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Along an Autumn Hedge

November - Rowland Hilder

Originally posted 2018-11-04 21:06:47.


Wandering alongside an autumn hedge all yellows, browns, reds, pinks and purples my eye was caught by a bright flash of orange-red ahead of me; a Redstart - its wings flapping in a blur; its tail fanning out - orange-red as it hovers and snatches at a fly. It lands on a fence post, standing upright, its tail shivering. An adult male. Then up it jumps again snatching at another passing insect and lands on a dead branch further along - it’s fiery tail and ‘tweet-tut’ fretting call teasing me on ...

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In a Summer Meadow

Streamside meadow by the Windrush

Originally posted 2018-06-27 08:19:27.

Lying lazy in a meadow by a stream home to sheep ‘n’ cows and wagtail yellow buttercups dance in the meadow grass so high above kestrel hover a flit of swallow ... wild rainbow cast the summer breeze ‘cross grasses mix’d an artists palette red gold ‘n’ green finches twitter ‘n’ tweeze ...

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Songs from the Wood – Spring

A Spring Wood Near Midhurst - by S R Badmin RWS RE AIA FSIA (1906-1989)

Originally posted 2018-04-27 06:50:12.


A pale cerulean-blue sky – crisscrossed with misty white vapour trails of planes - a modern art canvas; paint casually, thrown from the artists brush; white clouds tinged salmon-pink hanging over the blue-grey mountains; just before sunrise – white wreaths of mist lingering over the fields and valley wood mirroring the vapour trails above. A lone Buzzard calls ...

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Under the Snow – of Winter

Winter Wildfowl by Maurice Wilson in collaboration with Rowland Hilder

Originally posted 2018-04-13 05:59:13.


Carefully parting Willow, Bramble and bronzed Bracken fronds that rustled and crackled in the winter frost I could see my secret lake ... well large pond really - an old disused Flight Pond ... a few Mallard quacked and splashed noisily; a couple of Tufted Duck circled warily in the middle while on the far bank a pair of Teal rested, blending well with the pondside rushes ... a Coot called from somewhere in the reeds - well hidden - shatteringly loud ...

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An Ode to the Countryside

Where have all the Skylark gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the Skylark gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the Skylark gone?
Gone to ‘Lark Rise’ every one
When will we ever learn?
When will we ever learn?

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A Moment in Time

In a break with what this blog is all about and because it’s fast coming up to Christmas I am sharing some of the love and joy our daughter Bea brings us everyday with her singing.

A few years ago for her 18th birthday we got her into the studio to record some of her favourite songs of the moment. The result was a one-off CD.

It was a special moment in time, one which we will treasure forever. We never came up with a name for the CD and have never had it published. But it is a treasured keepsake.

A follower of my blog - Lavinia Ross - some 15 years or so ago made her own special keepsake CD (Keepsake) and listening to this again made me think it was time to give my daughter’s CD a name and the credit she deserves. So even though it’s maybe a bit cliche we’ve called it ‘A Moment in Time’.

So as a thank you to our lovely daughter and a way of thanking my readers here is a little joy to share this Christmas.

A Moment in Time
(A Keepsake Album of Covers by Bea)

Click on the ‘cloud’ download link to the right of the track-listing of ‘A Moment in Time’ to play each individual track.

Credits

All the songs were sung by Beatrix (Bea) Bennett with backing tracks licensed from Karaoke Version

The CD was produced and engineered by Russ Hayes at Orange Sound Recording Studio, Penmaenmawr, Conwy, North Wales.

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Artists Inspired by Nature – Rowland Hilder

The Downs - Rowland Hilder

Originally posted 2018-11-11 20:49:50.

Here, for all who know the Downs – their wandering pathways through fields of yellow and green, blue yet often lowering skies, are the Downs on an English summer’s afternoon. Rowland Hilder - The Downs. 

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Variations on a Theme – Yellow, Grey, White (Pied) – Wagtail All

Wagtail by Tracy Hall

Originally posted 2018-04-14 23:40:56.


Walking upstream from the bridge the stream ceases to be tidal, and turns into a lovely clear running stream with a gravel bed. A flash of yellow; a beautiful male Grey Wagtail bounds away to alight on a boulder under the bank, the reflection of its brilliant yellow plumage in the pool beneath more evident than the bird itself. Another flies to join it at the waters edge - a female - less yellow and without the black bib - their pendulum swings of the tail in ceaseless unison ...

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Birds of the Night

The Night Sky - The Seven Sisters

Originally posted 2018-09-01 23:51:49.

Listening, thinking of nothing, simply living in the sound of the night, the world seems more alive; the dusky green of field and hedge a monochrome greyish-silver in the pale light, the telegraph poles stark black throwing spooky shadows across the fields. A Barn Owl hunting along the edge of the wood - ghostly white. All is quiet - silver-washed tranquility.

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A Deceit of Lapwing – The Seven Whistlers

Lapwing by R B Talbot Kelly

Originally posted 2018-04-14 12:19:12.


Suddenly! Some chance movement has been noticed by the nearest Lapwing, and away they go at once as if with the same wings, sweeping overhead, then to the right, then to the left, and then back again, a ‘flickering chequerboard’. Wee-ah-wee! The notes immediately repeated by another - Wee-ah-wee! Finally they settle again ...

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