Vesna Armstrong Photography

Tong Valley is a beautiful West Yorkshire rural countryside on the border of two cities, Leeds and Bradford, only about twenty minute drive from my home. I'm so excited at the prospect of exploring it and getting to know it better as it is a perfect place to take my little pooch for a marvellous walk as well as simply enjoy the beauty of nature. That evening, on our usual quick bedtime outing, the sky was stunning the sun having set just minutes before.......

Late afternoon reflections on Leeds-Liverpool canal from the Gotts Park perimeter path

"The world's favorite season is the spring. All things seem possible in May." ~ Edwin Way Teale ~ Horse chestnut in bloom   Gotts Park Mansion framed by blossoming hawthorn 

"The year's at the spring, The day's at the morn; The morning's at seven; The hillsides' dew-pearled; The lark's on the wing; The snails' on the thorn, Gods' in his heaven; Alls' right with the world." ~ Robert Browning ~

It was a day of springtime showers that were more like persistent rain. All through the afternoon I gazed out of the windows watching the rain and hoping it would relent for just a bit, so Midge and I could have not too wet a walk. It wasn't to be, but on the second walk, in the evening, it did brighten up, and as we were returning home the sun was out and setting, casting a glorious light around us.

Time for a seasonal still life. I cannot let any season pass without creating an image through which I express how I feel about the season and how I generally feel at the time of making the image. This is why still life work is very important to me, and why I continue pursuing it; no other genre of photography gives me quite the same amount of freedom of expression. Classic still life image is what I usually go for, and this time there is no exception. However, there is something essentially new in my new creation: for a first time I have used only plants and flowers that I have picked myself. Since I started walking with my new puppy I have enjoyed foraging and bringing nature into my home. I decided to get rid of any artificial flowers and decorations and only use real ones. I also intend to learn how to preserve flowers etc for home decor as part of a new hobby. For the image below I used bluebells picked in the local park, fallen pink rhododendron flowers from my front garden and...

A rather atmospheric, misty and fresh morning; kept my eyes peeled for colourful spring growths and blossoms; enjoyed myself using a newly installed plant identifying app on my iPhone - PlantSnap...  Douglas Maple  Gotts Park Mansion, built by Benjamin Gott, one of the UK greatest 19th century industrialists. He filled the house with paintings, statues and books. I am still to find out about the interior of the house at present times. Rapeseed  Blueblossom peeking through a fence. Azalea shrub with horse chestnut blossom in front 

It was a fresh, rather chilly early morning, but standing under the white blossom tree watching the beautiful light and pastel sunrise colours in the sky warmed my heart and put a smile on my face. It was a good start to the day! 

It was a special day for all of us; it is hard to say who enjoyed themselves more - the pooch himself or G and I watching our little baby exploring what is going to be his new home territory soon. Midge in Brontë Chair with Brontë Bridge in the background :-D I posted landscape photos and videos of the day here .

Last Thursday I was back in my beloved Haworth after more than two months of absence! What a joy it was! G and Midge, the puppy, were with me too, and it was a special day for Midge with it being for him the very first time in Haworth and on the moors. Little did he know this is going to be the ground he'll be walking every day soon, when we move here from Leeds. We walked from Cemetery road to Brontë Falls, and was more than enough for an 18 week old puppy; here I parted with the two of them; G and Midge walked back to the car park, and I carried on to Top Withens, the ruined farmstead the location of which is thought to be chosen by Emily Brontë for the location of the Earnshaw house in her "Wuthering Heights" novel. I shall post photos of Midge's first day in the Brontë Country in my next post , and in this one I am sharing some of the scenery images and videos I took on the day. It was mainly a dry day with some light rain showers, but also plenty of sunny spells...