Friday, 6 October 2023

October Song

Just eight pictures today from a recent visit to Fen Drayton Lakes nature reserve, alongside the River Great Ouse, just ten miles from Cambridge. It's one of those sites that has been reclaimed after exploitation of the river gravels to use in building. Nature had already done much to soften the scars of quarrying before the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) stepped in.


















A little music for Friday:
At about this time of year I find myself singing a song that I first heard when I was 15 or 16. It's sung here by two sisters that I've enjoyed seeing a couple of times in the last few years. But fifty years before that a teenage version of me was in the Regal in Cambridge listening to the man who wrote it - Robin Williamson of the Incredible String Band.


I met a man whose name was Time
And he said, "I must be going"
But just how long ago that was
I have no way of knowing


Take care.


30 comments:

  1. Lovely photos especially the close ups

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  2. The photo with the cows grazing is almost like a Constable. Peaceful England, in some corners at least.

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  3. You do take beautiful photographs.
    Nature has a way of overcoming man's impact more quickly than we may realise.

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  4. Thank you (and the RSPB) for this beautiful post.

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  5. Needless to say John I 'sank into' each picture here - I can't call them photographs because every single one is a 'watercolour painting.' Those cows grazing on the strip out into the water, the Autumn berries holding the drops of water, the peaceful scenes with just a hint of Autumn in the leaves. Your posts epitomise the wonderful beauty of being lucky enough to live in England Please do sit on the coming Winter evenings and start putting that book together 'The Beauty of the English Countryside A sincere 'thank you' for the please I get, early each morning, sitting and looking at countryside I shall not see now and which differs so very much from our Yorkshire Dales.

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  6. One of those places where the skies are large

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  7. You caught the serenity of the place. The water dews off the berries look magnificent

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  8. I went to see the Rheingans Sisters back in 2016 at Loch Arthur - fabulous night, good to find another fan :)

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  9. Amazing photos. Love these, serenity and light playing with the clouds. One would want to stop and take it all in.

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  10. Even with gray skies and rain you take such magnificent photos. Happy October!

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  11. What a peaceful place to visit!

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  12. Sorry John, spelling error - in my response for 'please' read 'pleasure''

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  13. What a wonderful walk you had there. It is so beautiful.

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  14. Beautiful scenery, expertly captured. Your photos evoke such peace and serenity today.
    Have a lovely weekend.

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  15. Very beautiful and peaceful place.

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  16. So much beauty. I particularly like that 1st shot and the one with the cows.

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  17. I remember gravel pits from years ago, they did stain the countryside but thankfully most of them have been reclaimed. Beautiful, peaceful photos.

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  18. Thanks for the beautiful music and photo. I went back and listened to the original. It must have been amazing to see The Incredible String Band all those years ago!

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  19. Gorgeous photos, every one!

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  20. Son fotografías inmejorables, de paisajes de gran belleza.
    Feliz fin de semana.

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  21. After strolling back and forth through your photos, it was fun listening to the sisters singing. The cows sure know how to take care of themselves in hot weather, either in the water, or at least by it, or under a tree.

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  22. Beautiful photos of the always picturesque countryside John. I'm crossing the pond tonight and will be driving down to Devon tomorrow morning - just hope the sunny, dry weather holds and I can enjoy my homeland scenery as autumn colors the trees and a few fairweather clouds race across the sky!!
    Mary -

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  23. Thank you, John. I have just enjoyed catching up with your posts. Always so interesting and wonderful photos.

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  24. Beautiful scenery! A place where you can find peace and tranquility. I like the song.

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  25. Lovely scenes John, especially the Herefords and the Willow trees.

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  26. So good to see the area brought back to a natural site. Beautiful photos as usual.

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  27. You can add just 'eight' photos like these any time you like. Uplifting beauty!

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