Last Hours Of The Day

While the overnight gale continued to rant, rave, and spatter our windows we spent the morning continuing the decluttering prompted by our domestic refurbishment. I made considerable headway in dispensing with decades of paperwork.

Late this afternoon, when the wind and the rain desisted, we rewarded ourselves with a forest drive.

At the corner of Brock Hill Car Park serving the Rhinefield ornamental drive a victim of the recent winds, ripped from its rooting place and tossed onto picnic tables lay ready to join

others having earlier suffered similar fates to return to the soil from which they sprang.

A bitter wind made the temperature feel colder than the 3 degrees Centigrade that was recorded. The walkers lending scale to the giant redwoods around them were wrapped up well.

We have learned that robins abandon gardens for the forest during winter. They were much in evidence. This one dropped onto a fungus-bearing post.

From Rhinefield we progressed to pass Burley Manor where two groups of walkers caught the last of the sunlight as they crossed the lawn and its dying trees.

The skies were adopting gentle pastel shades, which strengthened by the time we reached

Picket Post, blessed with Jesus beams on the approach to sunset, more apparent across the moors alongside

Holmsley Passage.

This evening we dined on moist roast lamb; boiled new potatoes and the sweet variety roasted with parsnips; firm broccoli; tasty red cabbage; and tender runner beans; with mint sauce and meaty gravy. Jackie drank Hoegaarden while I drank Duck Point Merlot 2019.

81 comments

  1. First I saw the photos of those enormous trees and wondered what they were. Then, you mentioned ‘redwoods’ and I was properly confused. I associate redwoods with California, not England! Are they native there? If someone planted those, it would have had to have been some time ago. They’re not fast growers.

  2. You captured so many beautiful photos, Derrick! I love the Jesus beams, always beautiful. The wind must have been speeds that we get here in the desert, up to 70mph are possible knocking trees over. I don’t know what the black think sticking up in the forest is.

  3. Those uprooted trees look like some sort of forest creatures. I love that little robin. (Ours are much bigger.) I wonder if your robin family will return to your garden in the spring.

  4. Those gales were frightening, so difficult to sleep. We woke up to snow this morning and tonight it’s freezing and icy. I’m so glad i don’t need to go anywhere.

  5. You certainly were rewarded for all that paperwork! The redwood forest and golden sunset are beautiful beyond words. The dying trees have interesting shapes, like sculptures or monuments to the trees they were. Thank you for sharing these marvelous wonders!

  6. Lovely pictures. Your robin is our rouge-gorge, right?
    The images show the cold. I just came back from New York… Bl..dy cold… I’d forgotten what it was like. Maybe 20 years since I last was in “The North” at that time…

  7. I quite enjoyed the string of paintings produced by your photographic meandering in the forest. It must be an ancient forest, for far too many of its inhabitants are regularly returning to the earth they sprang from.

    1. It seems to be two millennia. So not exactly New – neither fully a forest since many of the trees were cut down in the 16th century to be used for shipbuilding. Thanks a lot, Uma

  8. Crepuscular rays = Jesus Beams … both are satisfying names for the same phenomenon. I first learned about crepuscular in relation to animals and have always loved that word (reminiscent of a caterpillar to my young ears!). While it is sad so many ancient trees reaching the end of their long lives, it is good to see they are cleared out of the way (if necessary) and left to return from whence they came. I assume there are younger trees in the forest that will take advantage of the light and spaces created by the departure of their companions.

  9. It was windy yesterday morning but nothing like that. I think the latest bout of wind was to get the leaves off the trees. We have a larch tree and currently we are knee deep in the little yellow needles.

  10. Are the trees at Burley Manor actually dying or giving up for the year. The oak (?) did look decidedly white.

    Interesting info about robins. There is one that visits our garden at dusk, or at least sits on the fence. I must remember my camera this evening to see if I can get a shot.

  11. Lovely photos, Derrick. My wife would love that walk. The trees are beautiful. Even above ground roots have their own magnificence. Sorry I missed dinner. We will be enjoying leftover turkey from Thursday’s Thanksgiving dinner. I might add a glass of white to accompany it. Thanks for your nice stories.

  12. It sounds like you were also pounded by storms as was Tootlepedal up in Langholm. The robin looks so cheery in spite of all! The sunset storm light photos are beautiful.

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