As a Halloween ‘babe’ (I use the term retrospectively) one might expect a new broomstick for one’s birthday (and actually a good old fashioned witches’ besom would be quite useful) but this year I received a very smart leaf rake – pale ash handle topped by the most elegant splay of shiny stainless steel tines. In fact the new rake is so artily attractive, I was rather reluctant to take it up to the allotment.
But then yesterday, it being sunnily fine after recent gales and deluges, and with signs of copious leaf fall everywhere, the need to gather the makings for next year’s leaf mould overcame me. Armed with two big bags and rake I set off across the field, intent on making a start on clearing the lane beside the allotment where, the day before, I had swished through a sea of field maple leaves.
And then just as I was leaving the house I grabbed the camera too, switched it to monochrome mode. I remembered that Jude at Travel Words had set us a photo assignment to look for patterns in black and white. So here are the results of killing two birds with one stone. I also have two very full leaf ‘silos’ on my allotment plot.
2020 Photo Challenge #44 Jude gives us lots of pointers and some striking examples of black and white composition.
Tish Farrell 
Happy birthday and love your pics
Thank you, Beth 🙂
Happy birthday! I’m so with you in the importance at a good rake! Beautiful pictures, making the most of nature, as always. 🙂
Thank you, Emma. And you’re right – you can’t beat a good rake.
I do like monochrome. A new rake is a good gift and certainly a helpful one. Here the yard is full but with the trees still full I’m on wait to do the raking. Although…I read the other day that it is better to blow them than to rake. It’s just more noise and I do like quite work.
It’s pretty hard work raking leaves, but worth it for the compost they make.
Happy belated birthday! And yay to black and white leaves! They look amazing with the colour removed. You know I never think to turn my camera onto the mono settings. Actually over the next few months I will experiment with the various scenes on my camera and see what happens. I hope you had a great birthday, at least you got it in before the lockdown. Stay safe in Shropshire 😊
Thank you so much for the birthday greetings, Jude. I did have a good one – with a luxury chef take-away supper at my sister’s. She did the final prepping to a 3 course middle eastern meal. Delish.
I’m very fond of my mono camera setting. I use it a lot.
Sounds wonderful! I’m rather fond of middle eastern flavours.
Happy birthday Tish. Your b&w images are lovely; I think in colour shots we ooh and ah so much over autumns splendid colours that we ignore leaf textures and patterns.
Thank you, Su for the b’day greetings. I’m a bit hooked on b&w vegetation altogether. It takes on some surprising ‘looks’.
How can I have ‘known’ you all this time and not been aware of your Halloween birthday? Not much between the ears these days, but I do so enjoy visiting your home space. Happy leaf mould making, lovely lady 🙂 🙂
Dear Jo, no need for apols. As time goes on I’m becoming increasingly detached from remembering the event myself.
🤣🤣💕
I didn’t see the birds you killed, but you did a great job with the leaves and trees. 🙂
janet
Ha! Do you think I should add a disclaimer – no avian life actually harmed in this pursuit 🙂 🙂
Happy Birthday, Tish! I love these leaf images, they are like beautiful paintings.
Many thanks, Amy. Japanese prints were in my mind when I was posting these photo. I was lucky to catch the sun shining through the leaves in the header shot.
What nice photos. Some babes have a good eye! As for rakes, my raking experiences have improved dramatically ever since I went an extra two dollars for a “commercial quality” rake at Home Depot.
A good rake makes all the difference, Stephen. Could also be a motto for our times (one way or another) 🙂
A new broom sweeps clean. And a new rake takes the cake.
It does too!
And thank you for that very charming comment – some babes have a good eye! You’ve made my day.
Beautiful shots, particularly the top one.
Thank you, Sarah. That top one makes me think of silk screen prints.
Yes!
Happy belated birthday greetings. 🥂🍰🌺 the leaves make excellent subjects for monochrome, and also make great compost. That rake could almost be hung on the wall as an installation art piece
Thank you for your lovely greetings, Pauline. And that’s an excellent thought about the rake – once it’s done its autumn work it can come home to be admired 🙂
Beautiful work.
Thank you, Sherry.
A belated Happy Birthday, Tish! Pleased you are making good use of a rake, rather than those abominable leaf blowers…..
Thank you, Sue. Greetings much appreciated. And yes – nasty blowers. I can’t stand tools that make a row.
Or tools that aren’t environmentally friendly….
Happy Birthday Tish !! Raking leaves is a great work out…LOL
Hello Anita. Thank you for those kind greetings. And yes raking-workouts – more needed after all the chocolate I’ve been eating.
LOL!
A very belated but also a very very Happy Birthday to you – what fun you have with the rake and camera xx
Thank you so much for b’day greetings, Becky. Rake and camera combo admittedly not the handiest, but sometimes there ARE moments!
rakes, no matter how splendid, somehow don’t like us to use anything else do they!
Well written loved it , belated birthday wishes
Many thanks on both counts, Merin.
Wonderful textures in those pictures. I should do more black & white work. If my nation ever settles down and I can actually leave my house!
Thank you, Marilyn. This house arrest business has gone beyond all reason or justification. People are quite capable of making their own decisions on how to take care of themselves.