Wednesday 27 July 2011
Monday 25 July 2011
Who needs Glastonbury? (....me!)
Posted by Jude
With summer festival season upon us, Brian and I decided last minute to go to the final day of 'Oxegen 2011' in Punchestown. With Brian thinking back to our 2003 foray into festival camping at the pre Oxegen event 'Witness' he was championing the 1 day idea as a much more civilised way to 'do' a music festival. So we headed off to the venue Park and ride on Sunday 10th July.
With a line up promising a bit of cheesy pop (The Saturdays, Kesha), our old university favourites (Ocean Colour Scene, Manic Street Preachers) big headliners (Beyonce & Coldplay) and managing to meet up with our friends Annie and Gavin we were set to have a great day. Numbers apparently were down this year, but that only added to the relaxed atmosphere whereby it was easy just to sit on the grass in the sunshine and watch the big screens from afar. Having said that - I did make a beeline to the front of the crowd for Beyonce's set. The girl can sing, the girl can dance and she sure knows how to work the crowd. I did what I could with the photos. Cameras with detachable lens were not allowed into the venue so I didn't have a lot to work with, and I was holding the camera above my head for most of the stage shots with no clue what I was focusing on!
All in all it was a fantastic day that we would definitely do again. I may not be able to convince Brian that a Glastonbury 2013 ticket is for him, but maybe I'll get there myself one day (Dougie has just bought a Motor home....mmmm...).
Posted & Photographed by Jude
With summer festival season upon us, Brian and I decided last minute to go to the final day of 'Oxegen 2011' in Punchestown. With Brian thinking back to our 2003 foray into festival camping at the pre Oxegen event 'Witness' he was championing the 1 day idea as a much more civilised way to 'do' a music festival. So we headed off to the venue Park and ride on Sunday 10th July.
With a line up promising a bit of cheesy pop (The Saturdays, Kesha), our old university favourites (Ocean Colour Scene, Manic Street Preachers) big headliners (Beyonce & Coldplay) and managing to meet up with our friends Annie and Gavin we were set to have a great day. Numbers apparently were down this year, but that only added to the relaxed atmosphere whereby it was easy just to sit on the grass in the sunshine and watch the big screens from afar. Having said that - I did make a beeline to the front of the crowd for Beyonce's set. The girl can sing, the girl can dance and she sure knows how to work the crowd. I did what I could with the photos. Cameras with detachable lens were not allowed into the venue so I didn't have a lot to work with, and I was holding the camera above my head for most of the stage shots with no clue what I was focusing on!
All in all it was a fantastic day that we would definitely do again. I may not be able to convince Brian that a Glastonbury 2013 ticket is for him, but maybe I'll get there myself one day (Dougie has just bought a Motor home....mmmm...).
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Mowing and Milking
Posted by Jude
I took these pictures on my Uncle's farm near Katesbridge (or 'down home') a little while ago on a lovely sunny evening at milking time. At that time he was keeping some sheep in the farmhouse garden. Well, never mind those lawn specialist guys whose vans you see about Belfast, I'm getting myself a sheep for my sorry patch of grass! On my last visit, his lawn was lusher and greener than any I have ever seen. "That's down to the sheep Judy" he said. A constant cycle of slowly mowing the lawn by eating it, coupled with their natural fertilizer is just the trick then.
The farm and the animals looked particularly beautiful that evening. Even the sun streaming into the milking parlour and my camera shy younger brother made for a nice photo.
It's only now I'm older that I can really appreciate the stunning countryside where I grew up and rode my bicycle around freely. Driving over the Kilkinamurry hills, when the Mourne Mountains come into view is a priceless view that I all too often overlooked when walking the mile or so home from the school bus!
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