a day at the races

some very small jockeys (this brave little lass came second in the pony race) and their larger connections.

in the paddock with the trainer

a day at the races

we spent yesterday at the South Tetcott Hunt point to point (see link) Steeplechase at Upcott Cross, Halwill Junction with the owner of two of the horses running. It is hard to describe the ambience of these meetings but to me it feels like the essence of rural England, circa 1955, something past, something lost. The still strong rural tribe was out in force and in uniform... 'dedicated follower(s) of fashion'.

paradise found

the meadows at Greenscoombe are full now of butterfly orchids (the lesser variety) which are slender and have a barely detectable but sweet fragrance. There is in these things a deep sense of joy in having lived at all in this vast cosmos, and to know that one has lived.

for all fellow bloggers these lines from Milton seem very apposite

For who would lose,
Though full of pain, this intellectual being,
Those thoughts that wander through eternity...

 

the house that martins built

you fly all the way over from Africa, you build a nest out of mud and saliva during the dryest spring in 50 years, you line it with moss and you get ready to lay eggs and then a bunch of scruffy sparrows come and commandeer your living space .... and a gang of 10 of us can't shift one miserable little sparrow. What a bunch of losers! (the little chap on the roof in the bottom photo is a very feisty sparrow, and his mate is going into the nest in the top picture)

nature's garden

Coming across scenes like this is one of the joys of walking in the woods. I guess many gardeners would love to capture this essence of Nature's random brilliance.

marsh tits

it is becoming increasingly difficult to spot birds as they take advantage of the leaf cover. This is (probably) a marsh tit which prefer deciduous woods, although it could be a willow tit.