challenges

Six word Saturday

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One hundred Six word Saturday posts!

Shall we celebrate with cake?

Shall we celebrate with cake?

I first joined this challenge on 7th January, 2012.  I had only been blogging for a couple of months and didn’t really have a clue what I was doing.  I simply knew that I wanted to write about travel, and that I needed to extend my readership.  I loved playing with words, too, and the challenge gave me that opportunity.

Two years later, and where am I?  Well, I’ve travelled all right.  Remember Barcelona, or even Porto?

Was there ever a stranger landscape?

Was there ever a stranger landscape? I loved Gaudi’s Barcelona

A very special city for me, Porto

A very special city for me, Porto

I’ve taken you with me many times to my lovely Tavira, and to Poland to meet the family.  We’ve wandered around the streets, stately homes and cliff tops of England (and over the border to Edinburgh, too)  We’ve made some strange discoveries together.  Remember Saltburn-by-the-Sea?

Knitted mermaid on the pier at Saltburn-by-the-Sea

Knitted mermaid on the pier at Saltburn-by-the-Sea

And, of course, you’ve met my lovely daughter and been introduced to the concept of Steampunk. Those cakes in the header were consumed in her presence (no, not ALL of them!)

Lisa in the teacup fascinator she made.

Lisa in the teacup fascinator she made.

In the course of my journey I’ve met some wonderful people.  I’ve learned a little about all kinds of subjects.  So many of you are good at crafts!  My lovely friend Viv has taught me to appreciate poetry, and provided me with cheerful company at Northumberlandia on a bitterly cold day.  And along the way I seem to have picked up an obsession with photography.

A Monkey Puzzle tree in close-up

A Monkey Puzzle tree in close-up, from my “Green” series

I must have done a few things right because this morning my number of “followers” topped 2000!  What can I say except thank you very much to each and every one of you who has liked or commented on one of my posts.

Since joining Six word Saturday I have contributed every week, unless I have been abroad.  I’m well aware that my direction has changed since the beginning, and that 6WS may not be the best vehicle for what I like to do.  I have to thank Cate at Show My Face for her tolerance in allowing me to push the boundaries of six words.  You could say “gentle manipulation”?  I hope you’ve all enjoyed my company as much as I’ve enjoyed yours.  If you’d like to see where two years has taken me, click on my Six word Saturday page.

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Six word Saturday

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Challenges and Awards- part of blogging?

When you started blogging, did you have any idea what you were getting into?  I know I didn’t.  I simply wanted a vehicle to communicate my delight in the world, and if I’m honest, an audience.  I hadn’t at all realised that there were hoops to jump through, or how addictive these would be.

But it wasn’t too long before I happened upon my first challenge- Six word Saturday.  Though I have soundly abused it, I liked the notion, and when I started out, I really intended exactly that- just six words, with a few photographs, so you wouldn’t get bored.  Since then we’ve wandered the globe together, and taken a lot of words with us.

Remember the fountains in the Rynek in Wroclaw?

Remember the fountains in Wroclaw’s Rynek?  Click on the photo to see the post

Six word Saturday brought me a lot of new friends, and introduced me to a fascinating world beyond that of my travel addiction.  Writers, poets, photographers, cooks, craftmakers of kinds I didn’t even know existed- they’re all out there.  I discovered any number of A-Z Challenges, and used one of them to pin both my Portuguese and Polish sagas to.

When I found Jakesprinter’s Sunday Post, I was astounded at what he could do with graphics.  More than that, Jake gave me a peg to hang my photos and stories on.   And my addiction to photography and challenges began.

A Turkish gulet gliding across the bay

A Turkish gulet at sunset- again, the photo will take you to the post

I became aware of more and more Challenges out there, many of them photographic, and the quality of some of the photographs is staggering.  Off I went in hot pursuit, until my week was overflowing. Here are just a few I’ve taken part in.  Click on the photo to see the post.

Porta da Vila, Obidos

Porta da Vila, Obidos- from Thursday: Lingering look at windows

The boardwalk in Cabanas- from CBBH Photo Challenge

The boardwalk in Cabanas- from CBBH Photo Challenge

Flowerhead in the rain

Flowerhead in the rain- from Sonel’s Black and White photo challenge : Abstract

I've rarely seen a more extravagant door knocker

A door knocker in Silves- from Cee’s Fun Foto challenge

Old gold plays on Medieval architecture

Medieval architecture in Wroclaw- Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge : Colours

I have loved every second of compiling my posts, but occasionally I tire of being led around by the nose.  Rebellion strikes and I think “no, I don’t want to write about ‘rhubarb’ this week”.  I want to follow my own muse. (if you can call the unlucky lady that)  And so I do.

But I owe a debt of gratitude to the people who launch and host these challenges.  They provide huge inspiration as well as introductions to other blogs, and require a major commitment of time and effort.  So a big thank you to all those whose challenges I have participated in.

You’re wondering where Awards come into this, aren’t you?  Many times I have used Six word Saturday to introduce and appreciate new awards, and this week is no exception.  I have an Awards page and kind people out there keep bestowing them, but it just isn’t possible to keep up and still do all the things you want to do.  So I’ll simply say many thanks to Opalla for giving me Inner Peace, and to Colline, for a Super Sweet Blogger Award.  There’s a link to each of their great blogs in the logos below.

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I guess I’ve exhausted my six words for this week, don’t you think?  You’d better follow the link to Cate at Show My Face to see exactly how the game should be played.  Many thanks for your patience.  Feel free to tell me about your favourite challenges and awards.

Weekly photo challenge : the world through your eyes

IMG_6866You’ll be getting entirely the wrong impression of me.  Or maybe not!

When I walked into the conservatory last night the sun was glinting off the wine bottles and making pleasing patterns on the wall.  I reached for a glass, and looking around had that “all’s right with the world” moment.  Plenty of time for a sip, but first, the camera…

It’s not the best shot I ever took, but I love the warmth of the sun bouncing off the walls.  It’s in short supply some days.  Inadvertently I’m reflected in the glass.  This really is “the world through my eyes”, at least on a Saturday night.  Follow the link to check out the other entries.

Benches
Boring here without the backgammon!

Anybody seen the backgammon set?

You might have noticed I’ve got my “Greek head” on at the minute.  Something to do with sunshine, or lack of.  The above photo is one that was destined for my post A tale or two : Rhodes, but it escaped.  I rather think it must have been holding back for Ailsa’s challenge this week.

A goodly knight sits on a bench in Constancia, Portugal
Bench with a view
Not so much a bench- more a chaise longue.
A silly bench livens up a wintry park
A bench facing “that” bridge, in Tavira
Almost missed this bench!
The riverside gardens in Tavira are full of shady benches

The challenges can be a lot of fun, can’t they?  With Ailsa’s permission I’m going to use this post to ask whether anyone has heard anything of Jake of Jakesprinter’s Sunday Post lately?  We all pass each other by and dash to the next challenge, but Jake has been strangely absent since his Entrance post.  He has left no hint on there of his whereabouts, and hasn’t been commenting on posts as he normally would.  Maybe he’s just busy, but I would like to be reassured if any of you know anything more?

Sorry, Ailsa, to use your post like this, but it’s been “nibbling” at me all week.  Hope you don’t mind?  There are some great bench shots over there so don’t forget to check them out.  Thanks everybody.