Saturday 23 April 2011

That was a Busy Early April

This month has been crazily busy, it's odd but it seems to be a clockwork annual occurrence; during winter it seems we've time to burn and then as soon as spring comes around, everything happens all at once. *shakes fist towards the sun* With the turn in the weather came a pretty array of Daffodils that gave a welcome dusting of colour to the urban sprawl of Belfast. Though I hadn't chosen or bought my new camera at this point back on the 3rd April, I got busy taking pictures with my old camera anyway as I couldn't bare to miss some of these sights. That spring sun really gives a nice mix of sunlight and shadow to make for some nicely contrasting images + it turned out to be something to do whilst waiting an age for the next bus home after a trip to the gym.

Spring in Belfast

And here are all their flowery friends.

Belfast Daffodils

Nearby, a feathery new trinity was forming on top of St Anne's Cathedral... I knew those seagulls were up to something! 

The Holy Trinity

On Saturday the 9th I headed down to Lurgan to watch the Crues beat Portadown in the Irish Cup Semi Final, the win taking us to this years final and what we hope might be a repeat of the events of 2 years ago when the Crues lifted the trophy at Windsor and sent us delirious. This years final will be on the 7th May at Windsor again... this time though the odds will be smaller on us winning it. We have to play Linfield and for them it will be a home game final, never the less, we've beaten them on their own turf before and it should be a great game - I can't wait!

Crusaders celebrate reaching the 2011 Irish Cup Final

Back in Belfast, bright white clouds were gathering in lovely blue skies:

Clouds and trees by the Belfast Waterfront Hall

I'm not the only one who gets excited by some cool clouds in a blue sky. The Belfast Squiggle was even turned on by this.

Alien lamp aka the Belfast Squiggle

Down at floor level, next to the squiggle, the low evening sun was making anything and everything come to life - even the textures of the law courts' landscaped paving.

Textures on the street

Spring was certainly getting into full flow. The cherry blossom's around town were sending petals raining down on the wind and other tree's were just starting to open their buds, such as this one being guarded by a curious magpie.

Magpie in a budding tree

On the same day, further down the street, the clouds began to gather casting Chichester Street into it's shadow only to be plunged into sunlight again soon after.

Sudden Cloud on Chichester Street

The day after on the 12th April after work the clouds had massed into a big hazy layer but the Albert Clock was still leaning over to catch it's face reflected in the mirror of a nearby building's windows.

Albert Clock Reflection

On the 13th we were headed out for a meal at Muriels before going to the last of the Belfast Film Festival events we had booked for this year. Do click here to have a read of Norngirls post about Muriels and the movie on the boat on the Lagan. As Norngirl summed it up so well and I totally had the same opinion, there isn't much point me repeating it but here are a couple of photos, one of Norngirls desert at Muriels and the other of the reflection of the movie in the window of the boat.

Cupcake and Coffee


Meanwhile, whilst we were out and about most of this month. Back at home on the kitchen windowsill, a strange thing happened... a supermarket basil plant decided it liked the conditions so much that it started to flower. I can't say I've ever seen a flowering basil plant before so it was a very pleasant surprise.

Flowering Basil Plant

Hopefully the rest of the month will equally bring as many nice surprises.

5 comments:

  1. Nice photos. Proves that the most important part of a camera isn't the lens or the sensor - it's the person behind it.

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  2. The Botanical Gardens in spring/summer is probably my single favourite part, and my best memories of Belfast. I miss them terribly here in a city with no nature within walking distance (aside from a football pitch or two). Thanks for some flowers!

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  3. These are beautiful photos! So sunny and pretty :) If only it were as warm as it's been sunny!

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  4. Lots of gorgeous photos! I wish it were spring here in NZ!

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  5. Thanks Brian though I have to admit though that the equipment helps a lot if the shot turns out ok. Having played with my new camera a wee bit now, I don't know how I managed without a wide angled lens before... though I do appreciate having one all the more now for not having it from the get go.

    @Areil, thanks though sorry to hear that, sounds like a real shame that there isn't anything really close. Still, like with the basil on our windowsill, maybe you could start a wee window box or something? A few summer flowering bulbs would be great to put in at this time of year :)

    Thanks Katie, lol yeah, it wasn't exactly warm, especially when the sun went behind a cloud. The temperature seems to be rising well enough now though - you know it's getting warm when people on the street start to have smiles on their faces.

    Cheers bettyl, sure time flys around so fast you'll be through the seasons and back to it before long :)

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