My Photography on Fotki!

A stack of all my latest and best photographs, now on Fotki. Just click on images to see each 'card'.

Creature From the Black Lagoon to Help BP Plug Oil Leak!

Speaking to reporters today, the Creature from the Black Lagoon confirmed rumors that he has been contacted by BP in its continuing efforts to plug the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico.

“Yeah, they contacted me. I’m glad to help. I live on this planet too” the Creature said. “I have experience in deep water that could come in very handy.”

When asked if he was worried about being injured he responded, “I swim in my own faeces. Do you think I’m worried about a little oil?

Read the rest of this funny spoof at MANHATTAN INFIDEL.....

Latest sale at Kaleidoscope Kreations - a mousepad

Just sold another mousepad on my Zazzle store, Kaleidoscope Kreations. This time it's a design called PE201 (catchy, isn't it?) in browns and tans, with a repeating pattern diagonally across the pad and is going to a customer in New York

PE 201 Mousepad by CharmaineZoe
See more mousepads with zazzle

Journey Home in the Snow Video (click to play)

I was browsing through my videos last night and came across this one of a journey from where I work in Northfield, just south of Birmingham, through the snowy streets to home. Recorded on 6th January 2010 after some heavy snow but on a beautiful sunny blue sky day when the snow covered houses and gardens look very pretty. it lasts just over 9 minutes. Just click on the centre arrow to play.

Astronauts fabulous photo of Aurora Australis taken from Space Station

Just had to show you this stunning picture of the Aurora Australis, the one that appears over the Southern hemisphere, as opposed to the Aurora Borealis, which is visible from the Northern hemisphere. It was taken by astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS), and shows the aurora australis against the backdrop of Earth's horizon.

The ISS was over the Southern Indian Ocean at an altitude of 350 km, with the astronauts looking towards Antarctica and the South Pole. Dense cloud cover is dimly visible below the aurora. The curvature of the Earth’s horizon can be clearly seen as well as the faint blue line of the upper atmosphere.

The stunning sight is formed as charged particles streaming from the Sun – known as the solar wind - interact with Earth’s magnetic field, resulting in collisions with atoms of oxygen and nitrogen in the upper atmosphere. This striking aurora image was taken during a geomagnetic storm that was probably caused by a coronal mass ejection from the Sun on May 24th. The atoms emit photons as a means of returning to their original energy state. The photons form the aurora that we see.

The most commonly observed colour of aurora is green, caused by photons (light) emitted by excited oxygen atoms at wavelengths centered at 0.558 micrometers, or millionths of a metre. Visible light is reflected from healthy (green) plant leaves at approximately the same wavelength. Red aurora are generated by light emitted at a longer wavelength (0.630 micrometers), and other colours such as blue and purple are also sometimes observed.

While aurora are generally only visible close to the poles, severe magnetic storms impacting the Earth’s magnetic field can sometimes shift them towards the equator.

Fathers Day: a tribute to my Dad

Dr.Hugo Coghlan 1925 - 2002
My Dad died in 2002 and I still miss him dreadfully, especially on Fathers Day. He was one of the kindest, gentlest, funniest men I have ever known and I was very fortunate to have him as my father.

He was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1925, although his family came from Skibbereen in Cork and he was the youngest of three brothers, all of whom became Doctors. This is a picture of him (right of picture), with his brothers, Georges and Diarmuid together in 1976.


He met my mother, Dorothy, while studying at the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin and they fell in love, but unfortunately my mother was a Protestant and my Dad a Catholic, and this was Ireland in the forties!


Fortunately for me, my two sisters and our own children, they overcame all the obstacles, as theirs truly was a love match, and married in 1952. Sadly he died a few months after they celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary after 50 years together and Mum died of a massive heart attack not long after. I think she died of a broken heart without him. I like to think they have been reunited and are together again.

Dad and Mum on their Wedding Day

Dad with all his girls around him in happy times!

Friday-Follow: Building Friendship One Blog at a Time – June 18th

Welcome to the 4th Friday Follow hosted by our awesome hostesses, Stephanie at Goober Grape Monkey Man, Meg at Just Another Manic Mommy, and Traci at Traci66. Thank you ladies for being willing to host! Please stop by and see these awesome ladies.

We invite you to join us every Friday to get more blog followers and to find many interesting blogs that you like. This is all about sharing and having fun.

We expect you to be on your honor and to have fun. These are only guidelines to make it more enjoyable for you. Here’s how YOU can join the Friday Follow celebration:

* Link up your blog below...One Link per blog
* Grab our Friday Follow button include on your side bar, or post.. grab the linky information if you want it
* Follow the Friday-Follow blog and the hostesses in slots 1, 2 & 3 that have volunteered today to host
* Follow the blogs you want, leave comment saying you are from Friday Follow – use common courtesy
* No spammers, or xxrated blogs - family friendly

If you need more guidelines about following see Friday-Follow.com

This list is new each week and closes on Saturday at 11:59pm EST. The links do not carry over. Please link up each week for new participants to find your blogs. It will be visible all week to visit the blogs listed.

Congratulations to our first Three Friday Follow Winners!!!

Pull Up Your Potty Seat, This could take a while
Singing Three Little Birds
A Cuppy Cake Life
Each week we will randomly draw from three (3) blogs from the links for the next week’s Friday Follow, and each blog chosen will be placed in the highly coveted number #7, #8, and #9 position on the blog hop. The first blog chosen will also be given the option of doing an interview which will post on Friday-Follow.com on Thursday the next week. We love your participation and want to give back to you! You could be next!

This week's Friday-Follow sponsors are Britanny and Amber from
If you are interested in being a sponsor for Friday-Follow, please fill out the sponsorship form HERE.

There are 2 giveaways, thanks to our wonderful sponsors.

The Shindig Card Package {$45 value} 25 Printed Cards, 25 Envelopes, and a Sheet of 30 Matching Return Labels.

The Funkylicious Blogger Blog design {$50 value} which includes a header, background and more! Be sure to check out our wonderful sponsor for everything they offer and some cool free stuff!

Thank you for joining us. Have fun! Happy Flying!!