Farm day out

My sister organised a day out for us all this weekend to a farm local to her, to coincide with her daughter’s birthday. This farm was quite big and had all the typical farm animals you would expect but also had several unusual ones too.

It was great to get up close to some of these animals; the sheep, goats and llamas were lively and eager for attention and the animal feed they could see in our hands. I’ve never seen a turkey before and I found the amazing plumage fascinating.

We were able to pet some of the more interesting animals in the farm, namely a snake, which was soft and warm, a Bearded Dragon which was spiky and my favourite, a Chinchilla, known as one of the softest animals in the world and I can see why with fur that’s as soft as a cloud.

The other animals I was excited to see were the flamingos, ones that were on my bucket list. As the day warmed up they cooled off in the pond becoming more active. The enclosure they were in also had other birds such as peacocks and Scarlett Ibises, which I thought was an interesting mix as they would normally never meet in the wild.

As well as animals to see there were play areas for the kids to enjoy, including a ball pit and mini golf. We also enjoyed a tractor ride around the farm and ice cream in the sun.The farm really reminded me of my visits to Pakistan as a child and playing with the animals my grandfather kept. It was a really fun day out that everyone enjoyed, and we left exhausted but happy.

Red robin

Robin

During my trip to Kew a few years ago I was lucky enough to capture what I thought was a nice photo of a robin. On my trip back a couple of weeks ago I was really happy at managing to capture this image of the bird. I love seeing robins with their red breasts and it always makes my day when I spot one.

Autumn has arrived

Summer has come to an end and Autumn has now arrived, here in England. Autumn is probably my favourite time of year, as the days are cool but still bright and there are less bugs around too which in my opinion is always good! The other things I love about Autumn are the beautiful displays of newly changed leaves, from luscious greens to fiery reds, yellows and oranges.

On one such bright a day, I decided to take a walk in one of the several parks near where I live. This particular park is lovely; it has a nice lake, a grand looking mansion with a pretty flower garden, and a boating and play area. Armed with my camera, I kept my eyes open for any new autumnal displays, and it wasn’t long before I came across lots.

The highlight of my walk was coming across some cute, late summer ducklings (I didn’t get too close in case their protective mother came after me) and several curious, cheeky squirrels who were very interested in my camera. I also loved seeing freshly fallen conkers reminding me of childhood fun-filled contests.

I really enjoyed my walk and as we go deeper into the season I’ll keep my eyes peeled for more interesting developments.

Visit to the local park

We’ve had some warmer weather recently so I decided to go to one of the local parks for a walk and see if nature is showing any sign of waking up. There were some signs and as well as managing to take some good photographs I got some much welcomed fresh air too.

My favourite picture of the day is this one

Duck

I love how the water of the lake reflecting overhanging branches and the bright blue sky seems to appear like a waterpainting with soft brushstrokes. The mandrake in comparison is in sharpe focus, creating an almost surreal image.

I plan to come back soon and capture more of changing nature as the days get longer, brighter and warmer.

Goodbye 2014, Hello 2015

Well, we’ve reached the end of 2014, and it’s been an interesting one for me, in terms of family related events and photo opportunities, both of which I hope have allowed me to grow in my skills and as a person. I would like to share below my favourite photos from this year, and to also wish you all a happy New Year wherever you are and whatever you decide to do to welcome in 2015. I hope its a happy, healthy adventurous 2015 for all of us

Eid-ul-Adha 2014/1435: Eid Mubarak

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Eid Mubarak to Muslims around the world who are celebrating Eid-al-Adha which coincides with the pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia and honours Abraham’s promise to God. In these blessed days may all pilgrims’ prayers and ours be accepted

Oysters

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I recently came across this big pile of oyster shells that had been caught/fished in the south east of England. I’ve never tried or seen oysters before and I was surprised to find that they could be found in local English waters, and in abundance.

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I like how the shells on the outside look rough and dirty and to the untrained eye could look like rocks (or maybe just to me then). But the insides look all smooth, shiny with a pearly tint to them, which makes me think of treasures being hidden within that have to be pried out

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These ones that look even rockier are ones that were being sold to customers alongside the harbours. They have been freshly caught and were being opened to serve to customers alongside other seafoods. I tried to take a picture of an oyster with the edible flesh still inside, but wasn’t quick enough. I was pleased to see them and it was definitely a highlight to the day