Didn't Win Whisby This Year....

Last year my photo of The Willow Walk won the Cover Shot on the 2015 calendar. 

This year I submitted two photos and unfortunately didn't win anything.....  These are the photos I submitted:

Thorpe Lake - May 2015

Tree in Orchid Glade - May 2015

Moor Lane Music Festival 2015

This weekend we held the second annual Moor Lane Music Festival.  So, its not my thing (music) but I think it deserves a mention as it fits within the No Excuses ethos of this blog.  My other half didn't start piano lessons until he was in his 20's.  But with hard work and determination he can now play both the piano (Grade 7) and the guitar (self taught).  He has also taught his friend guitar and they now earn extra money by playing covers in local pubs.   Here they are 'jamming' with Dean and Jack:

And what have I done?  I have organised the festival so that all our friends and family can come and have a good time. 

Writing seems to be a distance dream at the moment but I have been having lots of outings with my camera and I am loving watching my son grow up and taking care of him (and daddy).   I still have lots of ideas running through my head and one day they will meet pen and paper, but for now I am choosing to simply go with the flow.......

Photos for Competitions

Pictures of places have never really been my thing.  Most of the photos I take are of people.   However, I am pleased to say I have entered three competitions in the last month:

I entered 3 pictures taken in the park into the Hartsholme Country Park photography competition http://www.hartsholmecountrypark.com/upload/HCPAC%20application%20form.pdf .

I entered 1 photo taken on the Witham Walk into the Discover NK photographic competition http://www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/EventsDetails.aspx?eventcode=70676 .

Once again I entered the Whisby Natural World Centre competition; only this year we could enter 2 photographs http://www.naturalworldcentre.co.uk/ .

Feeling pretty pleased with myself that I made the effort, took some pictures and entered the three (free) competitions.

Lets see what happens.....

Multitasking....

Tell Your Story

Tell your story.  Don't try and tell the stories that other people can tell.  Any starting writer starts out with other people's voices.  But as quickly as you can start telling the stories that only you can tell, because there will always be better writers than you and there will always be smarter writers than you, but you are the only you.

Neil Gaiman, www.neilgaiman.com/ quoted on the Goodreads website and referenced in Writers' News September 2014.

Official Photographer to Will's 6th Birthday Party

Will's mum sent me a text the night before his bowling party, asking if I would take some photos of the morning so she could put together a photo book.  I was rather worried.  I didn't want to ruin the party by taking rubbish.  But I took loads and loads and played with my settings.  

What's weird is that if I am 'going with the flow' this year, something tells me I should be following the photography route as I have been asked to do a number of sessions.  My cousin and his wife asked at Jamie's party if I would take some photos of them as a family.  I have been taking photo's of Dale's new band.  And a couple at Will's party even  asked me if I did weddings!  I will see what they say when they see the photos of the party.....

Bleed a little....

It is only when you open up your veins and bleed onto the page a little that you establish contact with your reader.  If you do not believe in the characters or the story you are doing at that moment with all your mind, strength, and will, if you don't feel joy and excitement while writing it, then you're wasting good white paper, even if it sells, because there are other ways in which a writer can bring in the rent money besides writing bad or phony stories.

Paul Gallico quoted in Writers' News - February 2015
www.writers-online.co.uk