Northern lights

Now the Northern lights are not typically seen in the UK but recently they have been visible across northern England and Scotland and here are some really amazing images of recent sightings. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16685364
Now i was lucky enough to experience the Northern Lights when i was in Finland many years ago. Unfortunately i wasn't able to photograph them when i saw them but hopefull one day i will be able to test my photography skills and one day photograph the Aurora Borealis.

Christmas Cake

 

Today to avoid the frequent hail showers i decided it was the time to decorate the Christmas cake. When i say decorate the cake i mean simply decorate! I didn't actually make the cake myself! i know that's cheating, however my lovely mum made the cake back in November and I've been keeping it moist by coating it in Disaronno each week.

After creating a complete mess in the kitchen, including spilling food colouring everywhere and getting edible glitter spray everywhere i don't think the cake turned out too bad!

It's not perfect, it's lumpy and bumpy, and my polar bear is a little wonky, but it's the effort that counts and i look forward to eating some cake next week. 

Happy Christmas

Cold Snap in Cornwall

Finally today it is actually feeling a bit colder and slightly more wintery. I'm not wishing to be all bah humbug and not festive but i don't feel in the slightest bit christmassy yet this year. Last sunday rather than going christmas shopping i went surfing!! I went in the sea in December and it wasn't even cold!!!

I know the weather today has been on off with sunshine and showers, but in the moments of sunshine i couldn't help but feel slightly puzzled with the sun beaming through the window warming my arm, yet a christmas song is playing in the background on the radio, that didn't feel right.

I've decided I'm blaming the mild weather for my lack of festive cheer, which I'm hoping is about to change, driving home tonight the temperature was displaying in my car as 2'C which is making me want to wrap up warm, snuggle up inside and wrap Christmas presents. There's still not been a frost yet this winter down here in Cornwall, but fingers crossed for some frosty mornings soon so that i can get out early and get some sunrise snaps of crisp chilly winter mornings.

Santa Fun Run Falmouth

Well i made it!!

I completed yesterdays 3 mile charity fun run dressed as a santa, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It felt very strange beingstood on Falmouth moor with hundreds of others all wearing santa suits, but with the big christmas tree and christmas music playing it all felt very festive.

After a mass warm up, we moved to the starting line to begin the race, and what fun that was, hundreds of santa's all running through the high street, with crowds of people lining the route and cheering us all on. Now i haven't run anywhere for about 3 years so the cheering crowds certainly made me keep on running and not give up, the run then split into two routes of short and long and i continued on the long route and up to the coast road and around to Gyllyngvase beach.

I'm so proud of myself and all the other santa's that took part yesterday and hope that lots of money has been raised for a really good cornish charity.

If you still want to donate you can at http://www.justgiving.com/julie-annedarsley

Cornwall Hospice Care charity fun run, Santa run Falmouth

Last weekend i was photographing the shoe box appeal being loaded onto the lorry on it's long journey to Serbia, This weekend i am taking part in the charity Santa fun run in Falmouth!

Yes your reading this right! i am not only doing a fun run!!! a whole three mile run around Falmouth - As you may or may not kno i don't do running anymore, i don't really do exercise, unless floating about in the sea trying to learn to surf counts. And not only am i taking part in a fun run i'm also doing this dressed as a father christmas.

The race is at 1pm, so will let you know how i get on, and fingers crossed will have some highly humiliating photos to post up here later.

If you haven't sponsored me yet and still want to donate some money to really good cause, Cornwall hospice care then please visit the Just Giving Guava page and donate online.

Wish me luck. xx

Samaritans Purse, Operation Chrstmas Child

Today under grey sky's and icy cold winds next to the river camel in Wadebridge 7000 shoe boxes where loaded onto a lorry by local helpers young and old. The shoe boxes are now heading on there way to Serbia to be given to children that are less privileged than ourselves. 

It was wonderful to be able to photograph the boxes being loaded onto the van and an amazing event to be a part of, the volunteers worked wonderfully together fueled by a supply of bacon sandwiches and Christmas music, I hope all the Christmas boxes make their way to their final destination and make some children very happy this Christmas.

For all the pictures from today's shoe box appeal visit my facebook for more.

Padstow Christmas festival

Yesterday I went to the padstow Christmas festival and even with the pouring rain all night had a really wonderful night. With late night shopping, live music and mulled wine to get you in the spirit, not to mention father christmas arriving by fire engine followed by a lantern procession, the rain sadly kept on pouring but this did not keep the crowds away at all. The local produce market was bustling with local ciders and ales to be tasted not to forget the wonderful cake and chocolate stalls and everything in between with cookery demonstrations and even a debate was held with local celebrity chef Rick Stein. It was then time to go back out into the rain to huddle around the harbour to watch the fireworks then off up the hill to circle the giant Christmas tree and sing carols, if cold nights and pouring rain won't stop the padstow locals nothing will. Padstows Christmas festival continues until Sunday and I thoroughly recommend popping over their for a visit a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie.

A bad day

I've decided that today is a bad day, your probably wondering why I am classing a whole day as bad when it's only just entered the afternoon, firstly my day started with knocking over my morning brew! Spilling tea all over the kitchen top down the front of the dishwasher and down myself, this is followed by my breakfast of a crumpet being dropped into my second cup of tea! I decide to give up forget the tea and breakfast and head to work in sideways rain and Gail force winds! I'm currently writing this in a hospital waiting room that is full of kids watching some very very annoying singing animals on the tv... Well all watching minus the one screaming in the corner. Oh and I forgot to mention my arrival to hospital..... I decided to park in Truros new park and ride scheme, parking some way from the busses I then walked in the pouring rain to the terminals to find out I don't have cash on me and brilliantly the building doesn't take card payments! So I walk back to my car, now completely soaked and drive to the hospital. I'm sitting here with very soggy feet hoping that my pre op assessment goes better!

Today i'm calling a bad day, let's hope it gets better. X

Local band The Claze play at the Merrymoor Inn, Mawgan Porth

Local band The Claze, Formally know as the Cuffs last night played at the MerryMoor Inn, in Mawgan Porth Cornwall, With great covers from The Kings of Lean, to Johnny Cash including some of there own written cornish inspired music. It was a great night where The Claze had the whole pub singing along and waving there arms.

Keep up the good work guys, And if you want to see the claze playing live soon, visit them on facebook here

More pictures from Friday nights gig can be seen on my Photobrook photography Facebook page, And don't forget to like the page and follow this blog to keep up to date with my latest pictures.

Local surf shots now viewable on Magic Seaweed

Photobrook Photography images are now available to view and purchase through Magic Seaweed, Check out one of my favorite shots of Watergate Bay earlier this year, when lots of learner surfers where braving the rather large conditions! Rather them than me!!!

As I am always out photographing local breaks, as well as local surf competitions all my surf related images will now be available on magic seaweed, keep an eye out for more surfing images uploaded to Magic Seaweed soon.

Backbeat Sounsystem at the Wateringhole Perranporth

Last night I ventured across to Perranporth for the wonderful reggae band Backbeat soundsytem, who were playing at the Wateringhole, who were truly amazing and had me dancing all night to some wonderful ska reggae beats. There's a real wonderful sense of going to a gig in a bar and the only way of getting there is to walk across the beach over a stream across more sand until reaching the bar tables lodged into the sand at the entrance of the bar.

For a wintery November night the place was heaving as crowds flocked to see such an amazing band, Unfortunately i have no photos of last nights gig as i was too busy dancing to wonderful music, which even after the band finished playing the wateringhole proceeded to play music by Gentlemans dub club another favorite band, so really a perfect night of local music.

Loving the Cornish music scene and can't wait for my next night out..... which maybe tonight at the Brook House in Newquay as Sandfire Siren are playing.

Truro city of lights

Tonight saw the Christmas lights in Truro get switched on by a wonderful parade of handmade lanterns, The rain held off long enough and the crowds flocked into Truro to see how hard the local schools and colleges had worked to create a wonderful procession. 

The crowds waiting patiently crowding the streets of Truro waiting for the parade.

 An amazing squid teases the crowds with moving tentacles 

 Another truly amazing  lantern including his very own bowing head

A wonderful evening and now really feeling in the Christmas spirit with thanks to Truro city of lights.

Fireworks at Porth Beach Newquay

Saturday the 5th November saw hundreds of people turn up at Porth beach in Newquay for the annual fireworks display. One of my favorite nights of the year, The beach quickly fills up with adults and children all wrapped up warm waiting patiently for the fireworks to start. With music beer and bbq supplied by the Mermaid Inn everyone is entertained until the display starts.