Photo Diary

Archive for December, 2007

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Monday, December 17th, 2007

DSC_0094.JPG, originally uploaded by michael_jecks.

There are not that many subjects that seem suitable for this time of year, but after a wonderful Christingle service yesterday, which set up my little monsters up for Christmas perfectly (and the Gin and tonic later, thanks, Guthries!), there seemed nothing that could better summarise my feelings than this fabulous tree standing in the north-eastern section of the chancel. I was forced to stick a star-burst filter on it, just to bring out all the lights. Isn’t it perfect?

I’ve always loved this time of year. I was out today with the dogs at Abbeyford woods, enjoying the frosty air. Hopefully in the next few days I’ll get a chance to walk them over the moors a little more and get some more photos.

Hope you have enjoyed the (intermittent) service of this blog, and that you will want to come back and view more photos.

For now, though, all I can say is, Merry Christmas! And I hope you have a peaceful, relaxing time – curled up with one of my books, of course!

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Thursday, December 13th, 2007


DSC_0089, originally uploaded by michael_jecks.

And this was the other thing I saw. Just a line of cows standing and trying to warm their blood in the cold morning light. But I liked their posture, the power lines over them, parallel with the hedge. It appealed as a scene. And I started thinking about my next book at the same time. Book 26 will be later in the year, I reckon, and I wondered whether the cattle would have stood like that in a cold morning, their breath feathering in the air.

I’ll probably have to use that thought!

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Thursday, December 13th, 2007


DSC_0092, originally uploaded by michael_jecks.

This was just a lump of ivy in a hedge in the village. I caught sight of it as I meandered aimlessly past, and I was taken by the simplicity of the outline marked by frost. Quite lovely.

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Thursday, December 13th, 2007


DSC_0057, originally uploaded by michael_jecks.

So here we are. I’ve caught up with myself, and the blog is back running again.
I was out on Tuesday for a little walk and saw this frost on top of a gate. Without a tripod or support, I had to try to use the macro to produce a clear photo, and I think it worked well enough. There is an amazing amount to see, if you peer closely enough at the world around you.

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Thursday, December 13th, 2007


DSC_0009, originally uploaded by michael_jecks.

Very sad, this. Graham was working there on his very last day as a member of the team at Waterstone’s. He’s been a permanent fixture for as long as I can remember. Originally this Waterstone’s was a Dillon’s bookshop, and Graham was there then. He was a tireless worker, always cheery (well, usually) and it was always good to see him. Now, of course, I’ll have to be nice and polite to Claire . . . not a hard thing, actually. She’s GREAT!

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Thursday, December 13th, 2007


DSC_0002, originally uploaded by michael_jecks.

And so begins another signing day, with the ever-generous George from Headline ferrying me around Devon and getting me to sign vast quantities of books. We began here in Tiverton (where I was married) and Erica had, as usual, done a wonderful job in letting people know I’d be there. Lots of sales.

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Thursday, December 13th, 2007


DSC_0034.JPG, originally uploaded by michael_jecks.

On the way home from Exeter, I took a slight diversion. Instead of the normal dual carriageway, I went by an old, slower road, and saw this as the sun was beginning to sink. Just a little valley surrounded by fields, but I thought it was beautiful.

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Thursday, December 13th, 2007


DSC_0009.JPG, originally uploaded by michael_jecks.

I liked this. It was a shot into the sun using my star-burst cross-hatch filter, and the bright sunlight created this smoky effect, as though I was taking the shot through a cloud of dust or something.

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Thursday, December 13th, 2007


DSC_0003.JPG, originally uploaded by michael_jecks.

I had to go into Exeter, and with camera in hand took several photos of the cathedral and some of the older buildings. Lovely to see the way the sun hit the place. This image screen wasn’t finished until the middle of the 1300s. At the time, it was fabulously colourful, though, with all the figures painted, their clothing, their faces, their crowns gilded and so on. It must have been a wonderful sight.

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Wednesday, December 12th, 2007


DSC_0028.JPG, originally uploaded by michael_jecks.

Take a “townie” past cattle, and they’ll often be anxious. Tell them that the things aren’t cows, but bullocks, and some will panic. Always worth a chuckle! But I didn’t think my brave, bold Ridgeback would be so worried about them. Still, it was (until the pup got scared) a lovely tranquil scene.