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Sunday 8 November 2020

I Haven't The Foggiest....

I haven't the foggiest idea why, but  there's a crazy old man around here who always goes out for a walk when it's a foggy morning.


He tramps through the village with a camera swinging from his shoulder till he gets to the most muddy and waterlogged bit of land he can find, then tries to take photos. In a bog, in the fog.


Not all madmen seek power in high office; some are content to seek out quietness and solitude, both of which are enhanced by early mornings and misty weather. Even the sounds which can be heard - the drip of dew from the leaves, the swish of boots through the grass and the call of unseen geese - only serve to emphasise the stillness.


Cattle stare in bewilderment as I pass by, before resuming their thoughtful rumination. A human: first one of them we've seen today.

 
The hushed colours in the lane are so different from the vivid reds and golds that we've seen on sunnier days this autumn.


Some trees stretch their leafy twigs up to the sky, even though this is the season of leaf fall and hibernation.

Passing by the old churchyard.

The seasonal pond is full after the recent rains and there are a few sheep in this field.

I'm always attracted to the old hawthorn stumps left in the wet meadow. This area is managed as a nature reserve as grasslands like this are a rare habitat around here; so much of the land has been drained.


There are clearly plenty of spiders in the hedgerows, their webs being revealed by the dew, though they are presumably present all year.


I get home and end my walk just as the sun is breaking through. It takes all sorts.

Take care.

38 comments:

  1. Oh, oh, oh, these are gorgeous photos! I love taking photos in the fog. My favorites are the second photo from the top and the one with the cattle. There's something magical about the fog. I tell you, that crazy old man had a great idea of walking in the fog with his camera. You have a wonderful day, hugs, Edna B.

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  2. Fabulous photos that emphasize the closely focused natural bits against the foggy backgrounds. Keep those feet dry though!

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  3. Delicious photos as usual, Thank you so much for being mad enough to go out into the fog, Beautiful!

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  4. I would happily join that 'crazy old man'. I adore the magic and the mystery of foggy mornings. And the photographic challenge - which the crazy old man more than met.

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  5. A walk in the fog is a beautiful way to spend the day, with that camera swinging from your shoulder. My life is richer for it. Thank you for this.

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  6. I went out this morning but I didn’t get far as it proved to be more rain and less fog. Yours are lovely photos though, who needs sunshine?

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  7. Beautiful and thoughtful photos. Foggy mornings have magic.
    There's a feeling that the farther I walk, the closer I get to a faerie land portal. Alas, the fog doesn't get thicker, and no twinkling lights fly around.

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  8. Silly old man! But I think you had fun! Lovely photos as always.

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  9. The foggy mist is mysterious and adds another element of interest. Love these photos, then again, I always do.

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  10. I love foggy mornings too! They produce the best photographs! Looks like you got some winners.

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  11. Spooky foggy morning - it looks very cold - thanks for the lovely photos..

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  12. Maybe the crazy old man isnt so crazy at all...maybe he just realizes how much fog improves any scene. It rivals snow in totally changing the feel of a shot.

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  13. Thank goodness for crazy old men who tramp around in the fog! Great pictures.

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  14. I echo Jenny D.Especially since we don't get much fog around here. Are those rose hips?? Obviously I live far away.....

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  15. What a lovely walk John and I didn't even get damp.

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  16. Hi John - good for you ... lovely photos and walk you take us on; we did have a bit of fog today... it's now cleared ... the stumps are very attractive - no wonder you gave us a picture. Lots of hips and berries around this year ... take care - Hilary

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  17. Crazy old men with cameras would rank high on my list of favourites. Men dressed in suits, with cell phones and takeout coffee cups not so much.

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  18. Same with David M. Gascoigne! I’m so attracted to the mysterious, aerial images photographed in the misty air. My favorites are the old churchyard and the jeweled cobweb . In my part of the world, a foggy morning leads to a perfectly sunny day, though I’m not sure how is in your place. Thank you again, for these fascinating Images.

    Yoko

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  19. You are such a wonderful writer, John. I love your photos but your descriptive text always delights! Thanks so much!

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  20. Noting usual in going out for a walk in the fog I do it as well though I'm not sure the scenery is a good as what you find

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  21. The fog is mesmerizing! Wonderful images!! The 2nd picture with the red berries is fantastic.

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  22. All of these are enchanting, John. I love the fog too, and bogs. After visiting England I understood my attraction to both.

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  23. Wonderful pictures, John, - I find November sad and melancholy at times, - but it has a charm all its own, I guess....

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  24. I am grateful for your sort of mad men. Such a reprieve from the powermongers. Keep on keeping on!

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  25. The fog and mist puts a very different slant on things. I love those misty mornings with the sun trying its best to break through.

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  26. Fog does bring out terrific photo ops, though. Your shot of the cows is my favourite.

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  27. I so love mist and fog, but don't have it much at my home. I think because we are on a hill, and don't have much water and aren't near water. But sometimes it comes and it just makes me happy. Does someone own the land you walked through or is it public land?

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    1. Part of it is owned and managed by the Wildlife Trusts as a nature reserve and allows public access. The rest is private land but is traversed by public rights of way which allow you to walk through. I wrote a bit about it in the following post:
      https://bystargooseandhanglands.blogspot.com/2014/11/quiet-footsteps.html

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  28. Drops of water on the red berries with a foggy, misty background my favorite

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  29. Fog changes every scene — a different energy, a different mood than when the sun is out. Beautiful photos!

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  30. Far from being crazy, John, you show us that there is beauty in nature in all types of weather, and you are getting out and about and sharing what you see. I really liked the atmospheric feelings of the fog and muted colors. Can you share what type of camera gear you carry along on these outings, as if mentioned before, I did not see it.

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    1. A fairly basic Nikon DSLR with a small zoom lens for these. I also have a Nikon bridge camera that I use if I think there'll be opportunities for wildlife photos. I also have a couple of elderly point-and-shoot compacts that get an occasional airing.

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    2. Thanks John for the camera info and I thought you might have a zoom lens. Currently the longest zoom I own is only 4X on an Olympus Tough TG-5 digital camera. Therefore, few wildlife photos will be posted by me.

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  31. Beautiful photos and text. I could feel the quietness and the hushed colours. I wish I was mad enough to do that.

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  32. Your trek was well worth it. Somehow a solitary walk seems even quieter in the fog.

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  33. A foggy day is a beautiful and air is fresh for walking.

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