I was walking along one of the quieter roads in the locality on my daily walk today when I saw six magpies in the branches of a medium sized leafless Oak tree. I quickly raised my mobile phone to take a picture. Suddenly there was a movement of another creature right in front of me, I saw a brown four-legged creature walking slowly from behind a nearby tree. My first thought was what breed of dog is that? I realised it was a muntjac deer and promptly snapped a few photographs. The deer hopped over a low wall and raced off along the hedgerow into a nearby field. I never did get my photo of the magpies.
I began to walk along the clifftop path when, to my surprise and delight, a single medium-sized bird flew overhead. I was unsure what kind of bird it was until it suddenly started hovering over a patch of brambles. I quickly snapped a couple of photographs and a short video. Google Lens later identified it as either a peregrine falcon or a sparrowhawk. Sadly, I’m sure it was probably the latter, as I have seen a lot of sparrows or dunnocks flying around these brambles. I continued walking along the pathway and I noticed several gulls flying overhead and above the beach. I photographed a line of gulls perched on a line of posts, obviously part of a breakwater, showing above the waves.
I saw quite a few sparrows flying around in and out of the hebe shrubs on the promenade gardens. I was happy the predatory hawk I photographed earlier had disappeared, although sadly nature has ways and means of feeding the hungry. Today, I walked for 2.57 miles in 55 minutes. Google Fit awarded me 35 heart points.
Some beautiful, strong gold sunshine was swiftly melting a slight early morning frost. A flock of about 30 feral pigeons was flying around the rooftops of the industrial estate across the busy main road. Several corvids were feeding on the golf course grass, many of them jackdaws mingled with a few rooks. A lady passed by, walking a lively Pekinese-type dog, and I also passed a young woman with a brown poodle-type dog around the outskirts of the golf course. A single gull flew down onto the boating lake as I reached the clifftop viewpoint. I shot a short, dramatic video of the waves crashing into the seashore. The sound of the seawater dragging some small pebbles around on the beach was surreal. I also took a couple of still photographs of the white-topped waves rolling into the shore. A man walking a Golden Retriever walked along the clifftop path. I couldn’t resist taking a couple of photographs of some frost-covered tree mallow shrubs. In fact, the whole row of these shrubs alongside the clifftop pathway drooped and looked sorry for themselves. A lady walking a Jack Russell terrier wandered along the promenade with many other people, enjoying the cool, pleasant morning sunshine. Several hedge sparrows were flying around the hebe shrubs growing on the promenade gardens. Two men with two retrievers were laughing and watching their dogs barking loudly at each other. I’m sure dogs often symbolise and take on many of their owners’ characteristics. A lady with a well-behaved retriever-type dog ordered her dog to sit and wait while the barking was happening. A robin was perched on a twig at the edge of a shrub; the sunlight was shining on him, lighting up his vivid red breast. The people living in the bird-friendly house near the golf club entrance had just provided some food for the birds. About 10 gulls suddenly flew around, calling loudly to one another. A large flock of feral pigeons began circling around, and I noticed several jackdaws perched along the ridge of the rooftop. There were several corvids in the treetops growing along both sides of the main road towards the leisure centre, where I met up with Margaret. Today I walked for 2.25 miles in 46 minutes. Google Fit awarded me 28 heart points.
Although the sun was shining powerfully, there was quite a stiff breeze blowing when I left the house to commence my daily walk.
The rooks were loudly calling in the trees above the rookery as I walked along Foxy Lane. I began to walk around the outskirts of the recreation ground where a small group of about 10 rooks were feeding on the grass. As I approached, five of them flew over the hedgerow into the cemetery; the rest continued feeding slightly further away. A few dunnocks were flying back and forth into the shrubs that made up the hedgerow. It felt quiet without my friendly Pit Bull Terrier, who was sadly missing today, but the smaller dogs in a house not far away soon began yapping loudly. I entered the cemetery and began to make my way along the pathways. The powerful rays of the sun lit up the branches of a tree growing over the rookery. I took a couple of photographs of some rooks perched in the branches of a leafless tree growing above the rookery. A couple of small sparrow-like birds and a male and female blackbird flew off as I approached the entrance. I walked along Wey Road towards the leisure centre where I could see a small flock of feral pigeons sheltering from the wind on a factory rooftop in the industrial estate. I noticed a young lady walking with a Yorkshire Terrier by the cricket pavilion. My total distance for today was 2.66 miles in 58 minutes. Google Fit awarded me 25 heart points.
I find it incredible how hard it can be to use a valuable period of free time. Today, it has been raining practically non-stop. I have several online books to read and finish. I read a couple of chapters of one book, then moved on to playing a few games of bridge against a robot player. I then decided to catch up on a couple of online games of chess. I am now spending time writing, with some welcome sociable interjections from Margaret, who has just completed her regular daily selection of online word games and puzzles. All this is certainly going a long way to keep both our brains active and keep mental deterioration, such as dementia, at bay. Rather than allowing the dreary weather to slow us down, we decided to tackle a roster of mental tasks designed to keep us sharp and active, making the most of every unexpected hour!
Wild wind strips the leaves from a silver birch. Leaving a silver phantom ghostly sight An owl hoots from a nearby church.
Stormy winds batter this unsafe perch Passing birds fly high to avoid the sprite Wild wind strips the leaves from a silver birch.
A powerful gust causes a sudden lurch A ghostly sound shatters the silent night An owl hoots from a nearby church.
Bats silently hunt over the branches arch A ghostly figure in the dead of night Wild wind strips the leaves from a silver birch.
This powerful presence suffers sad besmirch Its silver branches swathed in moonlight An owl hoots from a nearby church.
Summer has gone and autumn takes flight In the cold feel of winter half-light Wild wind strips the leaves from a silver birch. An owl hoots from a nearby church.
Arthur’s knights cheered on Avalon A chapter of a well-lived carefree life The healing support saw stress long gone.
Upset with tears cruel days foregone An end to seemingly endless strife Arthur’s knights cheered on Avalon.
A firm shoulder with help to rely on A healing place without surgeons’ knife The healing support saw stress long gone.
A gentle support with space to move on People to turn to and to celebrate life Arthur’s knights cheered on Avalon.
Someone to call on, advice to rely on When fantasy problems seem to be real life The healing support saw stress long gone.
When sleep came easy from dusk to dawn With the past forgotten and new home life Arthur’s knights cheered on Avalon The healing support saw stress long gone.
The meaning of the word Avalon…. Avalon is a mythical island featured in Arthurian legends, often depicted as a paradise and a place of magical healing. It is most famously known as the resting place of King Arthur after his final battle, symbolizing both hope and eternal life.
I began my daily walk at 15:30, and immediately, the air felt heavy with the promise of night; dusk was rapidly drawing in. Barely ten paces from my doorstep, the rain hit—not a gentle drizzle, but an immediate deluge. It was the kind of rain that seemed to fall sideways, instantly transforming the pavement into a shining, obsidian sheet. I quickly fumbled, raising my umbrella to deploy the necessary shield just in time.
As I arrived at Foxy Lane, I spotted a young lady passing me by, walking two sturdy mongrel-type dogs. By this time, the rain had become so heavy that the dogs were utterly defeated, their fur clinging tightly to their bodies. They were both soaked to the skin, trotting with a philosophical resignation while their owner hurried past.
Moments later, a small tabby cat entered the scene. It moved with an acute awareness of the downpour, making a series of desperate, low sprints. Each dash ended abruptly at a doorstep, where the poor creature would huddle, using the slight overhang as its momentary sanctuary before sprinting to the next dry patch.
I started to walk around the leisure centre. The heavy rainwater was quickly filling the muddy pools and puddles along the path. Up ahead, through the shimmering curtain of rain and the reflective glare from the building’s exterior lights, I noticed the familiar sight of the man I usually see, walking his black Labrador. The dog moved with its usual eager, quiet purpose, its coat like polished black leather, catching the damp light as it pulled gently on its leash.
The thick black rainclouds above were contributing rapidly to the evening darkness, and the leisure centre lights were shining out brightly, illuminating the surrounding, wet area.
Finally, as I passed by our neighbour’s house, I saw the last dramatic spectacle of the evening. Framed perfectly in the well-lit window was their large white sheepdog. The moment I came into view, the dog sprang onto the settee and launched into a torrent of loud, throaty barks, scrambling its paws against the glass—a furious, woolly sentinel guarding the warmth within.
Despite the dramatic soaking, I walked for 1.98 miles in 45 minutes, a journey Google Fit deemed worthy of 18 heart points.
I ventured out on my walk earlier than usual today. There was a sharp breeze and watery sunshine as I walked towards Foxglove Lane. I noticed that most of the red berries had been stripped from the rowan trees by the wild birds.
A solitary crow
A solitary crow was underneath the pine trees, and, with a flapping of its great black wings, it took off as I approached.
A descriptive Haiku
Great wings flap for flight, Black coat leaves the cold pine trees, Shadow on the path.
I noticed two small flocks of about six blackbird-sized birds feeding on the grass amongst the larger birds. I took a couple of photographs of them, and Google Lens later identified them as mistle thrushes.
I left the recreation ground and noticed that my friend the pitbull terrier was missing from his garden.
Rooks
I entered the cemetery, where 20 rooks and several wood pigeons flew up from the verges between the graves.
The leaves on the smaller pathways were giving off a powerful, autumnal, decaying smell. A few small sparrows and finches were flying around the hedges.
I left the cemetery and as I passed by his garden again, I heard a single familiar bark and there was the pitbull, seated on his trampoline starting straight at me. I returned his stare with a smile and continued on my way.
A descriptive Haiku
Friend upon the net, Seated there, a single bark, Stares right into mine.
When I arrived at the town football ground, I noticed that on the border of the car park, a wild evening primrose plant had burst out with a couple of late, impressive yellow blooms.
johnandmargaret1607 