Gt Barford Trip & Chopper

          Always a good sign when the sun is up early, so a quick shot of my breakfast toast seemed appropriate, as I had just been checking the camera settings and the sun fell on my toast, and later decided it was available to make up the numbers of images to fill discreet pages in the gallery.
          My destination by the long bridge over the meandering River Gt. Ouse was fortuitous, as I had certainly not expected to be later featuring a small private helicopter to be landing so close to where I was! But, I am getting ahead of myself, I had set off initially to capture the Spring blossom and the landscape adjacent to the river. The cloudless sky with its rich blue can often be less interesting than either towering Cumulus clouds or fast-scudding small puffy ones, but it proved to be the ideal backdrop for a tree bare of its natural leaves, but with a mass of clinging ivy to its trunk.
          The weir was in full flow and the bright sun was again fortuitous in giving crisp texture to the frothy water cascading beneath the walkway that was such a contrast to the calm water surface before the drop, that barely disturbed the reflection of the Red Emergency Lifebelt on the far side. The shadows cast by the sun accentuated the various shapes of the railing; the ridges to aid good grip when operating the lock gates, and the string of green buoys to capture hazardous floating branches and the like. It was pure serendipity that a lone gull should fly into frame to add extra interest. And as if to add further interest to the bland blue sky another gull flew in to draw attention away from the flat top of the Cedar! Perhaps the gulls arrival drew a group of passers-by to ascertain whether the gulls meant this spot was a good one for human Anglers?
          Close by a currently, very stark tree set back from the river bank by a narrow green sward stood a tower that I presumed might be a test for climbers with a viewing platform at its top. The trees by the bridge were typically stark for this early season and made even more so by the cloudless sky! And a man was exercising his dog by playing Fetch and throwing a stick into the river. Then as if on cue, a boating couple paddled slowly by and seemed to acknowledge my recording their efforts! As did a braver man who stood upright on his far steadier wide paddleboard.
          My further observations of this stretch of the river captured the stark wreck of an abandoned blue, decidedly Off road vehicle and further on an even sadder sight of a seriously damaged memorial stone to some loved, passed parents at presumably their favoured spot for watching the Wood and River Life from a roofed bench.
          At this early season of the year, when the sun is shining, it brings out the textures with its harsh light, of tilled fields and stark, leafless trees and gnarled bark. And then as it looked as if I had finally run out of subjects of interest for my camera, I hear the light sound of a small helicopter approaching to land! What a splendid way to finish my day’s shooting. I hope it gives as much pleasure to those who follow my blog; all the action took place correctly chronologically, with only early mention of the helicopter providing a teaser, being out of place timewise!