More Snow

Only one of these photos shows the north coast - well almost, as it's hidden by the mist.
First is Binevenagh, seen from the main Coleraine to Limavady road.


These are the Donegal hills on the Inishowen peninsula. Lough Foyle is hiding somewhere under the mist. Taken from the same road as before.


This is the old Coleraine to Limavady road, now known as the Windyhill Road. It was originally known as the Murderhole Road.


And this is a little further along the road from the previous photo.


We don't often get snow and when we do, it's usually gone within hours.
This snow came last Saturday night. the photos were taken to-day.

Happy Christmas everyone!!!!

Snow

This is Inishowen in Co Donegal seen from Downhill in Co Derry.

We've had the first snow of the winter over the last couple of days. Not much along the coast, but rather more as you go inland.

Fiery Sky

I've just realised that this blog began life over a year ago - 7th October 2008, to be precise.

Both its name and its purpose were different at the start, so it has evolved over the year. My original intention was to post a photo every day. And the photo had to be taken on the day.
I soon realised I had set myself an impossible task. I simply didn't have the time to get a decent photo every day.

Now the posting is irregular. The photos usually show the coast - so the one below just about qualifies for inclusion.
It was taken one evening a couple of weeks ago when I was on my way home from Limavady to Coleraine. I noticed the colour of the sunset in my rear-view mirror, so I stopped to get some photos.
Binevenagh mountain is to the right, with Lough Foyle in the middle distance and the Donegal hills beyond that.

Crossing the Bridge

The rope bridge is about 80 feet above the sea.
It is only around 60 feet long but, for some people, that short distance from the island to the mainland might as well be 1,000 miles. These unfortunates have to be rescued by boat.

The bridge is a much more robust structure to-day than it was thirty years ago when I first ventured across.
It now belongs to the National Trust and is heavily promoted as a tourist attraction. Around 250,000 people visit each year between the beginning of March and the end of October. The bridge structure is taken down in the wintertime.

I haven't been across for some years because the Trust now charge an admission fee to all visitors to their properties. This charge is very necessary to help with the cost of essential maintenance.
All the same, I think there should be a concessionary rate for local people who may want to visit on a regular basis rather than as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Rope Bridge

Carrick-a-Rede is famous because of the rope bridge which joins it to the mainland.

The original purpose of the bridge was to allow salmon fishermen to cross to the island during the spring and summer months. It is thought that a bridge has been in use for several hundred years.
The little house which can be seen on the island was used by the fishermen.

The bridge is now an important tourist attraction.

(Clicking on the photo will enlarge it, allowing you to see the bridge more clearly)

Carrick-a-Rede

Move the camera up a little bit from my previous photo and the tiny island of Carrick-a-Rede comes into view.

Cliff Edge - 2

The photo in my post 'Cliff Edge' was taken looking to the right - or East - of where I was standing.
This, taken from the same spot, is looking to the left - or West.

Rathlin - Again

Moving further to the left of the previous photo shows the western end of the island.

Many thousands of seabirds live on these cliffs.

Rathlin Island

Rathlin is an L-shaped island, about six miles long and roughly a mile wide.
This photo, taken a little to the left of the previous one, shows the area in the corner of the L where most of the population live.
Just under 100 people are permanent residents. This number is boosted in summer by birdwatchers who stay for a few days. There are also many day-trippers who come by ferry from Ballycastle.

I have to admit that I have never visited the island.
Always intend to, but never get around to it...

Scotland

Looking a little to the left of the previous photo, the southernmost tip of Rathlin Island is visible.
Rathlin is a few miles off the coast, north of Ballycastle.

In the distance - some 25 miles away - is the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland.

Cliff Edge

This is a view of the North Antrim coastline. Fair Head, in the background, is about seven miles away.
Ballycastle lies out of sight on the bay, just this side of Fair Head.

New Beginning

It's over three months since I've done anything with this blog.
Now it's time to start again.

The photo shows a section of Lough Foyle with Donegal in the background.

West Strand

Part of the West Strand at Portrush, with the harbour in the background.

Although yesterday was quite a pleasant day, this area wasn't busy.

We took Lucy on our usual Sunday walk - a tour of Portrush. She'll probably grow up hating the place!

Ramore Head

I think I've mentioned before that the original town of Portrush is built on a narrow peninsula.
Over the years the town has, of course, expanded with a series of housing developments.

The peninsula ends at Ramore Head which, in this photo, can be seen behind the harbour.

Portrush

The Portrush lifeboat can be seen behind the harbour wall.
My camera has a 10x zoom and, once again, this was taken at maximum zoom.

The larger buildings behind the harbour are blocks of flats. The one on the left is quite new, the others have been there for at least forty years.

Bird...

When I got up this morning, I saw this individual walking round the field behind my house.

The photo was taken through the kitchen window.

Winter...or Spring?

Both of these photos were taken to-day.
I was working in Portrush, where it was bitterly cold. But spring is here, because the daffodils are blooming.



The new camera is a Canon PowerShot SX110IS. The top photo was taken with the lens at maximum zoom.

Splash...

This wave is crashing onto the rocks near Portstewart. The sea was quite calm, yet the waves were surprisingly large.

I treated myself to a new camera last Saturday - an extravagance, a luxury, etc, etc.
I had been complaining about the limitations of my little Nikon...and my wife said I should upgrade. I was very easily persuaded!!
The photo was taken with the new Canon.

On Monday, my computer died.
A computer is essential for my business, so it had to be replaced.
Thank goodness for 'buy now, pay next year' - a year's interest-free credit was just what I needed.

So I've had an impulse buy and an essential purchase within a week. At a time when I'd sworn I wasn't going to spend any money.

Business

Part of the Start a Business programme (see earlier posts) is free design of a logo for your new business.
I took up the offer and have now got a logo, designed by a local printing company. And, of course, I've got my business cards and letterheads from him as well.
If the majority of people going through the SABp get printing done as well as logos designed, it's well worth his while making the 'free' offer!

A website is also included for less than £50 - well, £48.93 to be exact. It's supplied by a different company and the price includes purchase of the domain name. The website is pretty basic, but still a bargain.
I don't expect to get any business through the site, but having www.------.co.uk on your stationery gives you added credibility....

The photo? A small fishing boat rounding Ramore Head at Portrush.

Destiny?

My recent redundancy wasn't my first.

Many years ago I was assistant manager of the local branch of a national company, which also had branches in Ballymena and Derry. Where I worked was the smallest of the three and when the company decided on cutbacks, the smallest branch was the one to close.
All the office based staff were made redundant.
I was actually offered the job of manager in Derry, but decided against it because I had found another job.

I became a local agent with an insurance company. I had never had any interest in insurance and didn't ever imagine I would do this type of job.

I have worked in financial services since then...my destiny?

My recent redundancy could have been an opportunity for change. But, what to do in the current financial climate?

So the new business inevitably involves insurance.
People and businesses need insurance, even during a recession.

Snowfall

At last we have had some snow!
The rest of the country seems to have disappeared under a layer of the stuff but, until to-day, there were only a few light showers around here.
Not that there has been very much now either. My flowers aren't very big but they managed to rise above it.

Seems my visit to Aylesbury will happen to-morrow. Both Belfast and Luton airports are working normally and there aren't any problems on the roads either.
I'm delighted everything's OK, because it means to-morrow is the first day of my new business venture.
My redundancy situation ended with me being given four weeks notice - which finished on Friday. I suppose it could really be considered "garden leave", as I got paid, but didn't have to work.

Anyway, I'm now free to pursue other opportunities.

Start a Business

Back in December, after I knew I was going to be made redundant, I began thinking about being self-employed - starting a business.

Invest NI are keen to see new businesses start up. So they run the Start a Business programme. This is delivered, free of charge, by a network of enterprise agencies across Northern Ireland.

I approached my local agency - Causeway - and found that the next course started on 20th January.
The course runs over a four week period on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6.30 until 9.00 approximately.
Each module looks at a different aspect of starting a business and the whole thing comes together at the end, with the creation of a Business Plan for your individual circumstances.

Of course, I've got everything back to front. My business plan was drawn up in December.
I needed it then and couldn't wait to follow the proper sequence of events.

The programme is ideal for someone who knows what they would like to do, but isn't sure how to go about it.
In my case, I know exactly what I am going to do and how it will be done. But I still benefit - some modules being more relevant than others.

And there are the networking opportunities...

Chaos

It's amazing the chaos that ensues when some snow falls in either Britain or Ireland.
Airports closed, buses and trains not running, roads closed. Millions of people take a day off work.
The 24 hour news channels elevate the whole thing into a national disaster. If they are to be believed, some firms will go out of business as a result of a snowfall.
Recession certainly causes businesses to fail, but any business would have to be in a very precarious position if it is to be tipped over the edge by snow.


I'm glad it all happened this week, not next. On Monday 9th, I'm flying into Luton Airport - which was closed yesterday.

Memories

A few weeks ago I noticed a planning application in the local paper. Someone was applying to have this building, in Portrush, replaced with apartments.

I lived here a long time ago. As a student, I spent two years in the flat shown below. The living room was behind the two right hand windows, while the one on the left was for a bedroom. The kitchen, bathroom and another bedroom were at the back.



At that time the shop was Graham's Record Shop. I wasn't exactly passionate about Country and Western music when I came here. By the time I left, I absolutely hated it.
The Irish version of C&W was the only music played. And at maximum volume.

Changes

Anyone who has read this blog in the past will see that it has changed.
Apart from anything else, the name is different - I have learned that "A Photo a Day" isn't the truth.

I haven't posted since New Year's Day. I caught the flu and, to be honest, I couldn't be bothered posting.
Then I decided I wanted to make some changes. As I've said before, I started the blog with the intention of including a photo every day. I didn't have enough photographs - or enough time to take photos - for a daily post.
But I did continue to post regularily. And the blog became more personal. Not what was intended at all.

So, time for decisions, time for change.

I'm going to run two blogs. This will be the more personal one, which will sometimes include photos. The other will be a photo blog - not daily, but regular.

Of course, being me, I made a mess of how I set up the two blogs. All the posts which belong here, are there. I've got to transfer them using "export" and "import" - complicated or what?
The system works - I've got the very first post moved across. I believe I could have moved them all at once, but I've decided to do a little bit of editing, so they'll appear one at a time.

I'm going to include a link from here to there, but not the other way around. You can find me there - which, at the moment, may look a little familiar.

2009

We were invited to my wife's sister's house for New Year's Eve. This year they had decided to do things differently.
Our summer weather was pathetic in 2008 and there were few opportunities to barbecue. So, to see the year out, let's party, let's barbeque...even though the temperature was -2C.

Now that it's 2009, what about a few resolutions?
A long list - do this, do that, don't do the other? All certain to be forgotten/broken within days.
I know the things I have to do this year. There's no need for resolutions.