Today in pictures

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by mobertol

Today's walk out to a farm a few miles away - half restored beautifully in one part and crumbling away in the other part across the lane. The whole dates to the same period but the restored part was the original owner's villa and the chapel. (I have put some photos of this on before - there's a gorgeous courtyard with pool which was closed today!) Hope you'll appreciate the contrast - especially between the new and old arched entrance doors - the old one has a very old faded sundial on the wall and the road into the place (last shot) still has the old 1940's street lamp and original milestones. Number 6 is what lies behind the place - the Alps are hinted at in the cloud line!

What a curious set of doors in number 1 - almost a door and a half!
Lovely lighting in number 5

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by gpick24

A few more attempts at miniature fakes.

Well done! I almost feel like I'm looking at a miniature landscape from a model railway or something like that. There's a miniature village not too far from me - you can walk through scaled down streets and buildings. This photo effect gives the feeling of being somewhere like that. Cool!

[Turtle]

I really am getting cabin fever - I'm spending too much time looking out of the window....

1. Says the Bluejay, oblivious to the Woodpecker's presence: "It's mine, all mine!"
2. A challenge from a Morning Dove, the meekest bird around.
3. Seeing him off.

[davemac]

Originally Posted by Turtle

I really am getting cabin fever - I'm spending too much time looking out of the window....

1. Says the Bluejay, oblivious to the Woodpecker's presence: "It's mine, all mine!"
2. A challenge from a Morning Dove, the meekest bird around.
3. Seeing him off.

I suppose the lack of food due to the snow will entice them to the bird table, that will make them sitting ducks so to speak, for the camera.

[Eric]

Originally Posted by davemac

I that will make them sitting ducks so to speak, for the camera.

And for the hawks.

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by Eric

And for the hawks.

Yes, I have witnessed a few incidents where a hawk (either a Cooper's hawk or a Sharp Shinned) swooped down, caught and feasted on one of the diners at my table. I felt awful, and considered my bird feeder a trap for the innocent. But I also saw that not all hawk attacks were successful - there'd be a flutter of wings and everybody disappeared. After all, I guess hawks have to eat too.

[maxthecollie]

Originally Posted by Turtle

Yes, I have witnessed a few incidents where a hawk (either a Cooper's hawk or a Sharp Shinned) swooped down, caught and feasted on one of the diners at my table. I felt awful, and considered my bird feeder a trap for the innocent. But I also saw that not all hawk attacks were successful - there'd be a flutter of wings and everybody disappeared. After all, I guess hawks have to eat too.

We once had a Sparrowhawk sitting on our front fence waiting for the Bluetits to come and feed. Max chased it away.

[mobertol]

Lovely shots of the birds Turtle - you seem to have as much snow as we have rain! I really liked the close-up of the seed-head Dave - the school were lucky that someone as conscientious as you found their balloon. I wonder if you win a prize or something if you find the one that's travelled furthest?

[mobertol]

Today's trip out into Cremona and the museum was slightly marred by the weather. It was only light rain when getting to the museum, where I had a nice lunch in their trendy bar/restaurant. Also you weren't allowed to take photos inside the museum which was a real shame as it is very interesting architecturally and for the actual collection of violins. It's very state of the art, multi-media and interactive - you have a little handset which gives you an audio tour -it activates automatically depending on which part of the museum you're in. You go into a little workshop where the sights, sounds and smells of a violin-makers workshop are recreated and can activate films on special tables showing all the various parts of the violin, how they are made and put together. The technique is more or less exactly as it was in the time of the 3 great violin-makers from Cremona - Andrea Amati, Guarneri and Antonio Stradivari whose work covers from about 1580 through to the early 1700's. There is a violin in the collection which was made for the court of Henry VIII ! Some of them are beautifully decorated - unbelievable workmanship and they are worth a fortune.
1 Arrival at the museum -light rain!
2-5 Inside the bar/restaurant "Chiave di Bacco" (Bacchus's Key) - the ceiling is covered in musical scores and the large illuminated squares are some of the walls of the museum which is on the first floor.
6 Advert for the museum showing the most precious part of the collection
7 Suspended advert for the museum on the old tram lines.
8 The courtyard and sculpture -taken when leaving
9 Leaving the museum in heavy rain
10 Statue of Antonio Stradivari in the piazza in Cremona which bears his name -he looks pretty wet as I was at this point -no brolly!

[mobertol]

Good photos on this link show what the museum is like inside - the auditorium is constructed to be like the inside of a violin and is very impressive -also it is designed to be acustically perfect so wherever you sit you hear the music perfectly.
Museo del Violino - Cremona - Recensioni su Museo del Violino - TripAdvisor


The following link is to a really good article published in the Guardian when the museum opened last September.
Violin museum shows off musical heritage of Stradivari's birthplace | World news | The Guardian

[davemac]

Originally Posted by mobertol

Lovely shots of the birds Turtle - you seem to have as much snow as we have rain! I really liked the close-up of the seed-head Dave - the school were lucky that someone as conscientious as you found their balloon. I wonder if you win a prize or something if you find the one that's travelled furthest?

I thought it would be interesting for the school to get a few pictures of where it landed, I don't think it will be the furthest. I did check their website and they had posted a short film of them releasing balloons, but no date as to when, I posted the pictures today and sent an email yesterday but haven't had a reply yet.

[davemac]

Originally Posted by mobertol

Today's trip out into Cremona and the museum was slightly marred by the weather. It was only light rain when getting to the museum, where I had a nice lunch in their trendy bar/restaurant. Also you weren't allowed to take photos inside the museum which was a real shame as it is very interesting architecturally and for the actual collection of violins. It's very state of the art, multi-media and interactive - you have a little handset which gives you an audio tour -it activates automatically depending on which part of the museum you're in. You go into a little workshop where the sights, sounds and smells of a violin-makers workshop are recreated and can activate films on special tables showing all the various parts of the violin, how they are made and put together. The technique is more or less exactly as it was in the time of the 3 great violin-makers from Cremona - Andrea Amati, Guarneri and Antonio Stradivari whose work covers from about 1580 through to the early 1700's. There is a violin in the collection which was made for the court of Henry VIII ! Some of them are beautifully decorated - unbelievable workmanship and they are worth a fortune.
1 Arrival at the museum -light rain!
2-5 Inside the bar/restaurant "Chiave di Bacco" (Bacchus's Key) - the ceiling is covered in musical scores and the large illuminated squares are some of the walls of the museum which is on the first floor.
6 Advert for the museum showing the most precious part of the collection
7 Suspended advert for the museum on the old tram lines.
8 The courtyard and sculpture -taken when leaving
9 Leaving the museum in heavy rain
10 Statue of Antonio Stradivari in the piazza in Cremona which bears his name -he looks pretty wet as I was at this point -no brolly!

Another set of interesting buildings.

[davemac]

Today in Pictures, is a bit of a mash up, a few in Cutwood Park and the last of Hagg Lodge.

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by mobertol

Good photos on this link show what the museum is like inside - the auditorium is constructed to be like the inside of a violin and is very impressive -also it is designed to be acustically perfect so wherever you sit you hear the music perfectly.
Museo del Violino - Cremona - Recensioni su Museo del Violino - TripAdvisor


The following link is to a really good article published in the Guardian when the museum opened last September.
Violin museum shows off musical heritage of Stradivari's birthplace | World news | The Guardian

What a wonderful museum - just the kind of place I'd happily spend hours in! Your photos are great, and the links are helpful for us to peek where you camera couldn't go. Thanks for this

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by davemac

Today in Pictures, is a bit of a mash up, a few in Cutwood Park and the last of Hagg Lodge.

It looks like Spring is there for you - I'm envious yet pleased for you
I used to know the buds on trees in lancashire, and the order in which they would 'burst'. There were Sticky Buds, and Lambs Tails. The ash was the last to come out, I think. I've long ago forgotten all that, but please tell me: what is that coming out in number 2? It looks very exotic!