Coloured Thursdays - AQUAMARINE!

AQUA or AQUAMARINE is a difficult colour to define - its name translates as 'water of the sea' and it ranges from light blue through turquoise blue to a deep blue green!!!

Because the colours of the ocean are truly captured in the gemstone AQUAMARINE, it was believed that wearing it would give protection on sea voyages, hence it being carried by sailors as a talisman to give them courage & save them from the perils of the deep!

Sadly, despite my time in the jewellery trade and the 'Myth & Magic' world of Crystals I don't own a single piece, which is unfortunate as it is thought to provide emotional & intellectual stability and clarity & peace of mind, all of which I could do with :)

Onto my photo's - this very AQUA period ceiling...

And these interesting stained glass windows with hints of all the shades come from my stay @ the Ty'r Graig Castle in Barmouth, North Wales a couple of years back...

The dragon mosaic is from Barmouth too - their Arts Centre...

And finally me in Aqua - the dear, late WFT favourite Jackson was never allowed on the Red Sofa, so thought he was in trouble re this photo shoot, hence his reluctance to cuddle as we were good friends...

This week the Celebration Cakes Shop's window failed me!
Their website did have suitable images but regrettably of too poor a photographic quality for me to reproduce here.
So, as a last resort had to look else where - this wonderful creation is an image from Flickr ...

My original meme 'True Colours Thursday' is now hosted by friends, the fun pups Doyle & Mollie here @ Blue's Coloured Thursday, with me as Colour Consultant :)
Please do join in again!

True Colours Thursday - AZURE!

AZURE is simply another name for BLUE.
And to be BLUE is to be sad.
So, it certainly is a doubly appropriate colour for me this week, since it was with an over whelming sense of sadness, still with me, that I learnt that my favourite, much loved WFT Jackson had passed away on of all days this Monday - my birthday & whilst I was in Brighton in the hope of seeing him one last time.
Now AZURE wasn't necessarily his favourite colour, like his J1, I suspect he preferred Greens & Reds, but I like to believe I, Blue was one of his favourite people and as I want to start this post with a photogragh of Jackson, here he is peaking out of his AZURE chariot...May he be running, rather than riding, pain free, over @ the Rainbow Bridge with all his friends that went there before him like Oscar, Charlie & Miss Snickers and may he meet my Hero too!

On my belated Birthday lunch with Jackson's J1, she delighted me with this 'Forever Foxed' greetings card... And this great bag - both images are based on the Jax...
After our lunch together, I as usual strolled the North Lanes looking for inspiration for TCT - they never fail me!
A pretty sun dress in all shades of AZURE - if only my figure would do it justice now...And an upper shop front...
Then walking back via the sea front found the pebble beach so loved by Jackson was decked with BLUE chairs blowing in the breeze... While by Brighton Pier, there was lots of bouncing action...And, even my hotel's restaurants tables that evening were laid with AZURE napkins for me to photo...
I've no cake, birthday or other wise to finish off with as normal.
However, pup friends Doyle & Mollie told me to buy myself a Birthday treat in Jackson's memory aka a Stuffie as he was 'the Master' when it came to their destruction, so I did...
To join True Colours Thursday, whose designated blog home is HERE, all you need, is to post a photo/photographs & text, or better still both, on the specified colour of the week.
If you simply want to use the idea as a 'prompt' for a post, that is fine with me.
But, if, you'd like others including me, to visit you, please leave a comment, on either blog so we know you are 'IN'!
Previous known participants are shown in the TCT Roll Call in that blogs side bar.
Next week is colour is RED & WHITE together!
And, please remember ideas for forth coming colours would be very welcome.

Wordless Wednesday - A Pot of Tea Shared [May '08]!

A Lunchtime filled with Jax Memories!

Yesterday was no day for celebrating my birthday, so plans of a special lunch with friend J1 were postponed.
Today, we tried again, this time to recall happy moments with Jackson.
We meet as usual @ Bill's Produce Store Cafe'...And amazingly, we both managed to keep our emotions in check & not blub in public or over our food - I did though, go prepared with a bag stuffed with man-size tissues, my main stay of yesterday!
Instead we talked, we smiled, we even laughed lots about Jackson & his character and the fun times we'd shared together with him on my visits to Brighton; Jackie recalled fetching him from Fox Terrier Rescue and me, my first meeting with them both, when he walked out to greet me as if he knew I was his good blog friend Blue.
At the time I was touched but never realised how special that moment was, till Jackie told me later that Jackson rarely acknowledged let alone greeted anyone but her, yet he always did come to me as if we had a special bond!
It was a lovely lunch if tinged with great sadness re special Jax memories.

RIP Jackson!

Words don't come easily today - only tears.
Dear darling Jackson passed peacefully away in his sleep early this morning, in his own bed, in his own home.
This is one of the final photographs I took of my favourite WFT, looking as handsome as ever on the Fox Terrier Fun Walk the other week, his final 'public' appearance in front of his adoring fans & friends...He was one very special boy, who was much loved by many including me - he will be sadly missed.
My heart breaks for his J's, especially his devoted J1, who loved him as much as he visibly loved her.
I feel privilaged to have personally known him & will always remember the Jax with great fondness.
As many of you know, I'm in Brighton and it is my birthday, but it's not one I'm celebrating.

True Colours Thursday - CHARTREUSE!

Until friend BJ suggested CHARTREUSE I'd never really thought of it as a colour, just a rather sweet French liqueur, vaguely the shade of the jacket Jackson's J1 just happened to wear to Saturdays Fox Terrier Fun Walk...And this deck-chair found on Brighton's pebble beach the next day..

However, to be sure checked Wikipedia - they describe it as, "a color halfway between yellow and green that was named because of its resemblance to the green color of Green Chartreuse, introduced in 1764" - Google image...

So, I'm sticking with my other findings in Brighton - from the North Lanes, this dress...And a dark CHARTREUSE upper shop front..Finally, this plant spotted in the Royal Pavillion Gardens - no idea it's name...

The cake has to come from home territory & the closest the Celebration Cake Shop could offer is this...
To join True Colours Thursday, whose designated blog home is HERE, all you need, is to post a photo/photographs & text, or better still both, on the specified colour of the week.
If you simply want to use the idea as a 'prompt' for a post, that is fine with me.
But, if, you'd like others including me, to visit you, please leave a comment on either blog, so we know you are 'IN'!
Previous known participants are shown in the TCT blog's Roll Call in it's side bar.
Next week is colour is COFFEE - make mine a Cappichino!

And, please remember ideas for forth coming colours would be very welcome!

Postscript - to all friends & TCT players, sorry for lack of visits over the past two weeks - will try to do better!

Camera Critters Sunday - Terriers Galore!

Yesterday dawned bright & sunny in Brighton for the 3rd Fox Terrier Fun Walk to promote Fox Terrier Rescue and as the day wore on it got brighter & sunnier and warmer - I'm sure all human participants today have a rosy glow, I for one certainly have.

Everyone was to meet @ the Marina complex, I waited anxiously for my favourite WFT Jackson to put in an appearance after his recent strokes, and bless him, he did - seen here in the arms of his J1 - he's noticeably frailer but still happy to be out & about...

As the terriers arrived the usual doggy greetings ensued...For my sins I was again 'official' photographer, for the Forever - Fox Terrier Facebook web page which meant taking individual shots of every doggy family as well as attempting a group photo before the walk commenced - I had my work cut out as the turn out was good but what fun work!

At my count, 17 Wire Fox Terriers attended - a small selection of images, more will go on FB when it lets me download them - sadly names elude me re the first two charactors....

Finn & family from Norwich, who I encountered again this morning...

Jackson & his camera shy J's...Friends Sally & Paddy with their D & C...One very lively Smooth-haired Fox Terrier, a first of the breed to attend...Four Welsh Terriers - Dooley & Jody, WELTAF friends & 20 month old newcomer Ted [Edwin missed this photo call]... But I caught him later...Three Irish Terriers - Bramble on the left then Jackson's best friends Shamus & Molly...And one Airedale - Lulu here with her newly adopted brother Douglas, who last walk was being fostered by Sally & Paddy...All recieved doggy bags containing Mint & Carob flavoured treats from Dog Dogs Bakery... With so many pups & their entourages, a full terrier group image defeated me...Then Sally & Paddy's D directed us to start the Undercliff walk ...

Jackson lead the way...

Followed by his security team Molly & Shamus...

And the rest of us followed...A beach stop was made for refreshments - tender toed Sally who hates pebbles, was carried down ...

And partically blind sweet Paddy, affectionately known as 'the Little Man' & the 'Duracell Bunny' because he keeps on going and going then stops dead, & who like Jackson has many health issues was hand feed by his doting daddy...

I believe everyone had a great day, I certainly did surrounded by fun terriers under blue, blue skies!