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Wednesday, 10 February 2021

Kicking My Heels And Keeping On My Toes

So here we all are, kicking our heels and waiting for the invitation to have a needle stuck in our arms. Travel outside the local area is not allowed so my footsteps are confined to the roads and footpaths around home. Funnily enough, it's been OK.



Early morning walks have been the best, especially when the sun rises to an accompaniment of pretty pastel shades. The other advantage has been that, after a clear cold night, the muddy paths are frozen hard, making progress rather easier. And we've had plenty of rain lately.



This is the infant River Cam as it passes Malton Farm. It's usually an insignificant little stream, just a couple of metres or so from one bank to the other, but recent rain made the road impassable to traffic for a while.



The flooding meant that I could walk the mile or so along the road in splendid isolation, without the need to leap out of the way of cars. The farmhouse, which stands right next to the river, kept its feet completely dry by being on a slight, almost imperceptible, rise - another indication of how well the people of the past understood their land.



On another day I set out, by a devious and circuitous route, to photograph an ancient petrol pump (!). The garage to which it was attached has closed down recently after decades in the same family and this old pump may be due to vanish soon.


On my way I passed an old oil tank of unknown origin which is frequently graffitied and slowly rotting away in the English weather. Its surface is full of interesting colours and textures. 



Once I get started on this sort of thing I find it hard to stop!



I was just about to persuade myself to move on when I spotted that the end of the tank was even more decayed....



..... and there I found a miniature mountain range, in the rust at the base of a big hole that had been punched into it. Yes, that's a little snow in there, forming a mini-glacier.



I moved on towards a place where I knew there were some old farm trailers and machinery stored and found this little scene which, with its snow, red paint and ivy, had a faintly Christmassy look.



I rarely walk this footpath for the very good reason that it doesn't lead anywhere - it goes so far and then just stops. It's called Water Lane so maybe there was once a spring or well up here - if so it's long gone now. But it did give a nice view of the snow-speckled fields and the bare winter trees.


So that's how I've been spending my time,

Take care.


30 comments:

  1. wonderful photoes and very nice written!I had to laugh and smile "Once you start can not stop "hih hih

    I hope you will have that jab sooner or later.Very tiring to wait and wait and wait for your turn

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  2. Beauty can just be found anywhere. Nice colours and textures.
    We will probably have to wait many more months before getting vaccinated, as our age group -under 60- is the last in turn.

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  3. I love the eye you bring to your photos from the elegance of bare branches filigreed against the sky to the beauty of decay. Thank you.

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  4. Your mini mountain range looks like a sculpture that an artist would set up in a fancy art gallery! It would take the artist hours and hours to get the layers just right but here nature has stacked it up beautifully! Good eye, John!

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  5. Those first and last photos are spectacular. Love everything in between too. Rust makes a curious study. How many years to become so rusted I wonder?

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  6. I really like your rust shots!

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  7. It is quite surprising how you do get used to being confined. However, I do look forward to a time when I can travel and do as I please. The miniature rusty mountain range is great - you have a great eye.

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  8. I like how there is a sign by an obviously flooded river. Flood!

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  9. You always find something interesting to photograph on your rambles. Love the gas pump and the old wheel.

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  10. That farm machine photo has a rather spooky face in it John.

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  11. Your last shot is my favourite, John.

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  12. I love the colors and textures of the rust! And love the wheel draped in ivy. And that snow scene is gorgeous.

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  13. You need more snow! We have a foot or so.

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  14. The tire does have Christmassy look, charming even. Lovely photos. The crunch of frozen mud in the early morning brings back memories.

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  15. Lovely photos as always. Will you have more freedom once you have your "jab"?

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    1. I doubt that the vaccination programme will have any immediate effect till the infection rate starts to fall and everybody in at least the older age groups has had their second jab. But, hey, it's a step in the right direction.

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  16. Hi John - you've certainly made the most of the very chilly days ... my waiting is over tomorrow ... not to say I've been waiting as such. It's still chilly down here and we've had spatterings of snow - in fact a covering last night - but gone now.

    The iron rusting away is fascinating isn't it ... the way its made, then creates these wafer thin 'sheets' peeling away ... stunning colours you've found to photograph. Beautiful area you live in ... great to see - all the best - Hilary

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  17. The colours in the sky are quite wonderful. An impressionist painter could find lots of inspiration there - much as you did, John, from rust and decay. A person with a creative mind never has a problem finding interest in the daily mundanities of life.

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  18. First shot is a stunner John 💜 I have a feeling that however restricted in distance you are you will always find wonderful little scenarios for us to enjoy. The rusty images are gorgeous, I think you did well to stop when you did 😉

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  19. Isn't it interesting to see what lies beneath paint jobs, where metal can finally turn to rust...based on the amount of iron in it probably. These are really beautiful photos which remind me of my frailty, as well as to think of the impermanence of the things around me.

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  20. That little mountain range--looks very Southwestern.

    Yes, waiting our turns to get stuck in the arm here too. You are making good use of your time, and bringing us photos of the most fascinating things. Which most of us would pass by without a glance.

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  21. Such wonderful and interesting photos. I loved the one with the mountains. My favorite photo is the first one. The tree silhouette against the colorful sunrise is gorgeous. Thank you so much for sharing. Enjoy your day, hugs, Edna B.

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  22. Rust is always interesting to see and photograph. We are still waiting for our jab too and it looks like it could be happening in late March or April. Our lockdown was updated to Easter now. At least we can enjoy nature here too on our trails. :)

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  23. I'm still mourning the length of corrugated iron fence by our cricket field. They decided it was dangerous and took it away, thus removing a great source of photographic rust.

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  24. Lots of great stuff here. Love the opening photo with the purple sky. The old gas pump in incredible. I worked in gas stations all through high school and I've never seen one like it. I'm surprised its units are gallons. The old oil tank photos are wonderful!

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    1. We've been using litres for selling fuel for decades. This is apparently the original model of pump made by the Avery-Hardoll firm, though I can't tell you how old it is.

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    2. Probably from the 1950s from what I can find online.

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  25. I don't often leave a comment, but I do save up your posts for a binge read every now and then. I enjoy both your photos and the commentary that takes me along on your walks. Oddities such as frost-rimmed leaves, ice crackles and bare branches against the sky tend to stop me in my meanderings.

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  26. Fabulous colors and textures of the decayed tank! I loved patterns in the puddle at your feet, too, in the past post. Take care.

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  27. Fabulous walk with you John - all the photos are certainly frame-worthy, but the last one is my favorite with the bare trees, snow covered fields in the distance, and interesting foreground with just a hint of green growing plants reminding us it will be spring soon.

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