Late Afternoon Local Walk

          My younger daughter and her family came to visit and, since they had spent the time mainly indoors, Lizzy prepared a cooked meal so that on their return it was ‘bath and beds’, to be ready in the morning for the return to School the next day. Once I had waved them off on their journey home the sun was yet to set, and I could not resist grabbing the camera and heading out. After almost immediately crossing the main road, I found beaming flowers inviting me to capture their images even before I had reached the path into the woods. It was gratifying to know that I had recorded these blooms before the onset of Autumn, and heading past the bend and onto the path into the woods. 
          Although the fresh, red berries were an announcement of the next season, there were still brave new leaves to suggest the current season was not yet over, and there were still blackberries to fully ripen; I succumbed to the temptation to sample a few after at least honouring their presence in a photo! The versatility of this camera allowed me to squat to record a shot of the slow passage of a slug across the path. Later, on my return home I was able to note it had survived the wheels of bikes and the feet of passing humans, though unable to confirm whether this was as a result of fewer evening footfalls, pure chance, or simply a different slug in a similar spot on the return trip. 
          I feel there is great beauty and power in clouds and I often find myself drawn to capturing them both alone in towering power, or restful backdrops to buildings, hills, landscapes, lakes, sea, or trees — theirs is an attraction I have felt over years and they still retain this power. 
          This walk was not over long, nor was there a wind to make vast and rapid changes to their form or stature, but they nevertheless changed their structure during the few minutes that elapsed as I walked on both my outward and return journey, which exercised my limbs as well as my imagination and enjoyment of the late afternoon.

Afternoon at Stewartby Woods and Lake

               I had spotted an entry to the woods with a broken gate, now open wide. I parked on the opposite side of the road to investigate further, but soon spotted something of interest in the nearby hedge — some three examples of the industrious work of Labyrinth spiders. Perhaps because of the consistent noise of passing vehicles, these seemed less shy of my bringing my camera to bear to capture shots of the makers of their homes and the means of regular food provision at the front entrance to their homes!

               Having taken two of my cameras from the car, I locked it, and crossed the road with them, and followed the path into the woods. I found that the path around the lake has been carefully improved to provide what will ultimately circle the entire lake; currently the reason the path circling the lake is incomplete is because of construction work on the forthcoming Rookery South power station. Upon my entry to the woods, it was not long before I spotted one of my personal favourite insects, hoverfly.

               I have no idea, since this was my first introduction to these woods, how frequented these woods are, but in the short walk along the path, I was very disappointed by the number of discarded poo bags were in evidence, and other examples of ill-disciplined human litterbugs with carelessly discarded crisp packs. Why is it so much bother to retain food packaging and dispose of it upon return from a pleasant walk in the woods? During my visit, I saw very few people, yet had I counted the bottles, cans, doggy poo bags and the like discarded, the numbers of such detritus far exceeded the number of human individuals I encountered, which is a really sad statement of how we treat our environment. Many people now have few personal spaces around their homes, so these Public Spaces are really valuable areas for recreation and relaxation, and should be treasured.

               Bedfordshire is a lucky county, in that the past scars on the landscape caused by the extraction of clay have been reclaimed as lakes and woodland for the enjoyment and relaxation for everyone. Just a little thought by everyone for how much enjoyment can be had in these places would mean all visitors who come here to walk, play and relax could be rewarded by the sights and sounds to be found in these places. Rant over — enjoy the shots of spiders, bees, butterflies, hoverflies, wildflowers, tree-lined avenues, and lake views.

Brogborough Lake PhotoTherapy

After a trip to two separate supermarkets for food supplies, with moderate success in these straitened times, I returned to do a small amount of housekeeping, then made up my mind to see whether in the short space of time before a link up with the Adobe US Prerelease Team’s fortnightly Internet Meeting, I could capture some of the late afternoon sunshine at Brogborough Lake. Although the Windsurfers’ area is closed, there is a path which follows the shore, that is mainly a spot favoured by dog walkers. I took a stroll from the entrance to the left of the Windsurfers’ area, and finding the surface of the lake still in the absence of even the slightest zephyr stirring the water, took a few shots that told the story of the lake’s origins — having exhausted the supply of good brick-making clay, faulty brick detritus, littered the lake bottom in abundance, clearly visible in the shots that open the gallery of images.

I was out of luck if I had entertained any idea of finding Dragonflies, as although not cold, there had not been enough warmth to tempt them out in the late afternoon, but I stayed by the reeds for a short while in case I might catch sight of any such activity, but in vain!

I walked further along the bank looking carefully in the vegetation, before finding a tree that stood clear in the afternoon sunlight, and other lakeside scenes that caught my eye, as in the past when taking this walk, the pylons have always seemed like walking giants that have been frozen in time during a march across the landscape, and against a clear blue sky, this is not the first time I have taken photos of their strides. I also spied a lone poppy, and a conspiracy of ravens, that makes me wonder what the collective name for pylons should be? — a March of pylons?

Sadly, though I did spy a lone Grebe, and Swan, both were at a distance, so on this LockDown Walk, landscapes,and lake views predominate, but they lifted my spirits, and at the end of the day (to coin a phrase!) that was was the purpose of my trip. I hope they can provide viewers of this blog a similar lift in spirits. I took a long walk in the woods capturing shots of the overgrown paths, and some of the plants, leaves and blossom that caught my eye on the journey. I hope it will not be too long before I can meet up with family again, because my own company is less than adequate.

Getting Ever Closer to Completion

Jarvis Foresters, Harpenden – Less of a Building Site

Grass and finished paths makes the whole area look more and more like a completed development, and as I entered there were people looking to deliver some of the incomers’ fittings. The sun was shining brightly on the grass, round the back, blossom was appearing on the shrubs. Almost all the paths are now gravel composite where there was tarmac before, and only a few areas remain to be turfed.

Down below the basement is no longer a storage area, but has yet to be marked out for the parking bays, but the security gates are in place, but not yet motorised. Upstairs floor coverings are down in the communal areas, the lifts have their protective sheeting removed as have the glass panels on the staircases, so the next fortnight or so will soon see tenants moving in, and the sounds of construction will be a distant memory, and a new chapter will begin for the new residents.

Jarvis Foresters – Paths and Pavers

Toureen Mangan are once again hard at it laying down the tarmac for the paths, which are due an epoxy bonded gravel top surface eventually, the topsoil is down for the grass turf which is due any day now, possibly going down upon the arrival of the forecast rain later this week.

I arrived somewhat late in the afternoon having been absorbed with other work in the morning and early afternoon. The entrance to the site was having the last of the pavers being laid at the service road end as I made my entrance. At the other end, they were also laying the last few blocks as I left the site; the area I had seen started on my last visit was now complete bar the edges. At the far end to the right one of the drains was being given a thorough check and found to be flowing well.

I managed to capture yet another kitchen being completed, and I was able to take some high-level shots from the balcony. And around the back the garden path was tarmacced, and the turves laid much earlier now looked like a lawn.

This is definitely the countdown. Somehow I need to get down to the show the final turf going down within a couple of days, and by that time the entrance to the underground car park should be clear so that it can be emptied for the various bays can be painted.