Photos of Sheffield...

I decided that I really need to push myself to get out. Having spent a number of days without leaving the flat, I needed some motivation to get past that pain barrier! (Also, having gained 2 1/2 stone, some exercise would be good).

So, with the adrenaline from a good friend of mine winning £1000 on an on-line Pepsi competition, I looked for one for me to join! I found a competition run by The Times asking for photos that best represent Summer in our UK cities. Admittedly, in Sheffield, I thought that the only acceptable entry would be of overflowing rivers, ruined houses, and sewage on the roads from the awful floods. I'm very thankful that I wasn't directly affected, although I know of plenty that were. Instead, today, the sun was shining, and I got myself out and about, and took these. Please bear in mind that this competition is for amateur photographers, and as I haven't yet got my head round my "new" ancient (and I now discover "faulty") SLR camera, these are taken with my trusty "handbag digital"!!

Summer flowers surrounding The Peace Gardens, with the Sheffield Town Hall, Macdonald Hotel, Winter Gardens and the Millennium galleries behind.

City folk eating their lunch in The Peace Gardens with children playing in the fountain. Sheffield Town Hall and The Winter Gardens in the background.

Sheffield's children having fun playing in the water fountain in front of The Town Hall.

A Wedding takes place in front of the Winter Gardens in Sheffield, while city-goers picnic on the grass in The Peace Gardens.

Sheffield's children having fun playing in the water fountain in front of The Town Hall.

Ok, I know they aren't great, and they are all very much the same, but you are asked to enter 5 photos, and I didn't have the energy to go looking for other places to take photos, so just changed what I saw, to take different picks, if that makes sense?! Anyway, the prize is a two day photography course in London, suitable for beginners, so I'd be delighted (if not flabbergasted!!) if I won...although the dates for the course would have be long enough after my op that I'd actually be able to go!...hmmmm....!!!! All very unlikely, but I've enjoyed it :)