Thursday 30 April 2020

A Photo a Day 2020 #121

Rain on Leaves

April Round Up




April has been interesting. Now, weeks into lockdown, it has become normal-ish and we have a routine. Having to set school work from home is tough and the natural inclination to overwork is not great, but I suppose it's a way to cling onto a sense of purpose. Taking photos has become a chore on some days: 'Shades of Yellow' is quite a hard theme to maintain, but I have been taking lots of pictures of nature! I have also been inclined to take photos on my phone which has meant less quality in places, but has allowed spontaneity to prevail.

The weather has, on the whole, been glorious. It wasn't on my birthday: it rained a lot. The birthday thing was fine and I was spoiled. But there's no substitute for the freedom of a road trip or a walk by the sea. Over the last few days the weather has turned to bleak rainy misery and this affects moods too. How have you coped on days when the weather has been less cheery?

We are all anticipating a change in lockdown, a lifting of some of the rules, but still there is a lot of uncertainty. As tests become available for keyworkers, it could be possible to begin work in some form again. But even that prospect seems distant and uncomfortable. This pandemic has been so distanced from some of us and we should be very grateful for that. The reality of it will perhaps become more 'real' as we approach a return to some of the previous parts of day to day life. The scars that it will leave could be tricky to deal with for a while. 

But let's not dwell on this too much: we will get through this and probably as better people than we were before!

Wednesday 29 April 2020

Tuesday 28 April 2020

A Photo a Day 2020 #119

Maisie aged 4 1/2


This cat is everything in our house. She looks fierce, but she is a tender and loving girl who is sleeping humbly at my feet as I type. Pets are so therapeutic, especially during lockdown.

Wednesday 15 April 2020

A Photo a Day 2020 #106

Lockdown: Day Seven (290320)

This was the first time I went for a run after lockdown started. It was an odd and liberating moment as I had come through some illness and had not been to the gym in many weeks. I therefore wasn't able to squeeze in any visits before the final closures. 

I haven't been great at exercising at home and have lost some of the strength I started to build up. The gym really helped me to focus on exercise and I miss it. But I have been walking and doing the odd small run. We can only do our best!


Monday 13 April 2020

A Photo a Day 2020 #104

Speckled Wood

This is a Speckled Wood butterfly. It's like I'm in Animal Crossing for real at the moment!


Makeup Monday #5 Easy Eyeliner


Flicked, 'cat eyes' eyeliner is a skill. I have semi-mastered that skill over years of perseverance. I go through phases with eyeliner: from not bothering at all--to thinking I'm 'too old' or my eyes are not the right shape--to absolutely loving a deep blue waterline shade and a fantastic flick with lashings of mascara (I love this look). If you have ever gone through the insanity of spending ages doing, re-doing, adjusting your eyeliner, or you've always fancied trying it out, you might like to...

Thursday 9 April 2020

A Photo a Day 2020 #100

Anthers

Never have I appreciated blossom more. This situation is like living in a piece of poetry by Keats...

P.S This is not the best macro quality ever. I am taking some photos on my Galaxy A40 phone which is not highest spec, but has a good camera. This project is becoming about spontaneity and truth--(and the truth is that I am taking walks and not always being super prepared. I'm trying to live in the moment.)

Wednesday 8 April 2020

A Photo a Day 2020 #99

Yellow Fabrics

This was taken months ago in Robin's Nest Emporium, Fareham. I knew that I was going to be following colour themes, so I took this in preparation. At that time I would never have thought that I wouldn't be going back out to take photos there for the foreseeable future. I love that place and I hope they can make it through this economic disaster.


Monday 6 April 2020

A Photo a Day 2020 #97

Sunglasses Weather

This was taken on Saturday on a walk into the local countryside. The weather was just right, not too hot or too chilly. There was a nice breeze and I was in a T shirt and had a hoodie tied round my waist, 90s style. It felt free, like a blast from the past, when there were fewer responsibilities and there was time stretched out before me. This situation has given us all a change of perspective, one way or another.

Makeup Monday #4 Enhancing Eyeshadow


Eyeshadow is one of those makeup items that many people do not regard as a staple. Let's face it, if push came to shove, mascara and concealer are most people's 'desert island' products. I'm not here to dispute that, but I do have a love for eyeshadow (and more specifically, finding the perfect neutral shades to enhance my eye colour). Finding the right colour palette for you is part colour theory, part trial and error. In this post, I talk about both. If eyes really are the windows to the soul, good eye make-up is like finding a beautiful pair of curtains. So if you feel your nets are looking a bit yellow, or your chintz pattern is a bit dated...