photography

Crafts I completed whilst I was at home!

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I took a trip back home in the middle of January and with so many craft supplies available to me to create I thought I would make loads, but I did not, I was so busy I hardly made anything. I had so many plans for different crafty make but didn’t end up doing any of them really as I had an assignment I needed to concentrate on.

I did manage to squeeze in a little bit of craft time though and I made a Unicorn and bee themed birthday card using Lawn Fawn stamps!

I demoulded some resin keyrings that I started a while back, I enjoyed demoulding them and I am really happy with how they turned out, the only down side is that I didn’t get a chance to finish them before I left again so that is a future Megan’s project.

I also jumped on the bandwagon and got myself some of the viral miniverse makes mini foods craft kits and made two of them! I had a café series 2 and a diner series 2, for those that don’t know what they are they are resin craft kits to make a miniature food, and we all know I love a miniature (if you don’t then check out my etsy shop!)

As you all know I have been really into graphic digital drawing recently and whilst I was at home I was able to fish three different designs. I drew a leopard gecko, a bear, snow leopard and a Miliatary Macaw and each is available my redbubble: https://www.redbubble.com/people/Meggie-moos/shop?asc=u

I ended up going on so many adventures with my friends and family that I didn’t end up crafting as much as I thought I would, I still had a really great time though and I am happy with what I got done and have been able to plan lots more creations to make when I am back in Wales!

Thanks for reading!

Meg!

RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch

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This year I signed up to complete one hour of birdwatching in my garden to assist the RSPB with their big garden bird watch. To be able to take part you can sign up online just before and you get sent an information pack on what to expect. You can choose to do it in your garden or from a balcony etc… but the rules come from the RSPB themselves. I chose to do it in my garden whilst I was visiting home (as it happened to fall on that weekend) and we all sat with a nice cup of tea, my mum had her binoculars and I had my camera and we sat for an hour in hopes that something would come down.

I have a video over on my Youtube of my (fairly) unsuccessful bird watch: https://youtu.be/ZWhMYMVH0Ew

I like to take part in the RSPBs big garden birdwatch as it allows us to participate in research into what birds we are getting locally and it helps to keep an eye on garden bird numbers.

Overall we got 1 crow, a couple of feral pigeons, a couple of wood pigeons and we could hear a robin in the tree somewhere but it didn’t count unfortunately.

I did manage to get a few photos but it was a very grey and overcast day and the lighting was weird and with only a handful of birds actually landing in the garden it was slim pickings for me to photograph this time round.

Anyway, I did enjoy my time watching the birds, hopefully next year I might be able to get a few more land in the garden. I will continue to go out and about and photograph the birds and as it comes into summer I plan to do lots more adventuring over to Anglesey!

Thanks for reading!

Meg.

RSPB Rainham Marshes

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When I went home at the end of January, I went on a trip over to Rainham Marshes with my family. This is a RSPB site on the shore of the Thames. If you go along the sea wall you can often spot seals and different wading birds but we stayed within the site of the RSPB and went for a walk around.

I took my camera and we wandered around, we actually started with a chat drink in the cafe before heading off and wandering around the grounds. We went straight to one of the hide and we were immediately greeted by a female kestrel sitting right on a post in front of the hide, I managed to get some really nice pictures and videos of the kestrel hop close, its just a shame the metal posts and electric fencing was in the way.

As we carried on round we saw coots and moorhens and out of the corner of my eye I saw a kingfisher, it was just a shame that I lost it, but I am still really happy that I saw one, even if it was just a fleeting glimpse as it was on my list for the day.

We carried on walking around the site, at the back of the site I was hoping to see a marsh harrier but on this occasion we were unlucky, we did see some carrion crows and got another glimpse of the kestrel.

The boardwalk was closed and this is where I normally see water voles and frogs, but I think it would have been too cold for them even if they were out.

There were lots of ducks around and as we headed back to the café we saw long tailed tits, great tits, blue tits, robins and some redwings. We got back to the café and had another drink whist we watched the sunset and the starlings form their murmuration’s and then we headed home before the car park closed.

It was so lovely being outside and in the fresh air and just wandering around the site. I hope that next time I visit there will be more to see as it will probably be spring by then.

Thanks for reading,

Meg!

Conwy Castle

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After many months of saying I would go to Conwy Castle after so many times of walking past it we finally went back in November. The castle itself sits on the Conwy Estuary and overlooks the ocean but it is now just ruins.

Considering the castle is in ruins we had a great time running around and taking selfies, the castle is actually quite large and there is lots to see and learn about. We started on the ground floor level but we kept of finding sets of stairs to take up up a level and there are a couple of towers you can go all the way up and look out over the ocean.

There are lots of different signs and things to do and read and I particularly liked the one which explained how all the rooms would have been set up in the castle, this is on the upper level so you can look down over the ruins and picture the layout of everything.

I like to imagine a king and a queen having banquets and enjoying a nice summer in Wales even though the castle was never complete.

Overall we really enjoyed our day at the castle and once we had finished running around we headed off for some lunch and then we went to do some pottery painting and I painted a little fox tree decoration which is so adorable if I do say so myself!

You can also watch the video on my Youtube: https://youtu.be/DU1r5YEMYN8

Thanks for reading,

Meg!

Conwy Water Gardens

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We had headed over to the water gardens as my house mate had recommended the pancake house there. After a quick google it showed there would be different animals, a nice walk and of corse pancakes!

I dove us all over there and it was a pleasant drive through some country lanes and only about 30 minutes from where I live. I was little bit disappointed once we got there though as they were having work done and some of the animals such as the otters and the capybara had been relocated for the time being.

We went into the pancake house forest, only me and my sister ate as my parents had got food at the B&B they were staying at over on Anglesey.

I got a bacon and maple syrup pancake and it was amazing, the service was great and it was a cute little traditional Dutch place. There was also an aquatics/reptile shop there and a pond filled with koi fish which were really cool!

We had a wander around the grounds, there is a big fishing lake there which had some ducks on it, there were some little birds flitting around in the trees and there were some wild ducks on the ponds and as we had got duck food we were feeding them.

There were also ducks in an enclosure that we got to see , it was a bit of a sad enclosure though!

It was a nice walk in the fresh air though, and food was extra good!

Thanks for reading!

Meg!

Newborough Forest

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I love taking trips over to Newborough forest so it was no surprise that I would take my sister and my cousin when they came up to visit in November.

We drove over and parked up in the car park near to the beach and we took a slow wander along the beach as I collected some shells, I also filmed a video which is available on my youtube channel! https://youtu.be/Paeb-yKF6eI

I collected shells and seaglass and took some pictures of a raven that flew over head. We walked towards Llandwyn island and we could see the lighthouse. The tide as way out by the time we got there and I stayed by the strand line but my sister and my cousin walked down towards the sea.

I didn’t find much as I was wandering along until we got, almost, to the point we would be cutting up into the forest and we found a good shell collecting patch where there were different shells and seaglass which was fun as I was starting to get a bit disappointed with my small haul.

We then cut up past through the forest and we headed back to the car. I had hoped we would see some more ravens or some red squirrels but there was no luck this time.

I really enjoyed my trip and hope I can get back soon.

Thanks for reading!

Meg!

Hoop Group Session

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A few weeks back I had a visit from my sister and my cousin and since I have been going to aerial hoop classes we decided to do a group session for us to try something different together.

For those who don’t know what aerial hoop is, it is essentially a giant, metal hula hoop hung from the ceiling, it spins and swivels and you do acrobatics on it.

So far I have only had about 12 sessions but I have learnt a few different shapes and moves and can (kind of) form a routine.

We attended a session altogether at Mermaid studios for circus arts in North Wales and it was a 3 to 1 session. As the instructor already knew me I managed to have a bit of a play with different moves and I got to show off a little bit whilst my sister barely even made it onto the hoop. On the other hand my cousin did very well and I was very impressed.

Whilst they were learning the beginner moves, I managed to learn some that I had missed from the beginner sessions. Scissor legs where you sit in the hoop with your legs straight out and secretary seat where you sit with your legs crossed over one an other. The only problem with these moves and with man in the moon is the hoop has to sit right between your glutes or you fall out the hoop. I have only had one fall so far and it left me a little bit shaken but I got straight back up and on the hoop again!

I cannot wait to get back to hoop after the Christmas break!

Thanks for reading,

Meg!

Chester Zoo

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On this occasion my trip to Chester zoo was only a couple of hours as we had lunch plans with a family member. We had gone over to the zoo with the intention of spending a few hours seeing all the animals but due to the size of the zoo we only managed to see a small amount as we had to leave after 2.5 hours.

We still had a really great time and saw so many different animals but being a zookeeper I end up getting distracted and watching the animals for extended periods and so I ended up slowing down our group as I just want to watch all the animals and get the best photos that I can.

The first thing we saw were the elephant, because who can miss them so close to the entrance. I love seeing the hi-way family even if I don’t really take many photos of them. They are so much fun to watch and the youngster are just so sweet.

We then headed over towards the lions and we stopped into the butterfly house on the way, my camera completely fogged up which was totally unhelpful but I did get some nice pictures on my phone.

We then headed around to the jaguars and I stayed and watched them for ages. It was fascinating watching Napo as he called out whilst he was in the inside enclosure.

We headed around and saw the orangutans before heading back towards the entrance briefly stopping off to see the rhinos.

Overall we had a really nice few hours and I cannot wait for my upcoming trip, this time I will get to spend the whole day there though!

Thanks for reading!

Meg!

Bodnant Gardens

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A while back I took a trip to Bodnant Gardens which is owned by the national trust, as a member I got in for free so one autumn afternoon I decided to head over and see what it was like. It had got to a point where I had been in for a while and I was going a bit stir crazy and I just wanted to get out and get rid of some energy.

I actually filmed a video which is available over on my youtube channel: https://youtu.be/l3zXXMqLoSY

I really enjoyed my trip to Bodnant gardens, I’m not much of a plant person but I can appreciate some beautiful flowers when I see them. I also really liked the giant pine trees they had there. Part of the estate is on a cliff/valley where the old water mill was and you follow a windy path down to the bottom to see the mill, it was really beautiful and the views were stunning!

Mostly I had gone over there to have a cup of tea and ended up getting a cream tea in their café before going for a wander and I ended my trip by buying some cute journaling supplies from an art studio selling local artists work.

It was a really lovely little shop and I got some wonderful things!

Whilst I was there I also took a few photos, I had taken my camera and of course had my phone and took some pictures of different flowers as well as the different landscapes and statues and things I found in the gardens themselves, let me know which photo is your favourite!

Thanks for reading,

Meg!

Finally Seeing the Dolphins!

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Back in October my family came to visit me in North Wales and we finally went over to see the dolphins! I’m not going to say where we saw them as when they are visiting crowds of people turn up in boats and chase the dolphins away or damage them with the propellers.

We parked up and walked the short walk up to the edge, we followed a coastal path for a bit where we saw a seal and a kestrel and the we turned around and carried on in the right direction.

We stopped of at a bench overlooking a bay and I was sitting down starting to fall asleep when my dad yelled “Meg quick! Dolphins!” Now, my dad does this all the time so I thought he was messing around but he was not. He passed me his binoculars and I hot to see my first ever Risso’s dolphin!

We just watched from the cliffs for a couple of hours as the dolphins played and danced in the water. They were probably 200- 300m out at sea but we could see them jumping in and out of the water.

In addition to the Risso’s out at sea there were also some harbour porpoises playing at the base of the cliffs, and there was a youngster with them which was amazing!

Eventually the dolphins moved off and as the sun was starting to set we decided t head off as well. Plus we were all very hungry by that point so we left to go searching for a roast dinner!

Overall we saw 1 kestrel, 1 seal 4 porpoises and 18 Risso dolphins! I hope I get to see some more when they return in April!

Thanks for reading,

Meg!