Happily Ever After
Life in The Rural Retreat with a beautiful wife, three cats, garden wildlife, a camera, a computer – and increasing amounts about running
Earlier posts can be found on Adventures of a Lone Bass Player, where this blog began life. Recent entries can be found here.
A Surprise in the Inbox
by admin - 21:46 on 28 June 2011
A most unexpected email arrived today from BBC Countryfile Magazine, via Flickr, asking if they could use one of my snaps in its publication.
My first thought was that this was a scam, but as the fee offered was £30 the message did seem likely to come from our permanently hard-up national broadcaster.
"So which pine marten portrait do they want?" I hear you ask. "Or is it a woodpecker, a lizard or even a strolling moggy at large in the countryside?"
None of the above, is the answer. What they're interested in is an unremarkable snap I took at last year's Black Isle Show and titled Best In Show.
It's probably no coincidence that this year's Countryfile calendar competition has a theme with the same title.
I replied that I'd be happy for them to use it and at the same time directed them to my website where they could find details of a particular book which would make a splendid pictorial feature in their magazine. It's worth a try.
They said they'd like to use the snap "on the August edition", which suggests it could even be the cover shot, but as it's the wrong shape I suspect not. We'll see. I've yet to decide how I'll spend my unexpected windfall.
Pine Marten Update: Last night's early visitor was followed by a smaller, later one who also eluded the Pentax. And Master Marten was back at 7.30 this morning to stuff himself with peanuts from the brand new feeder that had fallen from its branch near the gate. I blame Speedy. Again, no snappery happened because by the time the birds had alerted me all there was to see was a luxuriant tail protruding from the undergrowth.
So I was ready tonight from 6pm. Four hours later, I'm still waiting. Pesky martens.
Book Update: Strathpeffer is the latest place for The Bumper Book of Black Isle Snappery to find a niche. Go to Green Kite Trading in the old railway station. It's a Fair Trade specialist so you'll improve your karma too.
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