Tag: sunset

Autumn Has Arrived

Today’s culling involved a few pictures from April 1969 – not these of Elizabeth feeding Matthew.

This afternoon we took forest drive.

Autumn leaves still clung to the trees along Holmsley Passage, where a few holly berries hung and trees were reflected in the rippling stream bubbling under the ford.

On Bisterne Close a mere handful of ponies, one wearing a bracken mask, wandered among the woodland

which Jackie photographed, including me.

Just before a somewhat cloud-obscured sunset I photographed a tree against the darkening sky.

This evening we dined on Jackie’s wholesome shepherd’s pie, firm flavoursome carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts with which I drank more of the Fleurie that involved opening another bottle.

Very Little Damage

I wandered around the quite still post-storm garden this morning and was pleasantly surprised at the limited damage we had suffered.

On Friday evening Jackie had performed the usual battening down of the hatches, such as laying down plant stands and

the items that can be seen in these images of the patio except for the downed owl planter and the broken pot she had thought too heavy for the 75 mph winds to blow down.

The Head Gardener had tucked the watering cans out of the usual danger area, but some were scattered around as can be seen on the Kitchen and Brick Paths.

Apart from the owl in the first picture, and the hanging basket loosened from the eucalyptus tree most flowers in pots have remained unscathed.

One owl has been tipped a little as his support has been dislodged;

the copper beech has retained a few leaves, while depositing the rest on the soil and gravel beneath. We can always do with more bagfuls.

Some readers my remember that recently we transported two lidless dustbins to the local dump. Over this weekend we acquired another we could hear rolling around the front garden. This morning it was standing upright on the front drive. Jackie stood it outside in the street. We can’t take responsibility for everything that blows in.

Because strong sunlight burns out the colours in flowers I waited to show some roses still thriving until the

sun was about to retire for the night.

This evening we dined on tender roast chicken; crisp Yorkshire pudding; boiled new potatoes; firm carrots; flavoursome Brussels sprouts, and tasty gravy, with which I drank more of the Fleurie.

Dump Trip And Forest Drive

This morning we transported eight bags of garden refuse, a rusted sack barrow, and two lidless dustbins surplus to our requirements, to Efford Recycling Centre.

The blue-sky-bright sunshine belied the acute chill in the air as we took a forest drive towards the end of the afternoon.

The postbox outside the eponymously named cottage on Wootton Road sports an Armistice memorial.

Autumn colour lingers along Holmsley Passage where the stream ripples across the larger ford;

along the Bisterne Close woodland fallen leaves and mossy trunks were lit by late shafts of sunlight,

and a bay pony cropped and chewed holly leaves impervious to prickles in her leather-lined jaws.

We were just in time for sunset at Barton on Sea’s Marine Drive East,

where cloud colour was muted when looking east.

This evening we dined on breaded scampi, chips, onion rings, and peas.

Three Mothers And The Future

Apart from watching the Six Nations rugby match between France and Wales, I spent much of the day reading William Makepeace Thackeray’s “Vanity Fair” which I began earlier in the week.

At sunset we all drove down the coast road to join Becky and Ian at

Britannia Thai in Milford on Sea for a Mothers Day celebration meal.

Jackie, Becky, Flo, and Ellie sat together for a photoshoot, then

spread out a bit.

We thoroughly enjoyed the evening, with lots of fun, a few presents; and the usual excellent food served with friendly efficiency.

Clearing Up After Storm Gerrit

This morning I enjoyed another eminently endurable chiropractic session with Eloise.

Storm Henk was beginning to calm today. There was less rain and quieter gusts of wind as Martin was able to work throughout.

He sawed up the trunk of the overgrown pittosporum, lopped the branches which he carried to the Back Drive, cut them into pieces with which he filled more of the spent compost bags and carried all to the front end of the garden nearest our parked car, whence we will be able to transport them in several trips to the Efford Recycling Centre. A crushed chair which had borne potted plants joined other scrap metal – also destined for the dump – behind the shed.

We have kept a close eye on the Weeping Birch which remains standing – at least for the time being.

This evening we all dined on Ferndene Farm Shop’s succulent sausages; creamy mashed sweet and white potatoes; crunchy carrots; firm cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussel’s sprouts; and meaty gravy, with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank Valle Central Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon 2022.

Reading

The storm winds roared throughout the night and did not lessen until late this afternoon when we took a short forest drive.’

Rather like me, Ellie is a reader of eclectic choices. Although her words are not yet fully clear, she knows what is being said to her, and can identify pictures and is indeed able to trace the written word with her fingers, saying, in her own way, the words she is apparently reading.

One of her current favourites is Jackie’s Gardener’s World. She can display an apple when she sees one.

Her favourite card is this one from Sue W, which she often carries around with her, tracing the words and pointing to the sheep, several times a day – this set was produced by Jackie.

Needless to say, her parents have brought her up with books from her very early days.

On our drive mushrooms pierced the verges of Church Road;

Mallards are still at home on Pilley lake;

Cormorants were at their posts on Hatchet Pond, where coots scooted beneath them.

Naked oaks were everywhere silhouetted against the sky.

Jackie also photographed the birds on Hatchet Pond;

the Christmas tree and visitors to Buckler’s Hard; and trees against

the sky shortly before sunset.

On our way home, I pictured the sunset over Southampton Road at Pennington.

For dinner this evening we all revisited Jackie’s still plentiful chicken and turkey stewp and fresh bread, with which she drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Fleurie.

Pool At Sunset

Enough steady rain fell throughout the morning for Jackie to join a line of drivers playing water sports spraying each other as they drove through pools speeding out from the verges along Christchurch Road as she drove me to Birchfield dental practice for a hygienist session with Bronya.

By mid afternoon bright sunshine shone on our forest drive.

The Wootton Road post box now carries a crocheted Remembrance Day tribute. This actually stands in Tiptoe. Further along the thoroughfare enters woodland and becomes

Tiptoe Road, which, today was awash. Naturally I stepped out and photographed cars splashing through the pool streaming across the moorland and down into the opposite field. Naturally Jackie photographed me in action and a van from her driving seat.

She also pictured mushrooms and autumn leaves on the ground and leaves on their branches against the clear blue sky.

A young pedestrian was forced to cross the bridge by the Forest Road ford where the water doesn’t usually rise so high.

At first along Bisterne Close, our paths kept crossing with a dog walker at impressively far apart locations.

Despite the continuing comparatively mild weather the woodland alongside the Close looks definitely autumnal.

Jackie produced images of fall’s red-gold ferns and squirrels perhaps stocking up their larders.

Finally the Assistant Photographer caught the sun slip sliding away sunset and me failing to do so.

This evening we all dined on Jackie’s stupendous chicken and vegetable stewp and cheesy pizza with which she drank Hoegaarden and I drank Hacienda Uvanis Garnacha Old Vines 2022.

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.

Peepo! On The Way To Bed

With the day beginning as had yesterday I planned to visit a different sunset location later this afternoon, and therefore settled back into my Priestley literature analysis.

A dark-browed shower descended at the time we were due to set off, so I carried on reading with half an eye trained on

the skies while the sun deliberated on whether or not to put in a appearance.

The first shot in the above gallery was reflected in the casement gable window through which I need to poke my lens for any images from above.

Finally, from the car park of The Royal Oak I was able to photograph the red-gold orb playing peepo! on its way to bed.

The bangers and mash which we all enjoyed for dinner this evening consisted of a mix of pork and garlic and pork and chives sausages, mashed potatoes as creamy as usual, crunchy carrots, tender runner beans, and toothsome sweetcorn, with which Jackie drank Peroni and I drank more of the Australian Shiraz.

Walking Into The Sun

Today we experienced warm blue-sky-sunshine with just enough cloud for what was to come. We began with a trip to the dump with another batch of garden refuse in spent compost bags.

After lunch I read more of J. B. Priestley’s “Literature and Western Man”, until it was time to dash down to Barton on Sea to catch the

coastal sunset. The last three of these gentler images were produced by Jackie who was looking away from the direct dazzle.

This evening our grandfamily finished the leftovers from the recent Red Chilli takeaway while Jackie and I dined at Lal Quilla. My main course was tender lamb naga; Jackie’s tasty chicken sallee; we shared exquisite mushroom rice, egg paratha, and seb loo Jalfrezi, and both drank Kingfisher. Service, ambience, and cooking were as excellent as always.