Today’s guest picture is another from Dropscone’s southern venture and shows a row of bathing huts on the Isle of Sheppey. He was not tempted to use one and go for a dip.
We had another sunny but chilly day today so I went for a walk in the morning after waving at a visiting robin.
In spite of the good sunshine, it was rather hazy…
…and the conditions meant that there were a lot of persistent vapour trails from passing aircraft which spoilt what should have been a clear blue sky.
I enjoyed my walk even though there wasn’t a great deal to catch the eye. I caught the eye of two sheep in a field as I passed.
I walked down through the woods, across the Becks Burn and up the other side. The sun shining through trees at any time of the year always seems beautiful to me.
Some trees may be a bit past their best though.
I walked down the road from Hallcrofts to the Lockerbie road, enjoying the view of Whita…
and noting that the frost was still lying where the sun’s rays hadn’t rested.
There were catkins all around, these two on the left of the road…
…and a big flourish of them at the gate of a house on the other side.
Down in the bottom of the valley, things were icier…
…though the lichen on the right seemed totally unaffected.
A log covered with moss was really catching the sunshine and glowing like gold.
The little patch of red near the tip of the log looked worth a closer examination.
I pottered back along Gaskell’s Walk but had to keep my eyes well down as there were many icy patches along the way and as I had been warned about them by a fellow walker in passing, I thought that I would look very silly if I slipped and fell on one of them.
I stopped and admired the view over the town when I got near the end of the walk.
I walked past Stubholm farm house and went down to the Murtholm before coming back along the river. A flash of green turned out to be a honeysuckle, one of the first plants of the year to put out leaves.
I wanted to check to see if I could find the the tree with the script lichen again. I could.
As I had walked along, I had been serenaded by many birds which were either invisible in spite of sounding to be quite near me or were too quick for my camera but when I came to rover near the church, I could miss a dipper standing on a rock singing loudly.
I wish I could find one standing in some sunshine and not quite so far away as my collection of indifferent dipper photos is now far too large. But they are always fun to watch and to listen to.
I spent the afternoon hunched over my computer making notes for a Burns Supper which I am attending with Mrs Tootlepedal this evening. In a foolish moment, I agreed to be chairman for this function, proving as a friend remarked the other day, that apparently you can never have enough fuel for the furnace of self esteem. In spite of the strain of trying to remember what I should do, I will enjoy the evening but as it will go on late into the night, I am posting an early blog today in case I am not back home before tomorrow!
The flying bird of the day is an unmasked chaffinch.
Loved that tree ‘past its best’ like me! I wish I could be at the Burn’s supper to listen to you speak.
Love the mossy tree. In fact I like a lot of the photographs. I’m divided on the subject of frost and ice – make for great photos but cold days. 🙂
Enjoy the Supper.
I would always prefer a frosty sunny day to a warmer wet one at this time of year.
What a lovely walk. Enjoy your Burn’s Supper.
It was, I did.
I know I am repeating myself Mr T, but you really do live in a most beautiful part of the world. I hope you enjoyed a wonderful Burn’s Supper. I am sure it was a great success – with you at the helm.
Things went quite smoothly and their was no fighting. I even got the raffle drawn in double quick time.
Your robin would appear to sculpt in the style of Henry Moore. And what a wonderful aphorism, “never enough fuel for the furnace of self esteem”. I shall have to mark and learn that one.
It is a striking phrase, courtesy of Joe Cornish.
The sheep didn’t look real pleased to see you.
I can’t remember ever seeing a frosty lichen but neither have I looked for one on a frosty morning. I’ll have to correct that on the next one we have.
Nice to see the honeysuckle leaves. They come early here too.
I was surprised to see that they seemed to be totally unaffected. They must be very dry on their surface I presume.
The fat catkins look very spring-like.
They felt like that too.
You’re probably tired of me saying this, but I loved the views of the countryside, especially Whita hill! Your close ups were very good as well, loved the moss glowing in the sun.
The moss was a real eye catcher.
Lovely photos of the sunlit wood and all the other sightings on your walk especially the catkins. Hope you had a great Burn’s night.
It went not too badly all things considered.
Lovely frosty pictures and the sun through the trees is gorgeous!
I like it when it happens in any wood.
I join everyone in saying what we always say about what a beautiful place you live in. Your friend’s quote gave me a good chortle…
And I will also say again how beautiful your countryside is! And I agree sunlight through trees is beautiful at any time of year.
It has warmed up a bit here. 40 degrees and enshrouded in mists this morning. We may see rain yet.
We may do a little better than that as far as temperature goes tomorrow but not much.