Frosty Countryside at Sunrise

Lousy English weather, a cold that has hung around (still not shaken off!), and helping others out has kept me from taking photos for the blog for quite a time, so when I gather there was a possibility of freezing fog followed by sunshine, I prepared for an early start.

There was a heavy frost but no sign of freezing fog, so shots of lacy frost riming the trees did not happen, but as I was up before the sun, there was a fair chance of some pictures. I took a couple of shots as I passed through Whipsnade, and found a chance to park before the turn off to Ivinghoe Aston, where I captured one mounded field catch the first rays of the rising sun and turned gold.

The mist covered the view towards Billington Church which slowly appeared as the sun rose higher, having stopped a while there I carried on down the hill towards Ivinghoe, stopping briefly at Pitstone Windmill before branching off the main road to Pitstone Hill, where I took more shots especially the abstract shapes of ice in frozen puddles, before continuing on to Aldbury and across towards Wigginton. I knew that the daughter of an erstwhile colour printers lived in Wigginton Bottom, but the name of the house eluded me, so I thought I would search it out, but alas the lady was out, but I dropped a card in the door, hoping she might remember me and call back sometime.

I had hoped to meet up with my daughter and grandson, but I did not hear from her till I was almost back home, but I am due to help with converting their bathroom to my grandson’s bedroom over the weekend, so nothing was lost.

Tringford Anglers' Do

Wednesday Evening was the Annual Gathering of the Tringford Anglers, and I was honoured by being invited to join the assembled group, so to repay the compliment I took along my camera to record the event.

Ironically, I arrived early, and so felt obliged to wait in the Car Park behind the Anglers’ Retreat till the appointed time of six o’clock, and as a result met up with ‘Stumpy’ as he parked alongside, so we chatted, until he put in a call to Bob; only to learn that he was already ensconced in the bar! Our turn to join him.

The bar was filling, but as I had never met everyone together, I was not sure who were members, and who were simply the regular patrons, but Bob I knew so headed that way. As the evening progressed I brought out a couple of A3 contact sheets of fishing-related images I had put together over the last couple of years and a handful of finished A4 images, and these did the rounds. As a result, some of the assembled guests were able to see what I had shot of themselves, and some were even able to relive the moments of some the their captures I had taken.

When the buffet was announced, many of us moved to the annexe where caged birds were merrily chirping away – for buffet read Banquet; the food was both excellent and abundant and heartily enjoyed, but there was far too much left, so several lucky visitors came away with Goody boxes!

I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to chat with some of the members and learn about their daytime occupations, and hope to meet many during the next season. So thank you Bob for inviting me along.

Autumn Colours as Leaves Fall

A drive on the warmest day of late, with little more than the occasional light breeze – this is how it should be in the English countryside; not the grey damp, mizzly days to which we have been subjected recently. I parked in a spot between two large puddles of indeterminate depth on the edge of a wood near Codicote, because I had just spotted wonderful dappled sunshine and shadows displaying the colours I consider truly autumnal: golden brown fallen leaves, bronze and green ferns, and dark brown and black tree trunks with rich green moss carpeting their feet.

At first I took only the 24 -105mm zoom, but spotting a robin and a tit flitting from branch to branch and a squirrel, I returned for the 300mm. How shortsighted of me! I should have covered all the bases, because I now no longer had surprise on my side! The sunshine was intermittent, which in some cases was handy as the lesser contrast could be beneficial, but generally I do like the brightness of sunlight., though really then, flash would come in handy, and I rarely venture out with flash unless I specifically need it.

The sounds from some hidden birds was tantalising, because they travelled around and above me with no form to show me what species was responsible, at least the robin, with little more than a whisper of wings against the ferns remained just a few feet from me as it circled.

I spotted at least three grey squirrels, one on the ground the other two leaping from branch to branch and scurrying up the trunk to the highest reaches of the tree, but one only of this pair remained in sight, intent on munching leaves from small twigs.

Having spent some time in the woods spotted some dramatic clouds across a field and stopped promptly to grab the shot of the tree against this backdrop, and then followed the road to Ayot House – I should have taken note of those clouds as I barely managed the shots of the house before being caught in the rain! I then continued my return trip when the sun came back out, so I stopped again, this time to wander along the river by East Hyde.