Walk around Willington

I needed to be outside in the fresh air, and I decided to go to a spot on the river close to the Danish Camp and the Dovecote Building, but to take a different route from that which I had taken on earlier occasions. I parked my car a short walk from the Dovecote, and with my camera with the 60-600mm on the EOS R6 attached to my monopod, and a camera bag over my shoulder with a shorter lens with its macro facility within I took to a path via a gate that once open fell several inches, making closing it a struggle as it was a bit of a juggle to lift back when closing. Little did I realise I was destined to retrace my steps because my battery was lower than expected, and worse still was my backup battery was also fully discharged! Fortunately there was another back in my car, and that was fully charged. Hardly the mark of a professional! So the walk of Shame was justified. The time lost and energy consumed meant that less time was spent in sunshine.

Although I was hearing birdsong for much of the afternoon, I only occasionally actually was able to catch sight of the songsters, and only to glimpse a speedy low level flight from one bush side of my path to the other. The only bird that did feature was a pigeon, and it kept a wary eye on me and only allowed me a chance to move sideways to better frame it, at the hint of a move closer it took flight! 

There had either been less rain here or recent winds had dried the paths, for the going was the best I had encountered for a couple of weeks elsewhere. The greens were bright here, and the paths were winding making pleasing compositions, and the better weather had brought out canoeists that I was able to capture by moving to gaps in the tree cover when alerted to the sounds of their paddles. At one stage I was able to get a couple of shots of some mandarin ducks, and due to the long lens the chain link fence was rendered out of focus that gave the birds the chance to feel safe and ignore my presence.

On my return journey, I managed to miss the point at which I joined the path, and even had to ask a family group directions back to the Dovecote — I am glad I asked, because without their guidance I might well have taken a different choice and added even further to the distance I travelled to return to the car, and my back was definitely beginning to ache from the camera and rucksack. It was undoubtedly a good choice to use the monopod rather than a tripod, because it was sufficiently stable in the prevailing light levels.

I had enjoyed the chance of the fresh air and the exercise, and felt that the photographs I had managed to take were a good record of the time spent.

Foggy Stockwood Discovery Centre

Ex-Stockwood gardener Jan and I met up to take photos in the gardens. She brought along her newly acquired macro lens and I had got a call earlier whilst it was still raining and I was about to set off, and I thought: Despite her desire to get more experience with the lens, she might be calling to say that the meeting was off due to the weather. I had misjudged her – the call was to see whether I might be calling it off due to the conditions. Both of us were willing to take the chance on it improving as it happened, so I started the car, and headed South, but I did choose to to use the country roads! By the time I entered the car Park at the Centre, the rain had stopped leaving just a foggy day, and one small benefit – there would be lots of raindrops on the leaves and flowers, and a soft light retaining more colour. The downside being that invariably we would need higher ISOs and steadier hands as shutter speeds would be marginal. Jan had arrived only minutes before and was just stepping out of her car as I initially came alongside, though realising the cars either side were perilously close, I took another slot with more space.

We both then headed for the entrance where Jan was greeted warmly by the staff, before we then headed into the gardens. At first we simply chatted as we walked around to see what was there that warranted photographing, I took out my camera and Jan then took the opportunity to catch up with a few of her erstwhile colleagues before returning and pointing out some plants of particular interest. That would often mean that we would get engrossed in one area and the other would wander further afield, time would pass and then we would find each other, share our captured images, then Jan would point out something I had not spotted. Members of the public who recognised her would chat and learn she had retired, or other staff members would involve her in conversation, it was obvious she was very fondly remembered and they were happy to see her back as a visitor. Every so often I would help her with some of the settings on the camera, or offer suggestions for framing. It is always a delight in offering guidance to those keen to learn more about improving their picture-taking and Jan has really enjoyed gaining a greater understanding of how to improve upon the pictures she takes, which I find particularly heartwarming.

Jan was very handy from my angle as she knew where to expect the new signs of growth, and headed for those, so I would look to see where she went next and head on over to see what she had found. This meant we found ourselves covering different corners, some I have rarely visited, like the chickens, where she recounted some of their history; we also visited the historical area where she explained how some of the horse paraphernalia on display were not all hung in the same orientation, an error which I found particularly poor on behalf of the Museum Staff, as this area is important educationally and should be displayed without ambiguity as this is a really vital resource which needs to be interpreted accurately, I learned that despite her making the point, no one had corrected these errors; that actually angered me as it devalued the display and history has to be reported accurately for it to be of value. Visual History is more powerful often than verbal or written history, so it is vital that it be seen to be correct. This section of the grounds was too dark to consider the taking of photos handheld, but I did make an attempt in the case of one small animal.

We returned to the gardens and by the exit took advantage of some of the items displayed for sale, before moving to have hot chocolate and Caramel shortcakes and a relaxing chat with my swapping out her card to my camera, so she could view her work on a larger review screen, and also for her to view some of my shots, before we both headed in different directions, having enjoyed our time together capturing the ongoing season in the gardens, one of Luton’s gems. On this occasion it was school holiday time, so was very much alive to the sounds of young children enjoying what discoveries they find; which in some cases was simply to run around in a safe environment!

Marston Moretaine Crocuses and Daffodils

Tuesday heralded the arrival of sunshine and walking to post a letter I caught sight of crocuses and a couple of daffodils on the triangle of grass by the flower box, and so on my return I grabbed a camera and two lenses to take shots to add to my collection of images for use as greetings cards, where often I create space within the composition to carry the relevant message – seasonally relevant images are always handy, and those composed with space for text is always useful, and this group was no exception, some also lend themselves to squares where any message is carried above or below. The challenge was to keep low and close-up, so lying down was essential since it had rained the night before, and I used two lenses: the 300mm prime and the 24-70mm both with and without using its macro facility.

They were taken before the visit to Peter Carr, but those took precedence purely because in bringing them into Lightroom meant they could be dealt with straightway, and I could return to these later, which is what I have now done. If it helps others with ideas then the gallery will have served a purpose.

Two Studham Floral Displays

Driving through Studham on the way to Dagnall and eventually Ashridge Forest, I spotted two bankside garden beds awash with Spring colour and felt I just had to stop and come back to grab some shots they were just too good to miss.

I parked round the corner from the main road beyond the Pub, and decided that shooting with the 300mm although would be challenging to get close, would isolate individual flowers and show them against a strongly blurred background, and so it proved – I was a good distance away, and was lucky there was a narrow pavement to help me keep safe from passing cars!

As I moved across the road having taken shots in the first garden, the house owners returned, so I thought it best to explain what I had been doing, and fortunately the owner was more than happy.

The second garden bed was much smaller, and also sported a fine dandelion display! But what struck me here was a pure white daffodil alongside a yellow one that looked as if it had been sprayed with white paint. It is this pair that heads this piece.

Signs of Spring at Last

If work is not flooding in then I hope for good weather. Thursday offered me generally misty sunshine, so I headed for the Grand Union Canal close to Ledburn, hoping to find images that showed Spring was here.

Along the way, I spotted interesting chimneys, extreme rustic dilapidation, an interestingly sited church, a happy white pony, several locks and bridges over the canal, one village had an absolute mass of varied coloured daffodils which provided a beautiful set of images of the charming doorway to a cottage named Cottesloe.

The weeping willow that overhung the canal and the white walled canalside cottage was beautiful in the spring sunshine, and another bridge provided interesting shapes and colour. The towpath was being used by fishermen, cyclists, dog walkers and lone walkers. In Wingrave, there was a charming piece of topiary over a house entrance, and on the way towards Mentmore, the rolling fields were being ploughed by a tracked tractor in the distance.

Altogether, a reasonably productive afternoon.

Oxford Country Life

Tuesday, and I just had to get away from the computer to do some photography. Driving in the direction of Oxford was not my first choice, but I did want somewhere different, and the upper reaches of the Thames sprang to mind, but travelling without Jane (my trusty SatNav) I was at the mercy of my flawed bump of locality and the regional highways planners desire to put me on the A40 or M40 at all costs, and to make it very difficult to find small villages when close to the metropolis of Oxford, despite its abhorrence of the motor car.

I came close to Garsington and immediately off the main road towards Denton there was a passing place sufficiently close to another on the opposite side, so I felt it was safe to park for a short while. I had spotted some very large well-fed crows in a field largely given over to dandelions, but they were averse to my capturing them in this setting, so having readied my camera, I chose to start on my lunch.

Soon I spotted an ingenious farming vehicle equipped to muck-spread, involving twin augurs or Archimedes screws that flung dung far and wide from a large hopper. It was sufficiently intriguing to warrant my recording it in action. Having taken some shots that illustrated how it worked, I spotted a Red Kite circling low overhead, and was soon doing my best to get some shots. It was soon joined by its mate and they both gently soared around together, enjoying the mild warmth and some gentle thermals. I had a chat with the driver when he had evacuated the bowels of his vehicle, and learnt that there were several Red Kites in the vicinity, and suggested where I might go to catch sight of more.

As it turned out I only saw one more, and although hovering, it was far more distant; instead I found a tit and a one-legged pheasant, and several displays of flowers – tulips, daffodils, magnolia and purple clumps on drystone walls. I also met several women out walking their dogs or with young children, who were generally happy to chat. Later, rather than drive straight back I stopped off at Marsworth and Tringford reservoirs and found some young duck families in the last rays of the evening sun.

A Bright Wednesday in the Walled Garden

Having missed the Sunday event at Luton Hoo, I wanted to see how the team restoring a Dairy cart were getting on, and now the days were getting both sunnier and warmer, see whether some of the plants were catching up.

There was still a cold breeze when I first arrived, and there were a good number of volunteers judging by the number of vehicles, but oddly it did not look crowded with people, I later gathered there was a meeting discussing future plans.

The restoration team were not due till after one, so I wandered around the greenhouses and garden first. And later met the three main restorers who were now cleaning up the springs for the cart, then later was shown a room I had never been in and found an old bus sign and odd finials. There was discussion this might well become a tea shop.

I also recorded some very obvious signs of subsidence damage evident in the brickwork of the potting shed outhouses.There was an abundance of tulips many yet to open, but still snowdrops, daffodils and bluebells and some blossom appearing on the fruit trees.

The sun had brought out the bees and they were once again swarming around a water trough.

Westcott Day, followed by Bulbourne and Tringford flowers

A bright day with a chance to see how Lizzy’s garden was progressing and to see the kitchen in sunshine provided a few interesting examples of colour, light and shade.

A day or two later, visit Bulbourne to see the Blacksmith where there was a beautiful display of Spring flowers rarely all seen at the same time, daffodils, tulips, and early bluebells with some dandelions thrown in for good measure! Then on to Tringford to meet the man who introduced me to the bailiff, which allowed me to capture life on both the stream and the reservoir, there in his garden were poppies and tulips.

There were Greylag, Canada Geese, a Heron, Coots and a Grebe to be found in flight, on the water and on the ground in a field still with blossom on the trees, yet at long last the day had the warmth of coming summer.

Later still, and I took a walk along the Wendover Arm of the Grand Union canal, and managed to get up close and personal to a Starling. Fishermen were to be found in abundance as were cyclists, families with children and dogs and a few slowly chugging narrowboats. A woman was knitting seated by the towpath and a man ensconced with his Sunday newspaper outside his galley. Birds were to be seen gathering twigs for nest-building others sang invisibly in the bushes, and overhead were the occasional sounds of light aircraft, cattle lowed in the fields nearby and the horses wandered slowly with swishing tails – the midges and seemingly mosquitoes were the reason for that. There were some very strange canoes on the canal looking very precariously low in the water.

The shot of the anchor was especially for Catherine.