The Calm Before The Day
The sun rose this morning a few minutes after 7am, but this is what the sky looked like about 8 minutes before. There was a glorious orange glow and the clouds were lit up from underneath by the sun coming around the globe and shining through the atmosphere.
It snowed this morning
It snowed for the first time this winter in Blarney. It was raining so, at least around here, the snow didn't settle on the roads. All the snow is gone by this stage, but it's cold out. Hopefully, the wet ground doesn't freeze.
Snow on the road
It’s turned cold in Ireland, and we’re expecting snow overnight, but Met Éireann says there’s a 20-45% chance of snow, so it might just be another cold day tomorrow. Hopefully, it doesn’t rain and freeze.
Don’t be fooled, this image is from January 2021.
Raw and edited images attached. Small changes but I like this light in this one.
The October ’24 Aurora
I wasn't going to leave my warm bed to photograph the aurora, but I'm glad I did. 2.5C, down to 0.5C. It was so cold. My camera battery drained from 57% to 0%, and a torch I was carrying died too. Luckily, I had an extra camera battery with me for the last few photos.
Sunset over Ring Wood
The Ring Wood in Blarney last night just after the sun set behind me and there was a lovely glow at the horizon.
In the next few years, houses will be built in that field, possibly obscuring this view from across the valley.
Mom and Calf
A cow and her calf lying on the grass, enjoying the April sun in a field near Blarney Castle in 2022. So serene.
Here's the driveway next to that gatehouse.
This driveway was used in one of the WordPress default themes several years ago.
Griffins stand guard in Blarney
Griffins sit at the points of the roof of the gatehouse at the main vehicle entrance to Blarney Castle. It's a private entrance, so if you're wondering where it is, go back towards the village from the tourist entrance and turn right across the bridge and go 20m down the road. It's on your right and you can't miss it.
https://inphotos.org/2024/08/21/griffins-stand-guard-in-blarney/
Sunset Clouds
A nearby tree and bushes were silhouetted against the dying light of the sun, as it had just set behind the distant hill.
Blarney Castle can be seen above the trees of the surrounding area as the sun set last Thursday evening. Blarney Photography Club took the opportunity of a lovely evening to walk around the village and nearby to photograph the area. This photo is, of course, taken from Ring Wood, off Station Road.
Did you know that membership of Blarney Photography Club is now open to all (over 18s)? The new season starts in September and the club is holding an open night on September 5th at the local secondary school. Doors open at 7:30pm. I’ll be there, as will other members of the club. The famous Beginners and Improvers Photography Course will start the following week, and the 8-week course is great value at only €75. You’ll also become members of the club, and you’ll be welcome to our weekly meetings, outings, competitions, practical sessions and more.
Visit the Club open night web page for further details!
Apertureƒ/6.3CameraILCE-7RM5Focal length240mmISO100Shutter speed1/50shttps://inphotos.org/2024/08/18/blarney-castle-at-sunset/
#2024 #Blarney #BlarneyCastle #BlarneyPhotographyClub #Cork #Ireland #Photo #Photography #SonyA7RV #sunset #Trees
The Lights Have Stars
A car drove towards me a few nights ago while I was playing around with an 8 star filter on my camera. Most of the time it's totally overdone, but I liked how this came, especially as the headlights are reflected in the bus shelter.
Going to the first meeting of making #Blarney an #AutismFriendlyTown tonight and I am talking publically about being #Autistic in front of locals, and I am surprised by how nervous I am. Easier talking to strangers instead of locals.
Christmas Lights in Blarney
The Christmas lights have been switched on in Blarney Woollen Mills and Christy's Bar.
https://inphotos.org/2023/12/08/christmas-lights-in-blarney/
The good weather is well and truly gone now, so here’s a sunrise from a few days ago to remind you what the sky above the grey clouds and rain looks like. 
The heatwave has broken today, but it’s still quite warm at 18C, but the rain is back. It’s like it never left!
The threatened thunderstorms never materialised in Blarney, but the sky is cloudy and produced a lovely sunrise this morning around 7am. The sun rising behind the hills east of Blarney lit up the clouds with lovely warm light.
Just before the sun rose this morning, it shone on the underside of clouds on the horizon, creating a lovely glow I could see from my home office window.
Curious Cows
Blarney is surrounded by fields, and up a country road from where I live you'll find farm animals in the fields. It's mostly cows, and when I approached a gate of one such field, the curious cows came over to watch this strange human on a bicycle.
Diego in his blanket after waking up from a sleep. This is an old photo of him from 2017, but I’m posting it today because he’s at the vet’s office after getting an x-ray.
He hasn’t been himself for some time and let out loud yelps from time to time but he was diagnosed with Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) by the vet this afternoon.
If anyone is interested in having a chat or getting a book signed, I'm doing a meet and greet in #Blarney library on Saturday the 6th May.
Might be of interest to #AutisticAdults, parents of #Autistic kids who would to chat to an #ActuallyAutistic adult, and #NonFictionWriters.
Here, in #Amherst #Massachusetts, #university students 3 decades ago engaged in the #Blarney Blowout" in which they drink themselves to the point of sickness or antisocial behavior.
Town & Gown thought they had the problem solved, but it is out of hand again. The innovation this time was "blackout rage gallons"--jugs of alcohol, electrolytes, & water. Note #Holocaust "joke."
College binge drinking on ‘borgs’ leads to record visits to Cooley Dickinson Hospital https://www.gazettenet.com/UMass-town-react-to-a-weekend-of-borg-drinking-50165727
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