Erddig

I have been lucky this week in that I have had the opportunity to go out exploring a few times. The weather hasn't been the kindest, but whats the worst that could happen? I get wet. So I'll dry, eventually. I've waded through 3ft of water, so I laugh in the face of rain!

Decided to visit Erddig, a wonderful National Trust property near Wrexham. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/erddig/

Its not just a Stately Home, it has beautiful gardens and many interesting workshops in the grounds.

There is a different attitude in this house. They treated their servants more as family apparently and had paintings done of them. It is one of the few homes where you can actually see how the staff lived. No pics this time, as I concentrated on the outside, which was probably the wrong way round with the rain and all!

One of the owners was a huge collector of vintage vehicles and they are all displayed. All in various states of repair, pushbikes, motor bikes, cars and coaches.

The above pic shows a couple of the cars in their garages, plus I think you might also be able to pick up just how much it was raining!

This is the grooms workroom and I just love the horse boots on the table. I was a little concerned with a lot of these photos that they wouldn't come out clearly. I forgot to take the tripod and so was using a high ISO with slower shutter speeds, but most seem to be ok which is great. Any graining from the ISO seems to add to the overall vintage effect which is also great. Just tweaked the clarity and adjusted the colours a bit and I am pleased with how it is looking.
I was very sceptical about Lightroom originally, but now I love it. Still not looked at Photoshop tho. One step at a time.

The rain eased off momentarily and I ventured into the garden where I saw the beautiful creature above. Apparently a Greater Spotted Woodpecker. I was perfectly positioned behind a hedge with the telephoto already on when he swooped down for a quick snack and was gone. Talk about right place right time!

On a completely separate note, I had a question posed to me earlier. "what would you attempt today if you knew you could not fail" Can't tell you my first thought, but my second was sky diving. Always liked the idea of the flying through the air part, but not keen on jumping out of a plane or landing several hundred feet below said plane. 

I have been pushing my boundaries and taking risks over the last few months, what with all the hiking, mountain climbing and pink hair and it is difficult to know what to do next. I am thinking possibly zip wires in Snowdonia, but not sure yet. I saw a T shirt on Facebook earlier which said "If I can't take my camera, I'm not going!" so that might limit my choices. Watch this space.

Lessons Learned: Don't ever let the weather stop you getting out. If its not acid rain, then it won't do you any harm, just keep the camera covered!

Quote for the day: Take risks, if you win you will be happy, if you lose you will be wise, either way, you will feel alive (unless the risk you take is skydiving. If you lose at that, you won't feel anything, ever)