Spheres - April 2024

Here are all your photos on April's topic of "Spheres":

 

John - some small spheres at Exbury Gardens

.... and here is another one from John, showcasing his unique sense of humour!

"One of the lesser known spheres - the atmosphere!"

Here are 4 from Ken taken at the Lord Wandsworth College NGS open day:

(ceramic spheres)

(two hemi-spheres make a complete sphere!)

(not really a sphere but I liked it enough to include it!)

Meanwhile Andy was up on Hilbre Island off the Wirral coast:

Alas, he didn't have a spade to dig it up to check if it was indeed a sphere!

Then he looked up and spotted this!

..... and then this one - 93 million miles away!

Closer to home we have this from Jan at Mottisfont Rose Gardens:

John - also at Mottisfont Gardens

Jan - back at Exbury Gardens

Jan - with a world view!

Sue - 9 bouncing spheres in a shop in Sussex

Kate - Spheres in Festival Place

Don - a spinning globe as we consider our next "SKI-ing trip"

Don - the "pink" full moon on St George's day

Rosie - on the banister of our hotel up in Kingston (visiting for a uni open day)

Steve - a couple of hemispheres:

The ballroom at Powderham Castle

 The Pantheon at Stourhead

+ a bonus quarter-sphere: the goddess Isis!

Keith - 2 perfectly symmetrical spheres crash together with the black going into the pocket.  A frame winnng shot for Ryan Day - with the picture taken as it happened!

Here are 4 from Gaynor in Japan:

Gill - a recent trip to Wisley

*******

.... and our challenge for the month of May is to take a photo on the theme of:

 "Windows"

KIT - April 22nd 2024

 Today saw the 58th time we have played for the little trophy and today's line up was:

Nigel, Andy, Ken, Arthur + Gill, Sue, Emma and Kate

It didn't start well though with Kate having to survive a full blooded volley into the bridge of her nose  - and that was just during the warm up!  Thankfully she was able to play on and the resulting round robin matches were all very close - with perhaps the emphasis today being more on the energy and enthusiam level of the participants, rather than the demonstration of consistent tennis skills!

The one set final was then played out between: 

Emma & Arthur v Gill & Ken

It was yet another close match with numerous very long rallies so, when the scores eventually got to 6-6 and we were all pretty tired and running very late, we decided to just share the trophy.  Another first for the KIT trophy!

So, instead of the usual photo of the winners, here are the 4 players from the final at the end of the match - all exhibiting various degrees of exhaustion!

Early Morning - March 2024

The topic this month was "early morning" but before showing you the photos that you have all sent in, here is a short poem by Mary Oliver that I thought you might enjoy:

Morning in a New Land

In trees still dripping night some nameless birds

Woke, shook out their arrowy wings, and sang,

Slowly, like finches sifting through a dream.

The pink sun fell, like glass, into the fields.

Two chestnuts, and a dapple grey,

Their shoulders wet with light, their dark hair streaming,

Climbed the hill.  The last mist fell away,

And under the trees, beyond time's brittle drift,

I stood like Adam in his lonely garden

On that first morning, shaken out of sleep,

Rubbing his eyes, listening, parting the leaves,

Like tissue on some vast, incredible gift.

***********

.... and now here are your photos, starting with three from Gill on safari in South Africa:

Gill - "worth the early start!"

Meantime the sun was also rising dramatically in Alton!

Don - the start of a rare sunny day in March on my early morning walk on Windmill Hill!

Ken - a series of photos of a tulip flower in our garden gradually 

opening up over 90 minutes to greet some early morning sunshine:

Ken - the end result of the tulip's morning stretch!

Kate - Early morning? For an “Owl” like me an early night! 

Kate - Early morning Camber Sands

Steve - last run around Bristol Harbour before finally leaving after 8 years enjoying the delights of the city.  Strava rather unkindly classified it as a ‘walk’!

Sue - I'm afraid this is the closest I get to early mornings  ie: playing it! 

John - the wee small hours!

Gaynor - Gunnera awakes

...... and that is all for this month.  Your topic for April is: 

"Spheres"

KIT - March 2024

The weather forecast had suggested that play might not have been possible this morning but luckily it was fine to play in - quite overcast but no rain.

Today's competitors/combatants were:

Nigel, Arthur, Ken  and David + Emma, Rosie, Sue and Kate

It was an excellent morning of tennis with all the round robin matches being closely contested.  The end result was a final between David & Emma and Arthur & Rosie.

With everyone fuelled by home made flapjack, the final was a real showpiece, with lots of long and amazing rallies.  It was a lovely match to watch.

I don't usually put in a photo of all of the finalists but here they all are at the end of the final - and in the light of the very recent royal controversy, I resisted the temptation to digitally alter the photograph to hide their exhaustion!  

This is indeed what they all looked like at the finish!

......... but in the end there can only be one winner and today it was

 Arthur and Rosie by 6 games to 4.

Congratulations to Arthur & Rosie - KIT winners for March 2024!

New - Feb 2024

 This month's topic was "New".  

I will start with a soothing image before moving on to a more graphic one!

Ken - new garden, new tree.  In a few months these should be replaced by apricots!

John - my new knee!

Don - Chinese New Year of the dragon (Feb 10th) 

..... and the day England slayed the Welsh dragon (just!) in the 6 Nations! 

Sue - the start of a NEW mural

Sue - new mural nearly completed!

Here are 4 from Gill - a whole new experience for me!

Steve - new growth in February at the amazing 1 acre walled garden at NT Tyntesfield nr Bristol

.... and here is Keith, also enjoying a new animal experience!

Kate - Chinese “New” Year 10-24 Feb

Gaynor - New Zealand native bird, waxeye/tauhou

Gaynor -  Noo Zillun, land of the pie, mountains, Kiwi and the Moa (extinct)

Gaynor -  village hall, new coat of paint 

.........  and our topic for March is 

"Early morning"