Cloudstract - December 2019

This week I couldn't resist pointing my lens skywards to kick off my weekend photo shoot, as there were blue skies and some very weird looking cloud formations floating around.

This particular one was my favourite, and reminded me of waves crashing in on a beach.

Mahonia Blossom - December 2019

Reverting back to my usual subject matter, the Mahonia (Mahonia japonica) bush was beginning to put on a lovely display, with lots of new flower buds beginning to open.

Sparkles - December 2019

The Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) blooms were also continuing apace, and reminded me of fairy lights as the blooms wound their way through a bare leaved hedge.

Erigeron Revival - December 2019

There were a few new buds and blooms on the Erigeron (Erigeron karvinskianus) 'Stallone' plants, which was a bit of a surprise as I'd thought the frost had finished off all prospect of new flowers.

Catkin Development - December 2019

However, the Twisted Hazel (Corylus avellana 'Contorta') tree was now nearly naked, with most of its leaves falling off in the past week.

Decaying Bracts - December 2019

The Lacecap Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) bush bracts continued their slow journey of decay, but were still far from the skeletal remains they would become.

Berry Formation - December 2019

The Common Ivy (Hedera helix) berries were now beginning to form and the transformation from bloom to berry would probably be complete by the end of the year.

Red Berries - December 2019

The berries of the Cotoneaster bush were still looking good, and were especially bright looking in the early morning sunshine.

Blackbird - December 2019

The ever alert Blackbirds (Turdus merula) were still on the lookout for a tasty morsel, and I was pleased to snap this one on the garage roof as it made its way to a nearby Pyracantha bush.

Goldfinch - December 2019

Finally, just as the blue skies were fading to grey, a little Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) caught my eye and ear as it started singing away in a distant treetop.

So this week I went with Cloudstract as my Image of the Week simply because I liked the unusual nature of that particular cloud structure...