BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY

Me and Martin, not bad for an old man photo by Barbie

Barbie and I spent the Bank Holiday Monday at Mersea Island with friends, it was sunny but windy.

GRASS SNAKES AT ALTON WATERS

photos by Barbie

On Saturday I took Barbie to see the Grass Snakes at Alton Waters, she wanted to photograph them, so I went snake hunting, I found quite a few. There is an area which has been set up to encourage the snakes to breed with mounds of compost material with black plastic or corrugated iron sheets on top. This is because Grass Snakes like to lay eggs in composting material and warm themselves up under the sheets, I found mostly young snakes, and a lot of them were beginning to slough which means they are going to shed their skin, you can normally tell by the way their eyes have a blue film over them.

THE ROYAL WEDDING

"Up the Republic" photo by Barbie

Barbie and I thought we would get as far away from any talk off the Royal Wedding, so we went for a picnic at Alton Waters, couldn't believe how many snakes and lizards I saw, mush more interesting than seeing the over privileged and pompous spending our hard earned money..

EASTER

Barbie changing Skye photo by Rusty

Me and Skye throwing sticks in the water, don't tell anyone..won't do my street cred any good. photo by Barbie

Crass Snake photo by Barbie
Barbie and I have had a few days off over Easter, for a change the weather has been good, in fact you would think it was the height of summer with temperatures of 26 degrees centigrade. We have spent most days at Alton Waters near by to where we live, it is so hot that the Grass Snakes are out a bit early, On one day we took Skye our young Granddaughter, she had great fun.

BARBIE'S BIRTHDAY

Rusty at Canary Wharf photo by Barbie

Over the weekend it was Barbie's Birthday, so we stayed in London at Canary Wharf. On the Saturday we walked a lot around London, visiting the Tate Modern, the National Portrait Gallery and a few smaller galleries, where we saw an exhibition of Mapplethorpe photography (not for the faint hearted). On the Sunday we went to Camden Lock Market.

HANGING THE MEMBERS EXHIBITION

Beyond Group members hanging exhibition photo by Barbie

On Saturday members of the "Beyond Group" put up the members exhibition at the Octagon in Colchester, each member can hang up to 6 framed prints of their choice. The exhibition is on for 3 months.

Watch time lapse video by Barbie

BEYOND GROUP MEMBERS EXHIBITION

Starting on the 6th March the photo group I am a member of will be holding a members exhibition at the Octagon in Colchester for 3 months. This year I have decided to do a display of Rock Band pictures.