The weather forecast was not good for Saturday, a bright start but getting cloudy as the day wore on. As it turned out, the sunshine would last all day.
We set out from the house and down into the main part of the village, before turning westward to a row of WW2 concrete structures that can be seen on our way home. The whole area around our village was sealed off during the war, as it was the front line, and on either side of the Channel, Britain and Germany built huge artillery guns and lobbed shells at each other. Several of these guns were in our village, and a railway was built to transport the shells. Anyway, it became clear that the structures were weapon storage buildings and there is even a low platform which I guess helped to unload the wagons.
We were treated to some different views of the village, looking wonderful in the bright sunshine and the greens of the fields looking stunning. I took a few shots to record the views, and a good view of our part of the village. After half an hour we turned back and wandered back to the village, called in the shop for a loaf for lunch and then the amble back home.
We sat in the garden reading in the warm sunshine, whilst the cats wandered around demanding attention/food/whatever they could get. It was all rather good I have to say.
I took to the sofa at half one to watch Manchester United win the Premier League with a draw at Blackburn, and then pour another beer in anticipation to the FA Cup Final in which even though it was a poor game, it was compelling, Manchester City beat Stoke by a single goal to lift the cup. Time to get those legs working, Ian!
The forecast for Sunday was even better, and so after looking through a list of gardens in our area, we settled on Mt Ephram the other side of Canterbury. As we set off the cloud seemed to be getting thicker instead of thinning, but what the hell.
We arrived and were confronted by a small car park with a request written on a blackboard to put our entrance fees in an honesty box. This we did, and our attention was immediately caught by a field of either Llamas or Alpacas. Having gone away to do some Googling, I can confirm these were Alpacas. They look like a sheep crossed with a giraffe, which is a thought.
Anyway, they seemed curious enough and I snapped a few of them especially their faces. Anyway, we turned and headed to the gardens. I think what made Mt Ephram better than the average, as their not quite unkempt feel, but certainly the weeding was getting behind, but the overall feel was of a semi-natural garden, situated between the large house and the small stream at the bottom of the small valley, and then up through the woodland on the other side of the stream Needless to say, in years gone by the stream had been dammed and a large ornamental lake formed.
Having a macro lens means I study more than ever, the minute detail that nature has designed. Sometimes the patterns created are just stunning. Flowers, leaves, trees, ferns all have magical elements to them, sheer simple beauty in the way they grow or attract insects. I snap away. Once over the stream and into the woods, there are a few scattered rhododendrons in amongst the trees. Each one slightly different in design or colour from its neighbour. Such joy in something so simple again.
After a while we head off from the gardens to find a place to get a drink and maybe a sandwich. But it being a Sunday our first port of call, a pub, is just serving Sunday dinner; and despite it smelling delicious we really just wanted a sandwich. So, we head off for a fine pub we knew was just down the road. But, we could not find the Four Horseshoes, and after following a wandering country lane for a few miles came across the Dove. We park on the side of the road and find the same story; no snacks, just wonderful meals. In a surprise we make do with a bag of crisps along with our drink and we sit in the one free table and watch the locals.
I snap the bar to upload to Flickr, and then a woman comes up to me and asks:
Are you Jelltex from Flickr?
I say, ‘Errrr, yes’
Oh, I follow your photostream says she.
I am lost for words, she explains that from time to time I post shots of myself on Flickr, and I was inside a pub shooting the bar, so it wasn’t a great stretch for her. Even though, it was pretty freaky all the same.
We drain our glasses and head home, calling in at McDonalds for a deli sandwich and an ice cream as we couldn’t think of anything else. This should have been a warning to me to get the loaf out that was in the freezer for the weeks packed lunches; but no. It carried on being frozen.
And then back to the sofa for more football.
At half four I headed out into Dover to snap a steam locomotive that was due to pass through. And in a turn up it was dead on time, which caught me out as I still had the lens caps on my two cameras and was very flustered, but did get some good shots anyway.
And then back home to listen to the end of the Wigan/West Ham game, which in the end saw the Hammers relegated and much gnashing of teeth by their supporters.
And so the weekend endeth, and we get ready for another week at the keyboard in the office.
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