's often grown as an annual in the UK, but never gets as big as this plant that was nearly 5 feet tall.  Needless to say I collected seed and now have a few plants that are being reared in pots.

Bizarrely the variegation doesn't start until the plant is ready to flower, whenever I'd grown it before the variegation was there as soon as the true leaves appeared.  It had me a little concerned, but I'm very pleased now.

Climbed up this the other morning....

3 minutes ago, Steve S 60 said:

Climbed up this the other morning....

Wow, where/what is it Steve.

Ignorant Pete

 

 

Just now, Peter99 said:

Wow, where/what is it Steve.

Ignorant Pete

 

 

It's the Asinelli Tower in Bologna, Peter.  At a height of 97m, it's the tallest one in the city.  The one behind it is the Garisenda Tower.  They gave up on its construction when the ground it's standing on sank.  Here's the view from the top....

6 minutes ago, Steve S 60 said:

It's the Asinelli Tower in Bologna, Peter.  At a height of 97m, it's the tallest one in the city.  The one behind it is the Garisenda Tower.  They gave up on its construction when the ground it's standing on sank.  Here's the view from the top....

Whooa! I'm rubbish with heights! 

Thanks Steve - hope all is well. Not seen you on SS as much recently.

P

1 minute ago, Peter99 said:

Whooa! I'm rubbish with heights! 

Thanks Steve - hope all is well. Not seen you on SS as much recently.

P

All good thanks Peter, how's you?  Decided to retire last year and come on SS to check out the events more than anything, as I still like to venture out.  I was viewing my activity since I joined the site in 2013, and a lot of the old characters who we used to have banter with have disappeared.

3 minutes ago, Steve S 60 said:

All good thanks Peter, how's you?  Decided to retire last year and come on SS to check out the events more than anything, as I still like to venture out.  I was viewing my activity since I joined the site in 2013, and a lot of the old characters who we used to have banter with have disappeared.

Good man Steve. Pleased all is well mate. i'm ok thanks - a couple of health type things going off but working my way through. You're right - lots of the old SS crew appeared to have jumped ship! 

Sending you and yours my best mate.

Pete

9 hours ago, Steve S 60 said:

It's the Asinelli Tower in Bologna, Peter.  At a height of 97m, it's the tallest one in the city.  The one behind it is the Garisenda Tower.  They gave up on its construction when the ground it's standing on sank.  Here's the view from the top....

Just reading John Grisham's "The Broker", partly set in Bologna and mentions them both, I'd be like Peter and look up from the streets rather than climb.

26 minutes ago, TattooDave said:

Just reading John Grisham's "The Broker", partly set in Bologna and mentions them both, I'd be like Peter and look up from the streets rather than climb.

Funny you should say that Dave.  I read The Broker many years ago, probably when it was first published, and I always fancied visiting Bologna from the descriptions he gave of the city in his book.  Very quiet this time of year, as all the students are on holiday, as are many of the locals.  A big contrast to Florence which I did on a day return yesterday.  The fast train from Bologna to Florence only takes 35 minutes.  The place was heaving with tourists.  Nice to get back to Bologna after a day there.  Impressed with all the porticos as you can walk about in the shade.  Visited the Sanctuary of the Madonna of San Luca, which sits on a hill 300m above Bologna.  The whole walk is covered by a portico.

 

Here's the Ponte Vecchio, as seen from the Uffizi museum......

Huddersfield Carnival

1 hour ago, Steve S 60 said:

Funny you should say that Dave.  I read The Broker many years ago, probably when it was first published, and I always fancied visiting Bologna from the descriptions he gave of the city in his book.  Very quiet this time of year, as all the students are on holiday, as are many of the locals.  A big contrast to Florence which I did on a day return yesterday.  The fast train from Bologna to Florence only takes 35 minutes.  The place was heaving with tourists.  Nice to get back to Bologna after a day there.  Impressed with all the porticos as you can walk about in the shade.  Visited the Sanctuary of the Madonna of San Luca, which sits on a hill 300m above Bologna.  The whole walk is covered by a portico.

 

Here's the Ponte Vecchio, as seen from the Uffizi museum......

Florence, my favourite city......................must go back there! (you are right about the tourists.....sadly!) I queued for 3 hours at the Galleria dell' Accademia to see 'David'

Worth every minute!

x 

Edited August 20, 20168 yr by crazylegs

Remember my little friend?.................This visitor has been flitting around my garden for most of the afternoon. Swallowtail (papilio machaon)

Snapped it with my phone, my new camera is hopefully coming next week...........Yay!

x

 

Edited August 20, 20168 yr by crazylegs

7 hours ago, Steve S 60 said:

Funny you should say that Dave.  I read The Broker many years ago, probably when it was first published, and I always fancied visiting Bologna from the descriptions he gave of the city in his book.  Very quiet this time of year, as all the students are on holiday, as are many of the locals.  A big contrast to Florence which I did on a day return yesterday.  The fast train from Bologna to Florence only takes 35 minutes.  The place was heaving with tourists.  Nice to get back to Bologna after a day there.  Impressed with all the porticos as you can walk about in the shade.  Visited the Sanctuary of the Madonna of San Luca, which sits on a hill 300m above Bologna.  The whole walk is covered by a portico.

 

Here's the Ponte Vecchio, as seen from the Uffizi museum......

Beautiful Steve, it's a long time since I was in Italy, maybe 20 years, I like Florence in the winter months, not so many people about.

5 hours ago, crazylegs said:

Florence, my favourite city......................must go back there! (you are right about the tourists.....sadly!) I queued for 3 hours at the Galleria dell' Accademia to see 'David'

Worth every minute!

x 

He doesn't look a bit like me