Lens-Artists Challenge #181 – Double Dipping

This week the Lens-Artist challenge suggests that in addition to their challenge, we link to some of the other creative opportunities our fellow bloggers make available. Cee does a wonderful job keeping us all up-to-date with the current challenges. So I have chosen two of her challenges to link to this week. First her CBWC challenge and this week’s topic is “birds”.

Blue tit on branch

While birds can bring lots of colour into our gardens we can also appreciate their beauty in black and white.

Blue tit from beneath

The second of Cee challenges is her flower of the day (FOTD) challenge. In Ireland, it is mid-winter and really we shouldn’t be finding any flowers around. But I photographed this meadow buttercup, the essence of a summer meadow flower, on the 1st January.

meadow buttercup

FOTD

Silent Sunday

Cee’s Black and White Challenge – Lines

Better days

An old house on Achill Island, Co Mayo. The plant in front is Gunnera, or Giant Rhubarb, an invasive species which is spreading through the island.

Old house

 

Inspired by Cee’s Black and White Photo Challenge – any kind of house

Bumbles in B&W

Cee’s black and white photo challenge on small subjects got me thinking I could share some more bee photos. Even in black and white bees look amazing.

Bumblebee

Cuckcoo bumble

 

 

Cee’s Black and white challenge

Cee’s black and white challenge – fences and gates

A gate along hiking path in Wales

 

Nature in B & W

Camomile flowers

Bumblebee on flower

Peacock butterfly

Inspired by Cee’s Black and White Photo Challenge – It’s all about nature

 

Stranded

A boulder on a beach, like a stranded whale it waits patiently for the next tide.

Field

Cee’s b&w photo challenge – field

 

Mid Summer

How did we get here so quickly ? It seems like only a short time ago we were shivering in January and suddenly it is the longest day of the year.

In the garden, the early summer lupins and irises are going over. The day lilies and tall campanulas are close to opening. Most of the queen bumblebees are now nest bound, while their workers do all the foraging for nectar and pollen.

Common carder bee on comfrey

Also joining in with Cee’s black and while photo challenge – any animal.

 

 

Wheel

Old wheel

A very late post inspired by Cee’s Black and White Challenge – wheel