#Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 31/Mar/22

Tomorrow brings the first day of April, known in many lands as ‘all fools’ day’ or ‘April Fools’ Day’. It’s a strange custom, making fools of people, but there have been memorable instances of mass foolings here in the UK. Our renowned public broadcaster, the BBC once convinced most of the nation that spaghetti grows …

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A New Memorial is Unveiled.

Last weekend a new monument was unveiled in the Forest of Dean, at a location we often visit on our walks. We’ve been watching the construction over the months, and discovered it’s now complete.This is the Waterloo Colliery disaster monument. The mine had two shafts, 70m (230 feet) deep. The main shaft had an inclined …

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#Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 30/Mar/22

March comes to a close soon. Here in the forest, the sleeping trees begin to wake. They’ve spent the winter months at rest, some wrapped in the living green blanket of moss that, indiscriminate in its choice of support, will just as happily coat random rocks and fallen branches. The fresh green always brightens the …

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#Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 29/Mar/22

Metal birds stuck on a pole? This eye-catching sculpture of birds in flight (I think they may be geese or cranes, but can’t now recall!) stands by the footpath winding its way through a park by the river in Ross on Wye. We rarely walk in a manicured landscape, but we’d had some lunch here, …

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#Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 28/Mar/22

It is not alonethis road through treeshere are quite a fewsome in good conditionothers slowly rottingbut why are they herein this haven of naturewhat is or was their purposeup to eighty years agothey served as routesto carry coal iron stonedug from the groundbeneath the treesto the main linerailway that alsoonce split throughthis foresthow quiet it …

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#Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 27/Mar/22

Today, my mother would’ve been 102 years old. Unfortunately, she was killed in a traffic accident at the age of 44. A gifted painter, she never had the opportunity to demonstrate her skill and her eye properly. In her early life, she won a scholarship to a top art school in London. Unfortunately, her parents …

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#Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 26/Mar/22

Unseen here, the trees to the left harbour the nest of a buzzard pair. And, around the corner at the end, the path drops steeply toward the village. A short time ago, some trees were felled and then the trail was rutted by the tracks of heavy vehicles, the silence rent by the noise of …

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#Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 25/Mar/22

Weeping March willowwith dark dry unseeing eyessoaks sun ‘neath blue sky *****…*****You can view a few more of my pictures in the Gallery.Or search over 2000 of my images you might like to use for book covers, calendars, greetings cards, jigsaws, advertising, or anything else you fancy in print or online, or to order as …

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#Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 24/Mar/22

Can it really be just sixty yearssince that dark entrance witnessedsmoke and noise and smellas coal and iron and stonepassed through on metal tracksHow quickly trees and grassbracken briars and bushhave recovered the landand now a small streamflows where once thosemetal wheels pushed hardon iron rails now gone *****…*****You can see a few more of …

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#Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 23/Mar/22

Quiet the forestpatient calm serene and stillas we wander there *****…*****You can see a few more of my pictures in the Gallery.Or, perhaps, search over 2000 of my images that you might like to use for book covers, calendars, greetings cards, jigsaws, advertising, or anything else you fancy in print or online, or to order …

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#Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 22/Mar/22

This one is for the dog lovers, of whom there are many millions, of course! I used to think Leo was a malamute crossed with another breed, but I now know he's a Husky/Samoyed cross, as one of my neighbours has asked the owners and commented on here. I've therefore edited this post to reflect …

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#Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 21/Mar/22

Walking down this valley through the oaks on a day with bright sunshine and a soft breeze calms the spirit in a world so full of trouble. This is our sanctuary, our cathedral, our place of connection with the natural world. We come here often, a mile or so from our front door, and never …

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#Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 20/Mar/22

Golden grasses kissboards curving oversodden groundso walkers may crosssparing the wildlifelurking beneath A few of my pictures appear in the Gallery.Or you could search over 2000 here to use for book covers, calendars, greetings cards, jigsaws, advertising, or anything else you fancy in print or online, or as art quality prints to decorate your home …

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#Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 19/Mar/22

Blue the spring skyand blue the swollen riverempty the benchesawaiting bums to sitonce weather warmsthen will come canoesbrave souls swimming swans in pairs with new signetsherons perching one-leggedin search of elusive fishand trees of greenpacked full of songbirdscelebrating new life *****…*****A few of my pictures appear in the Gallery.But you can search over 2000 here …

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#Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 18/Mar/22

When first planted on the sloping field, these larch trees were placed in rows. It made it easier to put them in and will make it easier to harvest them. For they are a crop. The forest is a working forest, trees grown for timber. But, because it is also a nationally owned enterprise, Forestry …

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