Category: Family

Family related posts; generally only of interest to fellow members of the Brown Clan and relations by Marriage into this mad house.

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Having a break

Sorry for the lack of posts recently, been concentrating on other things. Had a few studio shoots, catch up with my favourite model and generally concentrating on the day job.

The heat and humidity just seems to go on at the moment.

Hope your all taking care in this warm weather.

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Energy Poverty

App showing energy flow in a home. This shows solar energy going directly into an electric car providing free fuel.
Screenshot

For those of us with good incomes, we can afford to install solar, buy electric cars. Install systems like the Eddi which provides free hot water from the solar.

On a sunny day like some we have had this week we are getting free fuel and free hot water. For those who cannot afford such things they are stuck with higher energy costs and fossil fuels.

More needs to be done to allow more people to get the benefits of the switch to green tech. At least electric cars as they get more popular, the secondhand market grows and prices come down.

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How do you relax – Chess

a chess board from chess.com. White and weaved a check mate net and trapped blacks king in the centre.

How do you relax. If I go out it’s generally taking photographs. Or it can be walking the dog and listening to podcasts or music is also high on the agenda. At home it’s often relaxing with a fine wine, or whisky. But sometimes I want to do something different and stretch my brain. So then I hit Chess.com, and play puzzles or occasionally a game.

This game was an interesting one. My opponent did not develop their pieces fast enough and so I pushed hard, it cost me my queen and on paper he was ahead, but I had forced his king out into the centre of the board and it was not long before I check mated him. I’ll be living with the buzz of this game for a while.

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Coffee

Local coffee shop Cafe Aroma just off Lincoln High Street by the Stonebow. Two people can be seen sat outside drinking coffee.

More and more companies are asking their staff to come in. I usually find a need to head into a clients office or a clients data centre once a week. This week it was Lincoln and they have a great independent coffee shop just off the high street.

Slightly blurred photo of a barista making coffee.

A good photograph does not necessary have to be correctly exposed or sharp. A Henri Carrier-Bresson said – “Sharpness is a bourgeois concept”.

Barista steaming milk at the coffee bar.
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Artemis II – Moon Mission and Nikon

Vintage market, people looking through the goods on the table.

It’s been a long time since we have been back to the moon.

The fashions on show from our local vintage market were likely new.

In that time NASA has moved from film Hasselblads on the moon to professional Nikon D5’s well proven to stand up to the temperature range and radiation of space.

I believe there testing mirrorless cameras but for now the trusty Nikon D5 professional camera is NASA’s main stay and is currently heading back to earth with the crew of the Artemis II mission.

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Easter fun for the Children

Easter Treasure Hunt - Letters and Parcels come and go. Stamps are struck in neat rows. Red post box or county near. You'll find the next bunny, do not fear. A sign on the the school leading you to the next clue on the Easter treasure hunt.

The other day while walking Ted the greyhound, we came across a cardboard white Rabbit. It turns out someone has setup a treasure hunt for the children.

The first Easter White Rabbit in front of the fence by the village school
Beneath the conker tree so tall, Where Autumn's treasures drop and fall. Wander on, don't lose your way. Where village notices have their say. Pause a while and look around, your next bunny will be found.
Where children laugh and feet take flight. Where swings go whooshing left and right. Look near, but not too wide. Your next bunny is tucked beside.

From the school, to the post office then on to the crossroads, each bunny had a poem to lead you to the next.

White cardboard bunny next to the conker tree.
Where rackets swing, and balls take flight. Across the net with speed and might. Look nearby, don't rush on through. Your next bunny is close to you.
White rabbit near the play park
Where open play stretches wide, games and laughter can be tied. Through gates and gaps, the way is clear. To a grassy space both far and near. Step on through and take a look. Your next bunny is hidden in a nook.
Another cardboard white rabbit near the tennis courts.
Where bats and balls and players meet. A shelter spot beside a pitch so neat. Pause a moment, look around. And your next bunny will be found.
By the model railway that runs around the playing field.
Where tiny trains prepare to go With whistles soft and engines low. A platform small, a waiting line, All aboard, right on time, watch the tracks and look around, your next bunny is near the ground.
Bunny next to the cricket pavilion.
By the model railway that runs on Sundays to give children a ride. Where hammer's echo once would ring. A hidden bunny lies waiting. And South Scarle Lane - start navigating.

From the post office to the village cross roads, to the swings and then to the village tennis courts. From there around the main playing field with the mini vintage trains and tennis courts.

Where ancient stone and silence meet. And whispered prayers in stillness stay. Seek your next bunny beneath your feet. Where hymns and incense drift and pray.
White rabbit near the church.

It was then to the old blacksmiths and off to the church.

Where three roads meet & waters glide. A quiet crossing plain and true. Pause where streams and pathways guide. Your next bunny waits for you.
and another cardboard white bunny.
The bunny by the church.

Now down the old church lane where the paths, road and streams all meet.

Where pencils write and pages turn. A place where curious minds all learn. Look around where voices cheer, Your final bunny is waiting here!
The bunny of church lane.

So down church lane to school lane and back to the start to find the last bunny and claim our prize.

Hippy Hop. Hooray for you! You've solved the puzzle, well done too. Every bunny you've found with care. Now there's a secret step to share. Unjumble the letters, make the right word. Then take your map, fold or furled. Pop in the box today. And a special Easter Prize could come your way. So off you go young bunny bright. Your clever brain is a shining light.
The final bunny, outside the school fence.

And so the end of the trail.

If you noticed each bunny had a letter:

R, C, T, A, E, O, L, I, E, N, B

So now to work out the anagram. Can you get it?

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Whisky glasses

Advertising photo of a Glencairn whisky glass.

I love food, good beer, robust red wine and good whisky.

I currently have over forty bottles of whisky plus lots of tasting samples in small 50ml bottles. The majority is Scottish single malt, but some blends including a few independent blends of grain whisky, as well as some Irish, French and American Single Malt as well as some good old bourbon.

One thing that I do not think is given enough thought is about the glass you drink from. There is now scientific evidence too prove that glassware affects the taste experience.

In general I’ll use a Glencairn, but for some of my more expensive single malts I use a stemmed tasting glass to really appreciate the smell and flavour.

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Spring is finally here

A picture of a garden, white flowers in the foreground.

Spring is finally here in the Northern hemisphere. Lots of local events starting this weekend, so I’ll be grabbing the camera and seeing what I can find. At least one local village is having a spring fair so hopefully there will be something to photograph.

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Indulgent Sunday Mornings

Red haired Amber sat in kitchen looking camera left. She is sat has one hand to her face and the other holding the coffee cup. She has an open white blouse with her black bra showing.

This Sunday morning was a very indulgent one.

Saturday was spent working hard in the garden trimming trees and chopping wood.

So this Sunday morning we treated ourselves. After getting up and giving the chickens their food and fresh water, it was the normal Sunday morning long dog walk.

Once home we toasted some fresh bagels, added cream cheese and smoked salmon. Opened a bottle of fine riesling wine, light and not too alcoholic, and I brewed up a couple of large lattes.