An oak grove in the Forest of Dean. Oaks, those trees most considered British by so many, have built warships, cargo vessels, churches, schools, cottages, furniture, coastal defences, and so much more. Here, in a grove under May sunshine, they grow slowly, harbouring many different lifeforms, giving shade, and providing a beautiful location for a …
Continue reading #Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 05/May/22
Beech trees in the Forest of Dean Dappled May sunshine on a narrow path winding between beech trees in the Forest of Dean (((((((((((----)))))))))) I’m offline till 19th May, so can’t respond to comments, likes, follows, or questions. But please interact and I’ll do my best to catch up with everything on my return. Also, …
Continue reading #Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 04/May/22
Footpath Through Bourts Inclosure in the Forest of Dean Afternoon sunlight sneaks through the narrow gap in the canopy to brighten the early leaves of deciduous trees coming to life after a long winter rest among the firs, pines and larches. (((((((((((----)))))))))) I’m offline till 19th May, so can’t respond to comments, likes, follows, or …
Continue reading #Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 03/May/22
East Lyn River Valley, Devon. The narrow river valley of the East Lyn River as it flows down to the sea in Devon. How patient is nature in its carving of our natural world. How long, I wonder, did it take for flowing water to cut through the rocky hills and form this lovely landscape? …
Continue reading #Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 02/May/22
Beeches in the Forest of Dean What forces of nature caused one of these neighbouring trees to stay upright while the other is twisted and torn to the ground? Wind, of course. One of the climatic elements we humans are causing to increase in speed and violence with our unending search for inconsequential things to …
Continue reading #Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 01/May/22
Quiet flows the Wye In its course through a vale Long carrying the label Area of outstanding beauty Lined with multitude trees Watering pasture and meadow Feeding fish and anglers Supporting duck and goose Swan heron and kingfisher Reflecting wide skies And thoughts of wonder At Earth’s natural bounty. +++++++++++++++++ Much of humanity lives …
Continue reading #Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 30/Apr/22
https://medium.com/@stuartaken/up-up-and-away-3cb347f60e37 Not the balloon we flew in, but a larger one that took off at the same time. On Easter Monday, Valerie celebrated her 70th birthday. But we don’t do crowds, or Bank Holidays, so we deferred our celebration for a more special, personal, experience. Her last entry on her bucket list was a Hot …
Continue reading Up, Up, and into the Sky!
Weeds we call them and condemn But in spring before more flowers form Our friends the bees emerge hungry And find these golden blooms Ever a source of sustenance To keep them flying until Those cultivated blooms appear So, maybe avoid the death spray Until later in the season? +++++++++++++++++ Much of humanity lives among …
Continue reading #Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 29/Apr/22
In any season of the passing year Still water reflects its surroundings And leads us to move with it Finding in those natural echoes The seeds of love and respect For all that nature brings to us +++++++++++++++++ Much of humanity lives among natural wonders, though many millions also dwell in ugly, overcrowded, unsanitary …
Continue reading #Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 28/Apr/22
A natural fence/handrail? I love the way this eccentric wooden barrier blends so well with its location. The whole place carries the air of an imaginary fantasy scene. +++++++++++++++++ Much of humanity lives among natural wonders, though many millions also dwell in ugly, overcrowded, unsanitary slum cities, of course. Some people ignore and others actively …
Continue reading #Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 27/Apr/22
The Bard, William Shakespeare, would have been 458 years old sometime around today; a veritable Methuselah! Of course, our national playwright died on 23rd April 1616. According to tradition, he was born on 23 April 1564, but that’s speculation. We do know, however, he was baptised on 26th of that month. I wonder what he’d …
Continue reading #Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 26/Apr/22
These ancient scowles have been trod by Iron Age settlers, Romans and their slaves, film and TV actors, and people like you and me. Puzzlewood, an unusual geological space in the Forest of Dean, has a long and somewhat mysterious history. Formed when cave systems were exposed at the Earth’s surface and subsequently collapsed, it’s …
Continue reading #Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 25/Apr/22
For how many million yearshas the headland facedunquiet seasfor how many more will itstand unchanged indifferentto humanity’s brief span? +++++++++++++++++ Much of humanity lives among natural wonders, though many millions are also forced to dwell in ugly, overcrowded, unsanitary slum cities, of course. Some people ignore and others actively dislike natural beauty, even working to …
Continue reading #Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 24/Apr/22
Years, nay decades, nay centuries have breathed life into these ancient giants. They stand, one beneath the cliff of a quarry long neglected, the other above an abyss that’s the space left by an even more ancient quarry. Their location is known and enjoyed only by the adventurous few who travel boar trails, weave through …
Continue reading #Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 23/Apr/22
It is possible for humanity live in the landscape without ruining it with high-rise buildings, ugly warehouses, and industrial monstrosities. But, of course, that would require us to stop breeding like rabbits, reduce our overburdening numbers, and live with nature instead of trying to either overrule or actively destroy it.This shot is of the charming …
Continue reading #Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 22/Apr/22
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