Thursday, 28 January 2021

Misty Blues And Muddy Shoes

Raising the kitchen blind revealed that a sudden fog had enveloped the neighbourhood, making everything look strange and unfamiliar. As good a time as any for this morning's walk. Are you coming?



The sun has not yet arisen from its slumbers and the light has that magical blue cast which occurs at this early hour. Time then for some gentle, soft photos of the High Street and North End.



This won't last long so I'm all the time debating whether walking faster or slower is the best for taking photos. 



This mighty horse chestnut tree stands right outside where I used to work.



By the time I turn off onto the footpath that runs along behind the church the blueness is beginning to fade, but the mist will linger for a while yet.



This silhouetted tree with the fallen branches lying in front appealed to me for some reason on this particular morning. I must have walked past it more than a hundred times before!



The same with this group of trees, though the heavy overnight rainfall has picked out what may well be an old trackway across the meadow.



It was still misty when I reached the flood-prone meadow of Shepreth Moor, but I decided to take some shots of closer details like these floating grasses.



I've taken lots of pictures in the past of these sawn-off hawthorn stumps - and I added more to my collection, but I won't inflict them on you this time. Though I will show you a fallen tree that is covered with moss.



It's partly submerged by the water and the general dampness has brought out the colour in the swirling grain of the wood.



Yes, I got carried away and took several pictures of the woodgrain, including this little temporary rainwater pool which has collected in a hollow in the trunk.



Isn't moss amazing stuff? Like a forest in miniature. Just then I was interrupted by Harry.



Harry is a dog who, his owner explained, likes to come here and run up and down the fence beside the railway, chasing trains. He barked at me in the disapproving way that most dogs do when they realise that I haven't got a dog with me; not many people are out and about at this hour without a canine companion.



I extended my walk by taking the muddy track across the fields and beside farm buildings. Not very scenic but good exercise without too many picturesque distractions.


Take care.



26 comments:

  1. I'll come along with you because I wouldn't have done it myself. Takes awhile for me to wake up and feel like doing much of anything. A walk that early would have happened in my younger days for sure. Thanks for letting me tag along. What? No ice anymore?

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  2. Love that blue morning fog. Makes me want to check our foggy mornings here to see if we get that same magical blue cast. Beautiful. Such a nice long walk there. Maybe if it ever stops raining here, we'll get out and take a look around.

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  3. There's a dusting of snow on top of ice in a few low places this morning in western North Carolina. I'm sure the mountain tops got snow, but now it's windy so it may only be on the ground. Not worth going to where I can see it. I loved that tree with the moss...great lines of it's growth...and good colors too!

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  4. Wow! Those are great photos. I like the blue tint that turns into the spooky gray fog. And then you zoom in for closeups of those bright greens! Great walk today, John. Do you think I can count it as my daily walk? It is chilly out here!

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  5. Great photos. My favorite photo is the silhouetted tree with the fallen branches on the ground in front of it. The mist does help to create some very interesting scenes. Thanks for letting me tag along today. Enjoy your day, hugs, Edna B.

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  6. Fog does make it a different world. Sometimes a little spooky.

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  7. Misty, mystical, magical, marvelous.
    Many thanks.

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  8. The mist gives a pretty tone to everything.

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  9. I love the eerie blue tones to the first part of our walk. What a change by the end!

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  10. John I rather think you were a school teacher at some time. You say the horse chestnut tree was near work - fantastic placc for the kids to collect conkers was my first thought.

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  11. cette nature en hiver est superbe * elle se devine à pas de loup !

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  12. The early bird catches the blue apparently. It is magical.

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  13. The little rainwater pool in the stump is really intriguing with the reflection interplaying with the leaves in the water. Moss is like miniature trees and it comes in so many interesting varieties.

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  14. Rather like a morning version of l'heure bleue! You noticed some special gems on this walk John. It did look damp though, hope you wore your muffler, hat of some description, and gloves - fingerless ones are useful when taking pix!
    We awoke to light snow - so pretty.

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  15. Hi John - those are beautiful evocative photos ... loved seeing them. Our sea mist brings the gulls to fly over us in presumably delighted delight ... not sure why it does. Shepreth Moor is a wonderful place to live and to have you wander around showing us treats of all sorts - love the mosses, the trees et al ... all the best - Hilary

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  16. Foggy mornings make a morning walk very special. I love your capture of the silhouetted tree.

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  17. It's an interesting series of images and goes to prove that weather that on the face of it seems to hold little appeal for a morning stroll can in fact yield much of interest. I enjoyed the stroll! I put on a warm sweater, a slicker and rubber boots, so I was all set!

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  18. You don't have to ask me twice John, I'm always ready to come on your walks! The blue misty light is lovely, it never ceases to amaze me the life that keeps growing on dead trees 💜 Happy weekend ✨

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  19. The silhouetted tree with the fallen branch in the fog and mist is my choice of a favorite and a second are the wood patterns and colors of the fallen tree.

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  20. Boy, great photos! I love the big old Chestnut tree, and the bright green moss on the fallen log.

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  21. Sorry about the muddy shoes, but I really enjoyed the walk. Thank you.

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  22. You make even mud look interesting, John.

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  23. The silhouetted tree made me think of Wurzel Gummidge for some reason! I can imagine him walking out from behind the tree!
    On a more serious note....great misty, foggy, muddy images on your walk.
    Thank you for sharing.

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  24. The fog in your photos adds a touch of mystery. I love the silhouetted tree with the fallen branches, it's a beauty.
    Thanks for the correction on my little bird photo, I changed it to reflect the Grey Wagtail. I still learning about these different birds that I hardly ever see. :)

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  25. That would have been a wonderful walk...moss is always interesting.

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