River Lagan Walks. Part Sixteen.

My first photograph on my River Lagan Walks part sixteen is of a beautiful Wood Pigeon coming down to the River Lagan for a drink.

This photograph and the multitude of other photographs I have taken these last 9 months of walking along the River Lagan, her towpaths, parks and pathways in South Belfast, Northern Ireland is the reason why I love photography as my therapy and writing as my passion because both compliment each other perfectly.

I never tire of my photography, which I have only been doing again these last 9 months of being out and about in Mother Nature, after a long many years without any interest in anything I use to love before my acquired brain injury and the dramatic change it brought to my life.

As those who have read my stories on Vocal.Media.com will know I also write books pertaining to my River Lagan Walks and publish them on Amazon.com-Aunidan Christi.

As you can see from my last photograph I have just published my eleventh River Lagan Walks book, which for me, with all my medical conditions is amazing and gives me a feeling of achievment and pride.

For 12 years I was confined indoors mainly because of my chronic cluster headaches, PTSD and severe sciatica, then the corona virus came along, which limited my time out for a few hours even more, and stopped most of my treatment for several of my conditions, though I have a direct line to my Neurologist when I need emergency treatment for my cluster headaches, which are a new brain injury/trauma each time they strike.

If it catches my eyes, mind and imagination then I photograph it as my last photograph shows.

What is it?

Well, 9 months ago, when the trees were shedding their leaves and these balls of growth began to show themselves, I thought they were birds nests.

Then one night while watching Spring-Watch on BBC2, the answer came to me via Chris Packham, they are called Witches Brooms and are a parasite growing on the host tree.

So when you are looking for answers to your questions, they are answered in a variety of ways if you are patient.

“Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and the door shall be open to you.”

The wild flowers are blooming this July 2021 and because my River Lagan Walks began in Autumn 2020, then this explosion of new life is new to me and a hell of a workout for my brain.

I am always reminded of Scotland and my Scottish Roots of Stewart when I see the Bonny Blooming Thistle and though it is deadly to touch, it has a historical beauty with roots far away from its roots her in South Belfast, Northern Ireland.

A beautiful mini Summer Meadow has sprung up beside the Lock-Keepers-Cafe and is well worth a visit to take some photographs of it for your own records, social media sites and photography sites you might be on.

The are many pathways to explore in and around the River Lagan, her towpaths, parks and pathways and it is all free and a gift from our Heavenly Father and Mother above.

On the 14th of July 2021, the above stats for the Covid-21-Delta Variant were released, and as you can see, the numbers of infections of this new variant have quickly increased in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Mother Nature is the only place I wish to be at present, especially with me being on a Red Flag List from my GP’s and hospital.

All over the Earth-Plane the deaths and infections continue to rise this middle of July 2021, so what better way to avoid this evil virus than out and about in Mother Nature for i and your health, mental health and well-being and to expand your horizons and mind.

I have taken many photographs of the Old Shaw’s Bridge in South Belfast, but no matter how many times I photograph it, every photograph is different and beautiful.

This is why the River Lagan brings peace to my body and Soul, which is a welcome break from the extreme pain I suffer most days.

So it is amazing how even an hour out in Mother Nature each week can heal my pains for a while.

The River Lagan, her towpaths, parks and pathways are ancient ways to travel along, with beauty beyond compare, for me anyway.

Though I suspect the reader of my little River Lagan Walks stories here on Vocal.Media.com, and the seers of my photographs will enjoy my little stories.

They show you a beautiful part of South Belfast in Belfast City, Northern Ireland and where I have slowly walked over the last 9 months has only been a few miles of the River Lagan, her towpaths, parks and pathways, so I can only imagine what lies beyond the few miles I have travelled along the River Lagan and her towpaths.

I am limited in how far I can walk on my hour out each week due to severe sciatica.

Sometimes I can walk a couple of hundred metres before I have to stop due to this painful condition and other times I can only walk feet before I am in trouble with my back and right leg, which goes numb with severe pain when I walk a few feet.

I have been watching the Water Lilies growing in the River Lagan this 2021 and as you can see, they are about the bloom this July 2021.

Monty the English Springer Spaniel loves walking into the River Lagan, though in his younger days he would have dived into the river, but now in his senior years he just paddles about with his stick.

In my younger days I would have done the same diving into the River Lagan and now I am worse than Monty, at least he can walk his walks without complaining about his pain, but with severe sciatica causing severe pain, then I have to mention it and stop walking, though I don’t mean to complain, but the pain each hour out is extreme at times.

I love Mother Nature in all her guises, because I have never seen such beauty in so many ways within her.

I always take several photographs of the same subject because the subject, if it is wildlife, moves every second you are photographing it, so you will get plenty of different photographs, which you can then chose the best to add to maybe your own books or projects, or even photography sites you might be on online.

Those of you who have read my recent stories here in Vocal.Media.com and my River Lagan Walks books available on Amazon.com-Aunidan Christi will know, I have been keeping an eye on and photographing this mini Summer Meadow which has sprung up in recent months beside the Lock-Keepers-Cafe.

In and around the River Lagan, her towpaths, parks and pathways is blooming beautiful in South Belfast this July 2021.

The fish are feeding of the Flies that are flying above the river this warm July 2021.

I have been trying to photograph a fish breaching the surface of the river, but so far I have not been able to do so, though I will not stop trying.

Noel and Monty go out walking 21 times a week, which is amazing, especially when I can only go out for an hour each week due to severe sciatic.

Noel has told me I can go out everyday if I want, but until I can find a solution for my severe sciatica, then I am restricted to how much I can walk when out, which is sad at 57.

Noel is 74 and can walk for 21 hours per week, so I have some catching up to do to try and get fit again.

The Fishermen are out all along the River Lagan this July 2021, with this guy fly fishing, but other Fishermen spin fish.

At the end of the day, if your way catches fish, then stick with it.

I think fishing in whatever form it takes is a good way to spend a few hours upon the River Lagan.

I know I love my hour out each week beside the River Lagan on her towpaths, which kind of helps with my health, mental health and well-being.

I love the way I have photographed the background in focus, while the Himalayan Balsam plant is out of focus.

Photography is never boring, no matter what the result.

The Giant Hogweed plant looks beautiful in a photograph, but deadly in reality if you brush pass it while out walking.

Once more I feature the Himalayan Balsam plants and flowers because of their beauty along the River Lagan bank this July 2021.

They also give me something to photograph because the River Lagan is hidden by these plants and the weeds over growing the River Lagan Towpath and bank.

Believe it or not, the River Lagan is behind these Himalayan Balsam plants and this is how much of the River Lagan banks are overgrown this Summer 2021.

This was the first Robin Red Breast to grace our path as we slowly walked along the River Lagan Towpath, and it was a very young Robin, which would explain why Noel and myself have not seen many birds out and about along the River Lagan Towpaths in recent weeks, because the adults must be feeding their young, some of which are beginning to venture out themselves as my last and next three photographs reveal.

I never tire of photographing and meeting with the little birds along my River Lagan Walks, because without them, most of my photography would be missing such a beautiful bird.

I think Robin’s are so cute, who always come along to say, ”Hello,” which is why I call them the Old Faithful’s.

For just an offering of seeds I have taken many amazing photographs of this bird species in and around the River Lagan, her towpaths, parks and pathways, which are well worth sharing with the Earth-Plane.

I will continue to photograph things of beauty, living and manmade.

I love photographing the Heavenly Bodies above, which you can see from my last photograph of the Crescent Moon on this warm July evening.

I always wonder where the rest of the Moon goes when it is not full and you can see the blue sky where the missing portion of the Moon is.

In my last photograph I have captured my first Butterfly of 2021 and what a beautiful site it is.

My first Butterfly of 2021 and it just happens to be beautiful Tortoiseshell Butterfly.

Noel spotted this little Catterpillar crossing the River Lagan Towpath, so I had to photograph it because it was part of my River Lagan Walk this evening out.

Eventually this Caterpillar will turn into a beautiful Butterfly or Moth if it not squashed by a walker, cyclist or runner who will never see it at speed.

This is why I love photography, because of the different creatures Noel and myself come across as we slowly walk along the River Lagan Towpaths, parks and pathways.

Just like the story of the ugly Duckling, which eventually turned into a beautiful Swan, so this ugly Catterpillar will turn into a beautiful Butterfly or Moth as written earlier.

I feature many Moorhens within my River Lagan Walks stories here on Vocal.Media.com and in my River Lagan Walks books available on Amazon.com-Aunidan Christi because they grace my path as I slowly walk along the River Lagan Towpaths and are such beautiful birds.

My last photograph looks like a beautiful piece of Digital Art as the Moorhen is surrounded by the colours of the reflections of the trees and bushes upon the River Lagan.

Recently I have been practicing taking photographs of smaller creatures along my River Lagan Walks, and though I do not use the macro setting on my Nikon CoolPix P900 camera, the results I am getting so far are amazing.

As I have written many times about my photography.

I do not know the results of my photography until I return home and upload my photographs to my laptop, and most of the time I am stunned by how good my photographs are, and the detail my Nikon CoolPix P900 camera captures within those photographs.

Some beautiful flowers I cannot identify, but because of their natural beauty I include them in my stories her on Vocal.Media.com and in my River Lagan Walks books available on Amazon.com-Aunidan Christi.

More and more the Jetliners are flying out of Belfast again as the Covid restrictions all over Europe are eased, though several nations are locking down again due to a surge in the Delta Variant, but Boris Johnson and government are risking all before all are vaccinated.

The numbers with the Delta Variant reached over 50,000 new cases today 20/07/2021, and though some Scientists are advising Boris Johnson and his government to be slow in opening up, Boris is doing his own thing, which could cost many their lives.

As you can see in my River Lagan Walks stories here on Vocal.Media.com I love taking photographs of anything that catches my eyes, mind and imagination.

I call the Robin Red Breasts the Old Faithful’s because they are never far away when you walk along the River Lagan, her towpaths, parks and pathways.

Though in recent weeks in July, the Old Faithful Robin Red Breasts and other small birds are scant in the bushes and on the ground.

Well that is another River Lagan Walk over for this week, I hope you enjoyed part sixteen of my River Lagan Walks, and that it inspires you to get out and about in Mother Nature for your health, mental health and well-being.

Maybe you will take many photographs like me and write your own little books and show the world where you live and your nations wildlife and scenery.

Until my next River Lagan Walk.

Best Wishes

Aunidan

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