autofantasia's photos

For this week's Sunday Challenge for which the topic was symbols of Easter . I took this shot on Good Friday whilst visiting RHS Garden Harlow Carr in Harrogate on what proved to be the first day of the Lindt Gold Bunny Hunt . The classic Lindt Gold Bunny is, according to the official Lindt website at least, one of the most iconic symbols of Easter and he first opened his eyes to the world of chocolate in 1952. The story goes that on a bright Spring morning in March that year, when the ground was still covered with a blanket of crisp white snow, one of the Lindt Maîtres Chocolatiers saw a little bunny in his garden. His young daughter was completely mesmerised when she herself saw the little bunny, but began to cry as soon as it disappeared into the bushes. Deeply touched by how upset his daughter was, the father suddenly had a great idea ... he would make a bunny like the one they saw together, but out of chocolate. So he did exactly that using the finest Lindt milk chocolate, then he wrapped it in golden foil and put a red ribbon with a bell around its neck, so it would not get lost. And so, the very first Gold Bunny was born. Nowadays the Lindt Gold Bunny is supposedly adored by people of all ages and all over the world and every year when the it appears again, they know that Easter is not far away. However, as nice as the Lindt Gold Bunny is many would argue that it's just another example of how over recent years traditional festivals like Easter have been exploited for commercial gain. Gone are the days it seems when all a child needed to enjoy their Easter was to hand paint a boiled egg and then roll it down the nearest hill. Oh, and in case you're wondering the Lindt Gold Bunny Hunt is an event aimed mainly at children. Each is given a leaflet with a map inside so that they can follow the Lindt Bunny's trail, answer a set of questions, hand in their answers at the Gift Shop and then take collection of their very own "delicious Lindt chocolate treat". Please view on black for best effect.

Running late again, but for what it's worth here is my entry for this week's, or should that be last week's, Sunday Challenge . In keeping with recent challenges there were a few options around a central theme and I elected to go with a combination of Spring and New Growth . I had been hoping to use one of the shots I took whilst doing the Farndale Daffodil Walk , but in the end I wasn't all that happy with the shots I got on the day and so decided to look for inspiration elsewhere. As it happens, that was to be found much closer to home, in a small field on the outskirts of Northallerton that contained a few sheep along with their fairly young looking lambs. Initially, when I came upon them and moved in to try and get a close up shot there were only two lambs in my sights - the two in the foreground. However, once I'd started snapping away a third lamb came across and nuzzled in behind them. I guess he just didn't want to miss the opportunity of having his photo taken! Please view on black for best effect.

A somewhat later than intended entry for this week's Sunday Challenge . For this we were actually given several subjects to choose from, but in the end I opted to shoot anything to do with pets . This was given as an option because apparently April is National Pet month, or at least it is here in the UK. So, why the tennis ball? Well, our youngest dog Sandy is barking mad when it comes to balls and loves nothing more than going over the nearby fields with me, the plastic launcher and a ball. The trouble is that until recently his eagerness to play ball was costing us a small fortune as none of the ones that you get in the pet shops, which are supposedly intended for such purposes last for any length of time before falling apart. Not sure if it's just him that's too hard on them or if they're simply not fit for purpose, but I've actually seen him destroy one of those balls on a single walk. Anyway, I got to wondering if 'proper' tennis balls would be any good and so a few weeks back we went online and ordered up a set of 6 for £4.99, as opposed to the £2.99 for 3 usually charged for the others. And it has turned out to be a very wise move indeed as nearly a month later and he is still using the first ball. So, if your dog goes through those pet shop balls as quickly as our Sandy then my advice is to try ordering some 'proper' tennis balls like the one pictured. Please view on black for best effect.

Paid my very first ever visit recently to Beamish and I'm already looking forward to going back again soon. This now world famous open air museum, tells the story of life in North East England during the 1820s, 1900s & 1940s. There are so many fascinating areas and displays that there really is too much to take in during one single visit. Luckily they offer visitors the option to purchase a Beamish Unlimited Pass, which allows you to come back as many times as you like for a whole year. Better value still is probably to become join the Friends of Beamish and then you not only get unlimited visits for the following 12 months, but also the guide book, quarterly magazine, exclusive offers and 10% discount on anything you buy on site and that includes food. Anyway, back to the photograph. This was shot from the upper deck of one of the many trams they have operating on site. I liked the abstract nature of the curved tracks and cobbled stones. It also seemed an apt image to post given what is happening with ipernity. We've climbed aboard and those of us that want to go along for the ride are ready to depart, but we're not sure what's around the corner never mind where we will eventually end up. Best advice then is to sit back, relax and enjoy the trip while it lasts!

Another shot taken recently at Ripley Castle in North Yorkshire. Situated 3 miles from Harrogate in North Yorkshire on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, it is an historic attraction open to the public all year round and makes for a fascinating and entertaining day out, in a beautiful location. This one features the unusually shaped weir that can be found at the base of Ripley Lake, which is located next to the castle itself.

Crowdfunding To Save Ipernity - Donate Here For this week's Sunday Challenge , for which we were asked to come up with anything that is vaguely to do with St. Patrick's Day . St. Patrick’s Day occurs annually on March 17 in observance of the death of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. What began as a religious feast day in the 17th century has evolved into a variety of festivals across the globe celebrating Irish culture with parades, special foods, music, dancing, and a whole lot of green. Now try as hard as I could I must admit I was struggling this week to find a suitable subject and then, once again, Ripley Castle came to my rescue just as it did a couple of weeks back for a previous challenge. This time I found my opportunity whilst making my way around the Deer Path as we came across an area that had been planted up with various forms of daffodil, including these that were labelled as being Narcissus "St. Patrick's Day" . Sadly, none of them were in flower although many of the daffodils nearby, which were of a different variety, were blooming vigorously. So, I'm not sure if these were incorrectly labelled, had been planted in too much shade, or are just another sign of climate change. I did think of moving the label and taking a shot of the ones that were in flower, but then that would have been cheating and I'm sure someone would have realised they were a different variety - lol! Best viewed large on black. Crowdfunding To Save Ipernity - Donate Here Also for Sight and Sound . No doubt this track might have featured before, but it just seemed a perfect fit ... Cher with "If I Could Turn Back Time": youtu.be/BsKbwR7WXN4 youtu.be/c3sR8uBSrpU youtu.be/U17YiiJEASI

Most, but not all users of ipernity, know that the site has been having financial difficulties for some time and closure of this great platform does indeed remain a distinct possibility. However, there is now a ray of hope on the horizon thanks to a small number of people who got together and came up with the idea of creating the Ipernity Members Association (IMA). This body has now been officially registered and a crowdfunding campaign initiated to raise funds to secure ipernity's short term future in the first instance, but ultimately with a view to acquiring the platform for the community. However, time is of the essence as the IMA need to secure sufficient monies within the next 2 weeks to cover the site hosting costs for March and April or ipernity will almost definitely close. If they are successful then the expectation is that the platform will be transferred to the IMA in a matter of weeks, but as I've said first we need to raise enough money to keep the site going. Many have already made a donation, myself included, and the campaign has got off to a great start, but there is still a way to go. So, I would urge anyone who hasn't yet made a pledge to follow the link below and donate as much as they can afford. www.generosity.com/community-fundraising/ipernity-members-association-a-non-profit-entity The last few years have seen countless photosharing sites like Multiply, Fotopic and more recently Panoramio fold. So, understandably people feel let down, they feel disengaged, and are tired of seeing internet businesses (big or small) take their money, offer them a future, build up their hopes and then in an instant they take a decision that throws them out into the cold. The situation is becoming such an issue for many that they have actually started to question if it is all worth it, if the internet really has anything to offer them and I think this was beautifully summed up recently in a comment posted on ipernity by Peter Kohler who said: "I give up. Trying to create, preserve or maintain anything in the ether of the web is a futile effort unless you physically own the website yourself. Three years of work and effort and it can just vanish like a fart in the wind. Very disappointing and profoundly depressing." And now ipernity itself is on the brink of closure. The people that created this great site have admitted they are tired ... that they feel a desperate need to turn the page and move on. But they have also heard our pleas and agreed that they won't just slam the 'book' shut and toss it on the fire. This is a unique opportunity then for everyone who loves ipernity and who wants it to not only survive, but to become somewhere we can call home for many years to come. Yes, there are still questions to be answered and hurdles to be overcome, but together we really can make a difference. Let us not fail ... let us unite and ensure that through ipernity our photos really do have a bright future and will be here for a very long time!

Went on a visit yesterday to Jervaulx Abbey in North Yorkshire and spotted these tiny little snails on one of the outer walls. Then as I looked more closely I saw there were dozens, if not hundreds of them. No idea what type they are, but I thought they were an interesting find and it helped remind me that you never know where the next shot might come from. Best viewed large on black for best effect. As for Jervaulx Abbey, it was one of the great Cistercian abbeys of Yorkshire and is now privately owned. It's well worth a visit if you like looking at old ruins and they have an excellent tea room too where they sell the most beautiful home made cakes. www.jervaulxabbey.com

For this week's Sunday Challenge , for which the topic was manly pursuits . A bit of a tricky one in some ways because I don't think that nowadays there are many activities which you could say are for men only. Even hobbies that might once have been seen as for being solely or at least predominantly for men, such as DIY, are now quite popular with women too. The times are no longer as Bob Dylan once sang a-changing ... instead they have changed and changed significantly. Take this temporary road sign I found discarded on the ground behind Northallerton's leisure centre. When I was growing up it was understood that this meant Men at Work . Yet nowadays although the sign looks exactly the same as it always has, and certainly still looks to me like it depicts a man digging, it is now described as indicating road works ahead. I guess it won't be long before the only true manly pursuit left for us guys will be growing a beard! Also for Sight and Sound . I nearly went for the Dylan track referenced, but in the end I couldn't resist the double pun connection offered by Men at Work with "No Sign of Yesterday": youtu.be/TqWJDsCJyiE youtu.be/TQJ_SjMdMq4

A little bit of abstract fun from me, via the processing room.

For this week's Sunday Challenge , for which the subject title was heart . Right up until yesterday I thought I was going to need to dip into the archives as I'd been unable to find a suitable subject. Then during a visit to Ripley Castle we had a wander around the gift shop where I spotted a lovely heart shaped mirror hanging in the corner of the window display. The light wasn't all that great and I was struggling to get a clean shot, but having ran it through the processing room for a few tweaks I think it works okay. Also for Sight and Sound ... what else but Blondie and "Heart of Glass": youtu.be/gbnbMMCfyoc youtu.be/WGU_4-5RaxU youtu.be/aa911_8TP2s

For this week's Sunday Challenge , for which the subject was empty . Probably doesn't need much in the way of explanation as it's obviously a shot of the inside of a tumble dryer - our very own in fact. Oddly enough, it's something I've thought of taking photos of in the past, but never got around to so I thought when I saw this week's challenge I'd give it a go. Light at that end of our kitchen isn't all that great so I fell back on using my tripod and the remote control to try and get a well exposed, but steady image. Please view large on black for best effect.

The griffin, griffon, or gryphon is a legendary creature considered to be an especially powerful and majestic animal which people believed could be found guarding treasure and priceless possessions. Most representations of griffins depict them with the body, tail, and back legs of a lion; the head and wings of an eagle; and an eagle's legs and talons as its front feet. However, some older illustrations show the griffin to have both the front and hind legs of a lion as seen on this statue, which I came across in Harrogate recently. It was one of a pair sat atop the entrance pillars to one of the buildings I passed close to the town centre.

Last in this series of Scirocco images is this silver Scala and it's probably one of the cleanest examples I saw on show that year ... aside from my own of course! And it's the last to be added to the VW North West 2011 album.

From 1992, the last year of Mk2 Scirocco production, comes this ultra clean and subtly modified Scala. At the time the car belonged to a fellow member of the Scirocco Register. He lived in the Aberdeen area, but would think nothing of travelling down South in it to attend car shows or even local meets in England often clocking up several hundred miles per trip.

Close up shot of the engine in yet another red Scirocco. This one according to the records is a GT, but the badge it carried on the B-pillars clearly showed it to be a GTII.

Sadly, the plate on this red GTII was missing so I've not been able to get any information on it.

Almost time to finish of this album I think, so let's go out with some examples of my favourite VW, the Mk2 Scirocco ... starting with this Scala from 1990. It had a few dings here and there like the almost ubiquitous chips on the bonnet's leading edge, but overall it was pretty neat for a car that at the time I took this shot was getting on for being 20 years old.