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Alphabet Project | L is for lavender

Thank you to everyone that joined the Alphabet Photography Project over the past week with letter K.

Although lake was up there as a result of our trip to Frensham, letter L had to be for lavender. We’ve visited farms in Hitchin and Mayfield in the past few weeks. The tough part was choosing the photograph.

How to join in

The Alphabet Photography Project runs every Wednesday. If you’d like to share a post or link up an image, a Linky is live from that day until the following Tuesday. If you include a link back to PODcast I’ll share your post for you. You can post a photo on Instagram (PODcast is here) if you’d prefer using the hashtag #alphabetphoto.

There are also PinterestFacebook and Google+ groups for the Alphabet Photography Project.

Ideas for letter L 

The #alphabetphoto theme can be interpreted in any way you choose. Your letter might be a photograph for example, an object that resembles a letter or an adjective. Have a look at the letter L hints in last week’s post. If you get really stuck, an online Scrabble dictionary is a good point of reference!

Inspiration for letter M

Here are a few ideas to get us thinking about letter M:

Maple, marble, mittens, moths, models, men, muscles, mussels, money, mangos, motorcycles, moon, machinery, make-up, macro, mountains, masks, marine, money, mood, muse, meadow, magnificent, motionless, muddy, modern, mushy, macaroon, magnolia.

There are also lots of inspirational photographs on the #alphabetphoto Pinterest board:

Follow PODcast grappling with a box of frogs’s board Photography: The Alphabet Photography Project on Pinterest.



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Ducks, a playground & the party

Saturday was a busy day for POD. We headed to a nearby park while the car was being looked at then celebrated her Christmas Day birthday with a Summer party.

The park is not one we’ve visited before and we were thrilled to discover a pond there. It was covered in lilies and teeming with wildlife including ducks, moorhens and three of these of these little fellas. POD loved them and we stayed there for a little while just watching them waddle about. The ducks were less interested in us when the realised we didn’t have any bread!

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In the playground, POD got to do what she does best…climb! Climbing up the slide then heading back down it only to do the same again.

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There was a fair amount of hanging around too as well as sliding down this pole and attempting to climb up it. She has incredible strength for her age, I’m sure attending gymnastics has helped too.

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Although hesitant at first, POD loved the roundabout. It was even better when we were both on it although Mummy quickly remembered why she didn’t enjoy roundabouts as a child. We span round a little too much but thankfully weren’t too dizzy afterwards. After spending time with a little boy at the playground, and waiting at the garage, we headed home for the party.

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POD was three on Christmas Day and rather than have December party as we have previously we opted for a Summer one. Despite the UK’s unpredictable weather, we planned to have a BBQ with garden fun for sixteen children.

Little did we know what a superb afternoon it would be. The sun shone, the skies were blue and so much ice was needed we almost ran out. In addition to unstructured play we had a mini sports day with sack, egg and spoon and beanbag races. Having insisted on wearing her christening dress and a New York Yankees hat (now too small for her head), POD showed great determination when she won the first sack race.

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The children sat together for jelly and ice-cream looking utterly adorable while they chatted away to each other. Although there’s a lovely photograph of them all, you’ll have to imagine that scene.

The bubbles disappeared quickly so POD was thrilled to discover there were more just for her (although she did share). Bubble wands are quite possibly the best thing ever!

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Given POD was tired before the party started, she did brilliantly and had a great afternoon. This photograph was taken when everyone had left. POD had taken time out to examine her loot bag – bubbles and the stretchy man being the favourites.

We typically celebrate POD’s birthday on the morning of 25th December, she was born at 10.46am, with Christmas in the afternoon. It was great to do a Summer party for her, it meant she could have an (un)birthday celebration with all the focus on her.

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Linking up with #whatsthestory here on PODcast.

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What’s The Story? | 28th July 2014

Hello everyone, I hope you’ve all had a great week enjoying the glorious sunshine. It was the perfect weekend for POD’s Summer party (to celebrate her Christmas Day birthday) and we enjoyed a wonderful picnic too. Suffice to say I’m running a little behind with commenting so apologies if I’ve not reached you yet!

Welcome to What’s The Story? for w/c 28th July 2014.

What’s The Story? is a photograph based Linky which enables you to share the stories behind your favourite photographs. To join in all you have to do is share a photograph and the story behind it. You can write as little or much as you like and your photo/s can be from any time.

Feel free to use the What’s The Story? badge or include a link to PODcast in your post – I’m happy to share it in return. Please do take the time to comment on some of your fellow bloggers posts when you can. What’s The Story? is open every Monday through to the following Sunday.

There’s a community on Google Plus so do pop over if you haven’t already. You can find me at Charly Dove or PODcast.

Have a lovely week #whatsthestory.



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The B&W Photography Project | Week #3

Really loving the Black & White Photography Project, thank you to everyone that joined in last week. And to those of you that enjoyed the Ansel Adams post – he was one awesome photographer!

Although this photograph of POD in a lavender field works well in colour, I just love it in black and white. The contrast of that stripey hat is just wonderful.

How to join in 

It’s really easy to get involved with the Black & White Photography Project. Just link up a short post, with or without words, featuring a black and white photograph. You can also link up a collection of black and white photographs if you prefer. The photograph/s can be from any time – new and old images are welcome.

If you don’t fancy linking up a post you can play on Instagram using #bwphotoproject (PODcast is here). You can also share your posts and photos in the Black & White Photography Project Facebook Group.

When? 

The Black and White Photography Project runs every Sunday. The Linky is open every week from Sunday through to Saturday. If you include a link back to PODcast I’ll happily share your post for you.

Inspiration on Pinterest 

If you’re looking for inspiration, the Black & White Photography Project board has some awesome photographs.

Follow PODcast grappling with a box of frogs’s board Photography: B&W Photography Project on Pinterest.



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Alphabet Project | K is for knoll

Thank you to everyone that joined the Alphabet Photography Project over the past week with letter J.

Letter K was a bit of a challenge but in the end knoll stuck. This photograph was taken at Headley Heath in Surrey which is managed by the National Trust.  It’s a designated Site of Specific Interest with a mix of open heathland, shady woods and steep chalk grassland valleys. This is POD having an impromptu sit down after running up and down the hill with Daddy. 

How to join in

The Alphabet Photography Project runs every Wednesday. If you’d like to share a post or link up an image, a Linky is live from that day until the following Tuesday. If you include a link back to PODcast I’ll share your post for you. You can post a photo on Instagram (PODcast is here) if you’d prefer using the hashtag #alphabetphoto.

There are also Pinterest, Facebook and Google+ groups for the Alphabet Photography Project.

Ideas for letter K 

The #alphabetphoto theme can be interpreted in any way you choose. The letter K might be a photograph of a key for example, an object that resembles the letter K or a photograph of the letter K using props. It could also be an adjective. Have a look at the letter hints in last week’s post. If you get really stuck, an online Scrabble dictionary is a good point of reference!

Inspiration for letter L 

Here are a few ideas to get us thinking about letter L:

Llamas, love, logs, leaves, landscapes, lightning, laughter, light, lazy, landscapes, learning, light, lightning, long, labour, laburnum, ladybird, lasagne, ladylike, lattitude, laugh, lashes, lavish, licorice, lifetime, lifeboat, location, lookout, lantern, lock, lemons, lollipop, lotion, lambs, later, lamb, leek, less, lion, long.

There are also lots of inspirational photographs on the #alphabetphoto Pinterest board:
Follow PODcast grappling with a box of frogs’s board Photography: The Alphabet Photography Project on Pinterest.



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Exploring Mayfield Lavender

Lavender fields are wonderful, even before you get there you can visualise those bright hues. Perhaps it’s because you dream about capturing your three year old jumping in the air above a sea of purple. Or running with balloons gently blowing in the breeze behind her. Okay so I made the last bit up but you get the picture!

Mayfield Lavender is a 25 acre family run farm located in Banstead, Surrey. There’s a lovely story around how it came about. Owner Brendan Maye believed consumers needed to witness the beauty of lavender to accept it as a relevant fragrance. He was MD at the fine fragrance division of Wella UK at that point. 

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He came up with a proposal to buy a farm and revive the lavender growing under the Yardley brand. Although this was rejected by his parent company, two years later he got the go-ahead although was stopped from actually buying a farm. The plan fell apart later when the Yardley brand was sold. But unperturbed Brendan decided to acquire the project himself.

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While he continued his day job, his wife Lorna came to the rescue learning how to harvest lavender among other things. Brendan and Lorna now work together at Mayfield Lavender. They are proud the field sits on the same spot where lavender was grown in the 18th and 19th century.

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Mayfield Lavender has an annual lavender festival in July which includes everything from bug hunts, tractor rides and massages to photography classes, Morris Dancing and the clincher – a hog roast! We couldn’t make it this year but we decided to visit Mayfield for the first time the following day.

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It was a glorious day, the sun shone, the sky was blue and littered with cotton wool like clouds. We hoped POD would sleep en route but it wasn’t to be. What a sight greeted us when we arrived though – there was purple as far as the eye could see. A field of total awesomeness.

We took a short walk but food was in order before we ventured further. There’s an array of options available at Mayfield including drinks and treats infused with lavender. We opted for freshly made sarnies and POD had a lolly afterwards. There’s also a great gift shop at Mayfield where you can purchase lavender.

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Refueled we set off to explore ever hopeful of capturing POD having fun in the lavender. It wasn’t going to be easy as you can see from this don’t take a photograph of me face.

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But she perk up and before long was pointing at the bees and “butt-flies”.

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The pathways were nice and wide so there was plenty of room for everyone. The lavender rows were perfectly pruned, they even included areas where you could ‘swap lanes’ if you needed to. POD wasn’t her usual perky self but she had her moments.

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Like the moment she took herself off on her own adventure amid the sweet smelling lavender. She may not be facing camera but she didn’t know I was behind her either. Nor that I’d been running like a buffoon to capture her in that sea of purple!

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Linking up with #whatsthestory here on PODcast and #CountryKids at Coombe Mill.

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Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall

What’s The Story? | 21st July 2014

Crack open the party poppers people, What’s The Story? is a year old!!! Hard to believe this idea for a Linky launched in July last year accompanied by a thrill seeking story entitled The Need for Speed. There have been so many amazing posts since and such incredible variety too. Thank you to everyone that’s joined in over the past 12 months and made it what it is.

Welcome to What’s The Story? for 21st July 2014 – the anniversary edition!

If you’re new to What’s The Story? it’s a photograph based Linky which enables you to share the stories behind your photographs. To join in all you have to do is share a photograph and the story behind it. You can write as little or much as you like and your photo/s can be from any time.

Feel free to use the What’s The Story? badge or include a link to PODcast in your post – I’m happy to share it in return. Please do take the time to comment on some of your fellow bloggers posts when you can. What’s The Story? is open every Monday through to the following Sunday.

There’s a community on Google Plus so do pop over if you haven’t already. You can find me at Charly Dove or PODcast.

Have a lovely week #whatsthestory.



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Project 365: Week #29

It’s been a week of pirates, fairy potions and lavender. Combined with capturing the best of London while walking to or from the office.

Welcome to Project 365: Week #29.

Day 195

This is POD after flowers for her fairy potion! It was an interesting mix of petals, grass and leaves plus a little red colouring. Astounding how tall she looks here.

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After the fairies had been fed it was time for some pirate fun. POD is making a strange face here but at least she’s looking at the camera (first time for everything!).

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Day 196

Having recently visited Hitchin Lavender Farm, Monday saw us venture to Mayfield Lavender in Surrey. POD refused to stand in the lavender initially but we got there in the end.

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Day 197

You don’t see any grasshoppers for months then two come along in the same day! This little fella was so difficult to photograph given the position he was in but great macro practice.

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Day 198

Standing under the London Eye before work was just the best. Other than a few joggers there was hardly a soul on the Southbank, such a contrast to when I walked past last week.

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Day 199

Walking to Waterloo from Farringdon is far more preferable than the tube especially when it’s been so warm. These phone boxes are located just off Bow Street not far from the Royal Opera House.

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Day 200

I spotted this pretty bicycle outside the Holborn Dining Room not far from Chancery Lane.

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Day 201

POD has a Summer party next weekend (her birthday is on Christmas Day) so we’ve been in the garden tidying. We’re hopeful the weather will hold out so we can have a BBQ.

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TheBoyandMe's 365 Linky

The B&W Photography Project | Week #2

Thank you to everyone that joined in with the Black & White Photography Project last week, such an array of wonderful images. I don’t know about you but monochrome is SO addictive – I can’t stop tinkering! This photograph of the London Eye was taken early in the morning on the way to work when there was barely a soul around.

This week you can read about Ansel Adams. An inspirational photographer with a love for black and white.

How to join in 

It’s really easy to get involved with the Black & White Photography Project. Just link up a short post, with or without words, featuring a black and white photograph. You can also link up a collection of black and white photographs if you prefer. The photograph/s can be from any time – new and old images are welcome.

If you don’t fancy linking up a post you can play on Instagram using #bwphotoproject (PODcast is here). You can also share your posts and photos in the Black & White Photography Project Facebook Group.

When? 

The Black and White Photography Project runs every Sunday. The Linky is open every week from Sunday through to Saturday. If you include a link back to PODcast I’ll happily share your post for you.

Inspiration on Pinterest 

If you’re looking for inspiration, the Black & White Photography Project board has some awesome photographs.

Follow PODcast grappling with a box of frogs’s board Photography: B&W Photography Project on Pinterest.



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