It has been pointed out that maybe the weekends are becoming a little predictable: what with Tesco, croissants and maybe some orchid hunting later. Well, the orchid season is just about over for another year, and I think I saw some 29 species, which is pretty impressive, and I think I just missed two: the Early Marsh (only found at one site in the county) and the Burnt Tip, which is so rare in the county that the wardens won't tell anyone where it can be found. We shall see. I have a lead and will look come next spring.
And so, yesterday did begin with Tesco, then I headed out to Jollies for bird and badger food. Only then did we have coffee and croissants. With almost all the chores done, the day and the weekend stretched out before like a stretched out thing. But that was to change as stuff started to pop into my head and onto my Facebook feed.
First up we headed out to Medway to visit a church, one we had photographed last year but found locked, but after a quick Google search I found that it is open each day this summer to encourage visitors. You know, that might just work....
So we headed up the A2 and then through Faversham and back into the country, under the motorway and into the undiscovered part of the county. Or another one of the undiscovered parts anyway.
Wychling is situated down a good road, through two villages, by which time the road is narrow and going can be slow as the tractors and landrovers coming the other way take most of the road. But in time we came to Wychling, and through the small village out the other side, and almost un-noticed by the passer by is a small layby, big enough for a single small car, and there almost obscured is the sign for St Margarets'.
The church itself is situated away from the road over a small meadow and in a small clearing in the ancient wood. It is an almost perfect setting for a country church. The door was open so we went in.
The church itself is unusual shaped, and without memorials inside. But there is a set of steps that once might have lead to the rood loft, but now leads to a small balcony, which gave wonderful views down onto the main body of the church.
After getting the shots, we headed back home for lunch, and it was we ate I saw that the two Lancasters from the BOBMF were going to be visiting Kent, and in particular do a fly by over Littlestone. So, I said to Jools I would go out and snap them, and she decided to stay home and do some beading. So, with the football blaring on the radio I headed to Ashford and then onto the coast road to Breznet.
Once at Lydd I headed for Dungeness and doubled back down the coast road to Greatstone. Already waiting were some photographers who said they were coming down the coast from Eastbourne, and we all though this would mean them flying right over us. I could see a small crows a couple of miles down the coast at littlestone, and thought I would stay where I was.
I got talking to a guy with an air scanner, and he gave us the countdown as the bombers approached. Only they were over Ashford! Seems like they cut across country, and sure enough over the cliffs north of Folkestone we could see the shapes, distant shapes, but most certainly Lancasters.
as we watched, they turned slowly, and in time it was clear they were coming towards us. Soon we could make out the markings and the Spitfire and Hurricane acting as outriders. But just as it seemed they were going to fly over, they lazily banked and headed inland. They did a large turn, making another identical pass over Littlestone before heading away to Headcorn and another airshow. I had some shots, not good shots, but still. I got to see the lancs, which I was not expecting when I got up.
Back in the car I turned the radio on to hear that Man Utd were struggling even with their new manager, indeed, as the second half went on they fell behind again and did not recover, so lost again. You've got to laugh.
At three most of the games kicked off, and it became clear that we are now back off the radar, as they was no reporter at Carrow Road, and so I just got score updates, but as they were 1-0, 2-0 and 3-0, I was happy with that. But most of the attention was on the prem, as if the rest of football did not matter. Especially galling was their assertion that football was back, despite 72 of the professional teams had played the week before!
City ran out 3-0 winners against Watford, but it seems that some more players might leave before the end of the month as the window nears the closing date on the 31st.
That evening we sat out on the patio with just the fading light of the day, and four flickering candles illuminating us. I took the opportunity to snap then for a Two Ronnies referenced shot.... Worked for me.
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