
Tag Archives: Ireland
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #231 – Favourite Images of 2022
John asks us to choose our Favourite Images of 2022. Some I have divided them into a couple of categories. Firstly (and probably not surprisingly) pollinators.




And then some wildflowers……………………




And finally some places.


Many thanks to John for getting us off to a good start for this year’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge.
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #229 – Perfect Patterns
It’s been cold here all week so going with some wintery patterns for this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge.



Special thanks to Ann-Christine for this week’s LAPC – Perfect Patterns
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #228 – Diagonals
This week, Patti’s challenge asks us to focus on diagonal lines. I have decided to go monochrome.




Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #227 – Home Sweet Home
Too many places to choose from this week as Tina asks us where would we bring a visitor to our country? I have to narrow it down to our County – County Mayo, west of Ireland.
Firstly it would be our wild Atlantic coast. Always amazing no matter what time of year you visit.

So many beautiful spots to spend a day exploring.

The Mullet peninsula, where I spent much of this summer working, has lots of beautiful coast, but also stunning flora rich machair grassland, buzzing with insects.

Go a little bit inland and you can explore lakes and peatlands.

The woods are small, but perfect places for early spring or autumn strolls.

And just one more – the Great Western Greenway, 44 km of old railway track that you can cycle or walk free of traffic. Perfect any time of year.

Many thanks to Tina for letting us apprecate a bit of home sweet home.
Silent Sunday – 27th November 2022
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #225 – Wildlife Close to Home
Well this challenge is right up my street, many thanks to Anne of Slow Shutter Speed for hosting “Wildlife close to Home” for this week. Those who drop by regularly won’t be surprised by my first image. I just love bumblebees, and it is great to see them enjoying the flowers in the garden.

This summer and autumn we had a lot more shieldbugs in the garden than other years. I think these guys look pretty comical.

Butterflies bring more colour to the garden.


And finally another favourite – this time a slightly larger animal and a rarer visitor to the garden, but always a joy to see – the Irish hare.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #223 – Flights of Fancy
Halloween can send one on all types of flights of fancy. I am not really one for scary things though, like reading horror stories or watching scary films. I like to feel relaxed when I read, not scared. Halloween, with those dark days and the start of November, the darkest of months, everything wet and decaying – and you can understand why the Celts would want to make a festival. Here is the time they believed the netherworld came close to the surface. When the dead could come and visit. I can imagine them telling stories around the camp fire, scaring the “bejasus” (An Irish expression) out of each other.

Everything is just a little bit scary at this time of year. I will be staying inside, and keeping warm. Happy Halloween!





Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #222 – The Mountains are Calling
We have seen some very beautiful and dramatic mountains in this week’s challenge. Here in Ireland, our mountains are pretty low compared to some of the giants that we have seen (roughly 600-800 m above sea level).
Still every mountain has it’s own natural beauty. So here are just a few from western Ireland.



