Rarities

Although by mid-morning it had now desisted despite the winds’ persistence, the precipitation from the steady overnight gales washed over Christchurch Road as we sprayed our way along to Efford Recycling Centre transporting ten more spent compost bags of garden refuse.

Late this afternoon we drove to Mudeford to catch the sunset.

Strong winds whooshing through my ears rippling the low tide failed to drown the tinkling mastheads of yachts moored for the winter; the mewing of gulls; the hammering from a nearby building site; the cawing of rooks. Otherwise the scene was silent, while I perched on a

bench waiting in vain for

the sun to emerge from behind the horizon-obscuring clouds.

Apart from her shot of me Jackie also photographed a gull, a yacht, and a stack of smaller vessels.

The world’s first postage stamps were the UK penny black issued on 1st May 1840 and the twopenny blue, five days later. While contemplating the pyramid of Remembrance Day poppies atop Mudeford’s rare Victorian post box of 1859 I wondered how many of those early receipts for payment had passed, adhered to letters and cards, through that unusual upright slot, now becoming as uncommon as themselves.

I would not expect to see this purple hebe currently in bloom.

This evening we all dined on plentiful portions of excellent food from Kings House Chinese Takeaway, only because the Hordle one is not open on this day. Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I decided wine would not complement hot and sour soup.

61 comments

  1. It looks like the sunset was worth the wait. 🙂 I like people watching while down by the river as well as little areas of focus. Everyone else just rush by on their hurried walk with headphones on staring straight ahead. I often ask myself ‘why bother walking in a glorious location if you don’t see or hear the sounds around you?’ Remembrance Day was celebrated quietly in our home this year. Norm, though, led a Remembrance service a local RSL aged care centre on the Friday before the 11th.. In full summer uniform and wearing his medals of course. 🙂

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    1. Thank you very much, Chrissy. Good for Norm. I feel the same way about headphones, which I have never used

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  2. The light in the first photo of the beach in black and white is stunning. The sailboat in Jackie’s photo looks very similar to ours, but we wouldn’t have enough draft as close to the beach as this one is. I wonder whether your waters are deep enough close to land for sailboats not to shallow out.

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  10. Lovely photos, guys, I wonder why the boats aren’t put in dry dock for winter. I read this morning that a huge storm was pounding Scotland with high winds. The postbox is in great condition considering it’s age. ????????????

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  14. Our post office – never mind post boxes – is barely operational these days. Even though this sunset wasn’t as spectacular as your previous captures, the photographs are lovely and encapsulate your damp weather.

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  15. The photo of you bench sitting is lovely! Your patience paid off…beautiful photos by you and beautiful photos by Jackie! The beaming sun amidst the clouds put on quite the show.
    That post box is a cheery color!
    The rarities are a treasure to find.
    (((HUGS))) 🙂 ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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  16. Victorian postboxes are extremely rare and I’m sure that I read somewhere that at least one had been dug up and stolen, presumably by a collector.

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  18. A pleasant way to spend a day…Mention of the earliest postage stamp, took me back to watching my dear Dad: tongue between teeth…sketching his beautiful calligraphy around each of his special stamps – of which they were many. He left a wonderful collection to my youngest brother, and I have a half-filled collection to treasure. Cheers.

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  24. At least you caught a glimpse of the setting sun. The photos were still pleasing, Derrick and Jackie.

    A post box pillar from 1859! A tie to the past. That postal pillar has spanned three centuries and has seen much. If only it could talk! I hope it survives a good while longer. I like the little Remembrance Day poppy hat someone knitted for it.

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