There and Back

After a December with a reasonable amount of snow, it was to be expected that in January when the temperature rose a bit, the floods would come. Or at least a big rise in river levels. This year the rivers rose a lot, but peaked just short of flooding. Here in Layham, our little River Brett gave the opportunity of a few photos. The mill pond at its highest I had seen, short of flooding. ... and looking back across the mill pond from the footbridge.  I wonder why this is called Water Lane! Normally a narrow, but dry, lane in Layham. Even 30 mph is out of the question I think. This house, part of the old mill/granary complex, stands on blocks which normally keep it clear of the water. This time they have disappeared under!  On the opposite side of the road, their tennis court is somewhere here!  A normally shallow and placid stream nearby.  Most of the year this is virtually dry but today it was taking the bulk of the Brett overflow

After the cold of Winter it is always a heartwarming sight to see the first signs of spring. A visit to the Castle grounds in Colchester provided a perfect opportunity to see Crocus in their glory. Well worth a look. Crocus in the Colchester Castle Park Close up of some of these glorious little flowers.  Then, to see a great display of Snowdrops, a visit to another castle, this time Hedingham. Open every year for this beautiful display  Some closer images of the Snowdrops.  Spring would not be complete without Catkins! This display was in Lackford Lakes, north of Bury St Edmunds.  Beside numerous other buds appearing in the hedgerow, there were plenty of Horse Chestnut buds to be seen. It just lifts the spirits to see winter retreating and Spring and Summer just round the corner!  Then, of course, there are Daffodils. Always a Spring favourite. Forsythia in full bloom Cherry Plum (Nigra)

One of our favourite seasides is Walton On The Naze, and it was to Walton, as is generally known, that we decided to spend the day. It's surprising what you can see when you are not in a hurry, and having a camera and photographs in mind. A good starting point is at the landmark point of the Naze Tower.  The Hanoverian tower, more commonly known as the Naze Tower, is situated at the start of the open area of the Naze. It was a navigational tower, constructed to assist ships on this otherwise fairly feature-less coast. Visitors can climb the 111-step spiral staircase to the top of the 86-foot (26 m) tower for a 360 degree view of the beach and countryside. The Naze Tower features a museum with exhibits about the tower, the ecology and geology of the Naze, and the coastal erosion problem. The tower also features a private art gallery on six floors with changing exhibits several times a year, and a tea room.  The present tower was built in 1720–21 by Trinity House, and

The Essex & Suffolk Hunt is reputed to have been started by Sir William Rowley in 1791 with a pack of hounds purchased from the Duke of York. The pack was kept in kennels at Tendring Park, Stoke by Nayland. In the mid 19th Century the kennels were moved to Stratford St Mary by Captain White. During the second World War the kennels moved to their present location at Layham but it was not until after the War that it was decided that the Essex and Suffolk sides should join up and the country has been hunted as a whole ever since. Although I am not a fan of hunting, it is interesting to see what is an established part of country life for many people. I walk past the kennels several times a week, so see the hounds exercising regularly. It never ceases to amaze me how the Kennel Huntsman controls the hounds on the roads around here - very skillful indeed. Heading for pre meeting drinks. `One must have a sip of the hard stuff before one rides off` `Thank you

As in most years, 2010 had a great many wonderful things to offer in `the wild`. From birds and insects, to colours and shapes. Here are a few of them as I captured them digitally. We are surrounded by amazing things and it is so easy to pass them by. That is why the camera is a great tool for capturing these things and turning them into memories. Long Tailed Tit in the garden Jackdaw in Pembrokeshire.. Swan on the Brett, mirrored in the river. Green Woodpecker feeding its young. Drinker Moth caterpillar Blister Beetle Thrift growing in abundance on the cliff path near Little Haven. Ransoms or Wild Garlic Lords-and-Ladies or Cuckoo Pint. Dandelion head Dark Mullein Orchid Thistle  Peacock Butterfly Ruddy Darter Common Blue Swallowtail - Britain's largest butterfly Small Skipper Burnett Four Spotted Chaser Follo