Summer

A view here of this, what we used to call 'The waterfall' in the country park of Park Bridge. Always a pleasant sight, especially in this lighting. many times I have seen people taking a quick picnic sat on the rocks on the left here. On our return trip today, we passed some boys taking a quick dip in here in their underclothes. Not a thing that I would do, as in years passed, this was one of the most polluted rivers in this area. See too, my alternative views and times here. (ps -this is my second posting as I accidentally deleted this from here some minutes back.)

A few days ago, I had the pleasure to review a holiday we had way back in 2011. We stayed for a week, out of season in a holiday home, near a small commune called Cecina, about two miles from the sea and 30 miles south of Pisa. I present here, over the next couple of weeks my pleasant memories of this area starting with an iconic Tuscan landscape, taken on our way to the beautiful towns of Volterra and Siena.

Looking like a rustic cross on its side here, is part of the fence to the back of our Devonshire cottage we hired last year. To the back of that were vast fields of wheat that rattled in the breeze but unfortunately not a red poppy in sight. The brown rusty leaves on here, old Ivy I think, were a bonus. Ps –maybe like me, you will now have that wonderful song of the same name in your head. If not, this might help: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JS9P8d2iOc HFF, enjoy your weekend

Just about 10km south from our accommodation at Cecina is this small but pleasant seaside resort of Mariana di Bibbona. Like lots of the beaches around here, many places are reserved for those that are willing to pay. I – well, I wander around with my camera looking for scenes like this, and I very seldom sit down to sun-bathe. Hope you enjoyed this free view as much as I did. Especially in full screen Ps - We will visit the hillside village of Bibbona later.

Another in my ‘Memories of Tuscany’ series here. We have now left the iconic hilltop town of Volterra but it can still be seen here high on a plateau in the background hills. Before us is the typical landscape of Tuscany framed by a gap in this old wooden fence. Of course the reddish flowers give our eyes a base to start from. Best full screen –of course :) HFF and enjoy your weekend.

Our second big outing on the ease of our lock-down. At the foot of the Pennines here, not far from my home, a view of nature and mans work combined. You don't see too many walkers up here at all. Beneath us are two of the four reservoirs comprising what are commonly known as the Brushes Reservoir group. The nearest one here is 'Higher Swineshaw' with' Lower Swineshaw ' just in the far distance. To get here we have walked about 2.5 miles up past the reservoirs and over the dam wall of the higher reservoir. We are actually on a rather nice narrow path that still has the old iron railways lines just about showing under the grass, that once transported stone from the quarry's behind us to help in the building of theses reservoirs. Listen with me here and hear the sound of Meadow Pipits in the rustling grasses. Nice full screen.

Taken in Sóller at a local fruit and vegetable market seller. There were in fact a few sets of hanging vegetables on this outside wall, as my PiP’s demonstrate. Chillies, peppers and garlic –all essential ingredients for Spanish cooking, no wonder the local restaurants were all full. A nice mix of colours for my camera too :) Enjoy full size.

As we start this day out, we are greeted by these beautiful 'Belted Galloway' cows as we approach Loweswater in our English Lake District. Of course the weather is quite typical of this area and we have had to postpone this walk till later in the day as it was raining so hard earlier. We spoke to the framer, who owned these cows, and apparently they had only been introduced into this field moments before I took this, in fact the very small herd of around twelve cows had only just arrived from the county of Staffordshire the day before.They must be better suited to this area as the Scottish county of Galloway can be seen in the distance higher and behind me about 30 miles away across the Solway Firth. Enjoy full size.

One of our walks last week brought us close to a small public park with this bowling green. The game of crown-green bowling has always been very popular here in Northern Britain, particularly amongst our older generation (simply because they traditionally had more time). It’s actually quite nice and relaxing to sit and watch too, especially when there is a big match on, when teams of two to four go head to head from every corner and side of the green. Of course there are those that allow the phone to get in the way, or in my case – the camera :) The game is played by two players, each player having two bowls. The object of the game is to get one or both bowls nearer to the jack (a special smaller bowl, bowled by the winner of the last game) than either of the opponents’ bowls. The bowls are delivered alternatively until each player has delivered both bowls. The green is square, varying in size from 30 yards to 60 yards. The surface of the green slopes slightly upwards, rising to a central crown between 6 and 12 inches higher than the edges. The crown and the surface irregularities provide fresh factors to influence the running bowls Enjoy full screen and have a good week and Summer on this summer solstice day.

A look back to Summer 2016. Lincolnshire, often said to be the bread basket of England. The poppies and colours here are a poignant reminder of what is happening to our friends in the Ukraine. Our thoughts are with you! Enjoy the day in peace. Herb

Either an imaginative view of our summers or the apocalypse of Ukraine toay. You choose!

We are in the village of Alford in Lincolnshire and looking at this most unusual mill. It was built in 1837 to grind local corn. It actually worked till 1955 then was idle for some years before being restored to full working order and is now only one of four working mills in Lincolnshire. Today it is a tourist attraction and is again undergoing renovations. PiP Enjoy the day in peace. Herb

As each day here in Britain, we feel and experience the results of Russia’s war on Ukraine. This has resulted in a rapid price in energy bills due to the self-imposed lowering of Russian gas imports. So here is one of the main attempts that the whole of Europe is hoping to compensate with: wind power! These in Lincolnshire (taken with a long lens) are what are known as offshore windfarms (yes these are in the sea) and that is where most of our wind produced electric energy comes from. On-shore farms are set in our countryside. It is promised that many more of each will have to be constructed. NB - this description changed from original. Enjoy full screen.

A dramatic view of this castle here in Northumberland. Since AD 547 it has been a Royal Fortress, a Norman Stronghold and a home. This was the scene from just across the road from our rented cottage. A better sunset was to be had but then there would have been no foreground detail as seen here. Enjoy full screen. more info: www.bamburghcastle.com/castle

A summer view from the Huddersfield canal at Friezland in the village of Greenfield towards Pots & Pans and Alderman’s Hill. The cygnets make a nice foreground subject but usually there is the odd canal barge moored around here too. Enjoy full size.

Another golden oldie here from June 2014. We have had a great day out exploring and walking around this north west corner of Scotland, having explored the Oldshoremore and Sandwood Bay area and so we are on our way back to our holiday caravan site at Durness. As we drive the 35km + road back we pass numerous glens and highland scenes, this is but only one. I believe we are driving through Strath Dionard and it is the River Dionard that we see here. Enjoy full screen.

Here is a photo from 2014, taken near the village of Bradwell-on-Sea. The star of the show undoubtedly is ‘The Chapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall’. It is a Christian church dating from the years 660-662 and among the oldest largely intact churches in England. It is in regular use by the nearby Othona Community, in addition to Church of England services. It is a Grade I listed building. See PiP Nice full screen, enjoy the day.

On posting my last photo of Manchester's Victoria station I realised that I had never actually posted any of the Manchester Bees here. So here are a few, seen on my trip here with our Ipernity friend David G Johnson in July 2018. It was in that year that a special celebration was to be had in celebration of the Manchester worker Bee. More than a hundred were dotted around Manchester, most painted by local school children in a competition. As you can see there were some splendid ones around. Enjoy full screen. More info: secretmanchester.com/bees-in-manchester