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This morning’s sunshine lasted long enough
to draw me into pruning the rose garden. By the time I had finished the skies had clouded over and rain begun.
Between showers Jackie was able to plant primulas into the large window boxes on the front wall.
More camellias are in full bloom, and
all the beds are clamouring for our attention,
but we abandoned them in favour of a drive to Tanner’s Lane beach,
where the usual boat was moored on the mudflats.
A solitary yacht sailed alongside the Isle of Wight,
as a ferry boat threaded its way past The Needles.
At low tide seaweed clung to rocks and breakwaters.
Further along the coastline gnarled trees were coming into bud,
as rain-laden skies loomed over the sunlit landscape.
Egrets were among the birds feeding on the shore.
One rewarded my numerous efforts to catch it in flight.
Having left Tanner’s Lane and begun to drive along Sowley Lane it seemed as if we were on the floor of a school dance from my teens. In the undergrowth on one side of the lane were assembled a bouquet of hen pheasants.
The less fragrant cocks patrolled the opposite side.
Plucking up courage, they paraded a bit,
then slipped through the barrier to join the ladies.
Just before sunset at Milford on Sea a crane silhouetted against the skies was a reminder that the beach huts destroyed in gales a couple of years ago are being rebuilt.
We hastened to Barton on Sea and waited for a pair of figures to make their way along the clifftop so that I could include them in my shot. Following their progress I was to discover that the gentleman was pointing a camera away from the west, and photographing the Isle of Wight.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2DjyPoyCcE&w=560&h=315]
Truly an Island in the Sun.
The tree in the grounds of the holiday homes park has grown as directed by the sea breezes.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s spicy chilli con carne, savoury rice, and salad. She drank Hoegaarden, and I finished the Carmenère.
Beautiful photos. We definitely had better weather today than we did yesterday.
True, Persia. Thanks very much
A truly stunning collection of pictures and a great reminder that there is beauty whatever the weather ….
Thanks very much, Osyth.
What a truly wonderful day!
Many thanks, GP
What lovely pictures. You always transport me Derrick.
Many thanks, Miriam
Ah the gardening has begun, albeit a tad reluctantly 🙂
Thanks very much, Pauline
Wonderful photos, Derrick. To me, the gnarled trees almost looked like an action photo of trees falling domino-like. I guess it’s the angle of the photo. 🙂
I laughed at your comparison of the male and female birds at opposite sides of the road to students at a school dance.
🙂 Many thanks, Merril
I laughed at that, too, Merril.
I love the Hellebore, Derrick. That’s my favorite shade of green. The sunset photos are beautiful. I enjoyed the music too…very relaxing. Cheers!
Many thanks, Jill. Much appreciated
“all the beds are clamouring for our attention,” I know that feeling very well. Impressive that you were able to NOT heed the call & were able to go out and capture some amazing photos.
Not that immpressive really it was very cold out there Jodie! Jackie.
Sorry, that should have been impressive!
Oh, I’m the same way – A nice sunny day is impossible to resist, just as the cold sucks all the fun out of it.
Beautiful light in some of the photos and so thrilling to see the pheasants. It’s been a while since I saw one.
Thanks very much, Lisa. It was a variable light day. 🙂
Delightful photos..A really shocking gathering of pictures and an incredible update that there is magnificence whatever the climate
Thank you, Sariska
What great pictures, Derrick. It is still too early for flowers here – I love primulas and camellias. The egret in flight is gorgeous as are the silhouettes in the sunset. I love your tours!
Many thanks, Lydia. That flying egret was the only decent one from about a dozen 🙂
Those primulas are cute! The rain following the supple sun, the gnarled trees coming into buds, two men on the clifftop shooting the Isle of Wight, trees growing up as guided by the breeze… Those are all brooding pauses in the poem of existence.
A very wonderful and eloquent comment, Uma. Many thanks.
Can’t decide which I love better: your garden or sea pics ; ) This time I’ll opt for garden- primulas in the baskets are so lovely and we had snow in the morning 😉
Thanks very much, Tamara
Lovely photos of the shore Derrick. But those gardens are calling!
Thanks a lot, Brenda. Drizzle today 🙂
Great photos, Derrick. I particularly liked the silhouettes at the end.
Thanks very much, Bun. They were superb unwitting models
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!
Triple thanks Laurie. Glad you liked it.
what peaceful and calming images Derrick, I think I just took a visual mini vacation 🙂
That’s lovely, Kim. Thank you.
It’s beautiful and the images are mesmerizing too.
Enjoyed it and hope you will also enjoy reading my blog too
Thanks, Purva. I do like your blog
Loved that old song, Derrick. Thanks for the memory. What cheerful window boxes and super silhouettes. 🙂
Very many thanks, Sylvia
Such gorgeous scenery!
Thanks very much, Lynn
most welcome
I want that boat on the mudflats.
It has never moved since we’ve known it, John. Thanks very much.
Wonderful bird captures! … silhouetted against the skies are so beautiful! 🙂
Many thanks, Amy.
Your landscapes always invite me to look more closely (those cloudy yet sunlit skies)–but, well– the flowers! At last, a few more there than here, and such beauty opening to sunlight and we who read your blog. I anticipate many more plant and floral topics to come. (I loved Harry Belafonte as a kid…an important contributor to music, Caribbean especially, of course.)
Very many thanks, Cynthia. I,too, was a fan, which is why his voice came to me as I saw the sunlit Isle of Wight.
Well I’m certainly glad you didn’t dine on those pheasants!
Wouldn’t know what to do with therm, Brian. Thanks
The pheasants are gorgeous.
Great photos of the pheasants! The red feather details on the male were unique. I love the way the ducks on the stream by my apartment and crows up in the trees on campus are making racket in early morning hours. 🙂
Many thanks, Robin. You have been very busy. It is much appreciated.
Those pheasants are unique and I may have to look up what American pheasants don’t seem to have red markings(?) But maybe they do!
The colourful ones are, as usual in the avian world, the males
Yes, but I wondered if male pheasants in Ohio, USA have this same marking. I did find out they have red “cheeks.” There’s white “ring necked pheasants” which are beautiful!
Even ours seem to vary a bit