RAMSEY HARBOUR

RAMSEY HARBOUR - WORKING BOATS AT REST

BY BABOOSHKA

So can you see the longtail? Think it might help to enlarge the image? Afraid not! Why is that then Babooshka? It's because there are no longtails in the image. They are probably scurrying under foot and over the bridge, following the Pied Piper! You think Babooshka has her fairy tales mixed up don't you? Well not if you live on the Isle of Man!

Longtails are better known as Rats. One of the first things you learn when you move here is do not say the word Rat or Rats out loud. There are other words, but this is today's mad one.

Straight from Wiki. Read on.

On the Isle of Man, longtail is a euphemism to describe a rat, as a relatively modern superstition has arisen that it is considered bad luck to mention this word. The origins of this superstition date to sea-taboos, where certain words and practices were not allowed to be mentioned aboard ship, for fear of attracting bad luck (or worse, bad weather).

Although this particular sea-taboo was one amongst many and didn't apply on land, it has become a popular modern myth that the word is somehow "unlucky" and has been adopted by some as a typical Manx practice, despite the fact that the old Manx had no qualms in using the word, or its Manx gaelic version "roddan". In modern times, even non-local and non-superstitious people will refrain from using the "r" word in an effort to fit in with those who take it seriously, or may adopt the superstition in an attempt to become more "folksy".

Local, and socially acceptable alternatives for the superstitious also include joey, ringie, queerfella, iron fella and roddan (a Manx word).

Until I moved to the island I used to say the R. word. Not anymore. I have seen 3 since I moved here( which I have called all Basil!) but none when I lived on mainland Great Britain. Newcomers to the island can often be found laughing at the cheeky squirrel they nickname stumpy as they think it's lost it's tail. Not so. We have no squirrels on the island, just cheeky longtails.

Is there anything in your town that you can't say due to superstition?

UNDERNEATH THE RAMSEY ARCHES

This little archway is situated on the stretch of beach between the towns of Ramsey and Maughold. If you continue the walk towards the right side of the image, tide out you can walk round the sweeping bay, over rock pools to Maughold Beach.

It can only be accessed when the tide is out, so visitors to the town could miss this, a lot of locals do, but it's worth the short walk out. If you follow the stream inland it leads back to the main road leading down into Ramsey Town Centre. No groovy signs to point the way here though like yesterdays post! Along the way you'll pass an array of wild birds, frogs, toads and if you're lucky the odd rabbit. So far I have not been lucky enough to snap a rabbit, well not here anyway. It's perfect for photographers, just wait a while and wildlife will come to you and hang around long enough for you to start snapping.

Just after I shot this image the tide ebbed it's way in and I had to walk briskly to get to Ramsey Pier. I think it was worth crossing the stream and getting wet boots to shoot though. Speaking of my funky blue suede walking boots they are poorly and need of repair. They are my old faithfuls, really funky and with my skinny black jeans and do make me look like a fly stuck in ointment. Yeah, but I can walk through anything in them. Even the ensuing tide.

By the way I would like to say how clever I was to snap the dog owner in one arch and the dog in another but not so. Serendipity again, they just happened by that way as I snapped. No on second thoughts, I am such a photographic genius I spotted them and composed the juxtaposed dog and walker in each dividing frame. Honest!

DEAD OR ALIVE WITH COLOUR?

Well I don't know about anyone else but the weather here has been nothing like summer. The camera hasn't seen much action this week, apart from the shots I need to take. Take yesterday. I went out loaded with 3 lenses, started upon my usual path through the nature reserve and the heavens opened. What to do? To far in to go home, not far enough to seek the shelter of one of the numerous cafes in town. Nothing for it but to try and shelter under the trees.

I never, ever let any water near the camera. They are completely allergic to rain so no, this photo wasn't yesterday, but it was the spot I was sheltering. I saw this image I had taken earlier in the week and remembered why I'd taken it. How many of us have library photos that were a good idea at the time, but can't recall what that was?

For tones and colours of the great outdoors, autumn(fall) is my favourite season. These withered dying leaves were autumn in hue so it was the obvious shot. That's when it struck me that the leaves that were dying were actually the most alive and vibrant in colour of all the living plants and foliage surrounding me. Now, is this slightly mad, have I got cabin fever living on a small island or does anyone else agree with me.?

What then is your favourite season to photograph, not necessarily your favourite season, but the one that your camera loves?

ODD SHOTS MONDAY- SISKIN

Back to the birds! Same as my first Odd Shots a few weeks back(the chaffinch on my hand) this little siskin flew into the window. I again sat with him for about 2 hours until he started to come round. For some reason they always seem to hop onto my hand. Maybe it's to escape the cats or warmth, but they all seem to do this when injured, but rousing.

This time I didn't have the tripod. Instead I tried my new macro, that I've been dying to use. So this is a one handed macro shot. Not the ideal way to get a bird image, but it seem to have worked out ok. I seem to have a charmed life when it comes to photographing birds. Had no idea what odd shot to do this week, when this little fellow appeared last friday. Unlike the locals the birds seem to adore being part of ramsey daily photo.

Want to join Odd Shots Monday?

Then see KATNEY

Katney's Kaboodle is the place to join Odd Shots Monday and see other wierd and wonderful shots from fellow bloggers

TULIP

I will not have a cable for my laptop until next weekend, so in the meantime all images this week will be from older stock. You may notice my real name appears on them as these are my copyrighted images from my sales site. I will answer emails and comments as and when I can. Basically when I can get access via the and only internet cafe or my partners laptop, when it's free, which isn't that often.

Hopefully the laptop situation will soon be sorted in the meantime it's given me the opportunity to peruse my old stock images and here's one I found, long forgotten about that was taken in my own home in Ramsey earlier this ths year.

Even I can name the flower here. Obviously it's a tulip, but a tulip with a twist a study in black and white. This is me playing around with composition, textures, light and monochrome using a macro lens. I nickname this my "Ikea" image. It's the kind of image multi chain stores charge a fortune for, even though they are mass produced, therefore paying for the name of the store rather than the photographer or an idividual image. I disagree with this philosophy. I sell this image en mass, therefore the price is reflected as such, and the image is priced as per my other images, a lot cheaper than Ikea and the like. If this photo were for a sole client, a unique piece of artwork, then the price would reflect that and obviously retail at a higher premium. Does anyone else agree with me on this, or am I a lone voice tilting at modern day corporate windmills?