Cee’s oddball photo challenge: week 20

Saw this and thought of you….r photo challenge Cee!

Went venturing out one day in the hope of finding vultures on the ground to photograph and had stopped in area where we had spotted them on passing. Unfortunately just as we stopped to turn the car around a motorbike revved passed and they all took to the air thus my opportunity had passed. Nevertheless we got out of the car and had a wee walk around hoping they might reappear. They did not. However, I did find this loo perched neatly under a bush, completely undisturbed by the motorbike and passing photographers (me). My husband never understood why I photographed this but for some reason I did, and now I know why… it has it’s place in Cee’s oddball photo challenge

And whilst on the subject of facilities in odd places… I photographed this bathroom sink in the narrow streets of Castellar de la Frontera, Andalusia Spain

My Dog Blog: an introduction

I always intended that my experiences with shelter dogs, especially in Spain, will appear often in story form on my blog. Particularly when I spend time in Spain, I tend to be at the shelter every morning and later in the day I would post on Facebook what has touched me that day, along with some photos. These stories I would like now to collect in a more accessible place, hence they will become part of my blog. Occasionally my updates are sad, sometimes uplifting and some just funny experiences but whichever they are my wish is to raise awareness of animal welfare issues, especially in Spain (which for the record has the worst record of all European Countries for number of stray pets – official figures in the region of 8/900,000 abandoned every year – and this is likely to be an underestimate).

To find out how I, who until about 12 years ago was repelled by the concept of having a dog in the house, who never understood anyone giving to animal charities when there are so many people charities in need and who simply regarded dogs as ‘dirty nuisances’ have transformed into someone who now helps out in a Spanish dog shelter, can hardly pass a dog in the street without reaching out for a greeting, delights in being surrounded by dogs and is never more angry and upset when I see first hand the consequences of animal cruelty and neglect – then a couple of my previous blogs will go some way to explaining. Put simply, life changes that I had never envisaged and were never part of any plan for my own life happened and the person I am now and the things I like to do are the consequences of those changes. ( window and family are two earlier blogs which put some of changes into context )

 

My own two dogs Pepper and Polo – the source of much of my learning and my inspiration

Big Boots, Little Feet and something in-between

Part of Cee’s B&W photo challenge: Shoes or Feet (human or animals)

‘Big Boots’ – I was just about to return to the car after walking the dogs along the tow path of the River Lagan, Belfast when something caught my eye which didn’t quite make sense. Compelled to check it out, this is what I saw – it was so unexpected that it took me a moment to catch on that they of course were not floating as the appeared to be but were sitting on a jetty at the rivers edge and the water had lapped up around them.What made it so cool was that the water was completely still providing almost perfect reflection, that is until the kayaker who had left them there returned – only at that point did the whole scene make sense for me. Thankfully I had my camera with me and managed to snap a few.

‘Something in between’ – A quick foot inspection whilst the baby sleeps in her arms, love this picture.

‘Little Feet’ – these are the feet of baby Tequila, one of the day old pups we rescued with their mum from the roadside in Spain. The hand is that of the very caring vet giving her the once over and treating them for fleas. This was a fantastic, emotional, stressful and rewarding event in which to be involved. The five pups and their mum were given the best of care and I’m delighted to say that each of them has the most wonderful home in the UK. A huge team pulled together to ensure their safety and care but to be part of the rescue, care and homing of this family from start to finish is something of which I’m very proud.

A photo the like of which I have many. These feet are those of a larger puppy and represent many hundreds who have passed through the wonderful dog shelter where I help in Spain. These are the lucky ones…

Discovering a Bearded Iris!

part of  Cee’s flower of the day: Bearded Iris

I don’t have many flowering plants in my garden at home, but I do in Spain. So today, quite by chance, I came across a bearded iris photo from Spain AND what I HOPE is also a bearded iris growing wild. I’m hoping that Cee will be able to confirm whether it is or isn’t 😉

I’m pretty sure this is a bearded iris (not very good with plants and fauna) taken in the lovely Spanish sunlight

This I saw growing on the steep banks down to the Rhonda Valley, Malaga Province, Spain. Is it a wild bearded iris?Cee’s flower of the day