Sunday 17 January 2010

Sunday safari

It rained all day yesterday. The snow has gone. I have my grass back. My world is green. I like green. The garden is covered in water.......I understand wet, I have gardened here for nearly eight years. Wet is normal.....the land is low lying. The ditches are full.....they lead to the river at the end of the road. It has burst it's banks and has flooded the farmers fields. The sheep have been moved to safer ground.
Wildlife ponds are still frozen......I saw the heron today. It was good to see him. The sun came out ....perhaps the ice will soon disappear and he will be able to take some fish....the pond is overstocked. He will help to keep it healthy.

The sheep thought I was the farmer coming to feed them. They looked quite perplexed as I stood there watching them. The farmers have worked tirelessly to feed their livestock. It has been a tough few weeks for them.
I walked the lanes today with Nella.......the birds seemed to have disappeared.....there was a quietness hanging over the fields.....a silence.......
I like quiet................

20 comments:

FAB said...

Let's hope all your garden delights have survived and you manage to keep dry.

Liz said...

I love your teasel photo, I think you're definitely beginning to get hang of your camera... I can even see some nice bokeh coming out (narrow depth of field with the lovely blurred background)

I am surprised your birds were quiet, perhaps there had been a predator just before you and the birds were keeping quiet?
Even with the dark mornings and snow I've regularly heard Wren, Robin and Blackbirds singing...

Miranda Bell said...

It was lovely to see the sunshine here too today - quite a mild day really and now a ground frost has returned! Amazing how many bulbs are poking through already - and how many molehills that have accumulated on our lawn:-( Never mind - part of living in the countryside! Enjoy your week Cheryl and may the garden remain snow free! Miranda x

Q said...

To have a bit of normalcy seems to be a gift. Your winter has been so cold. I am glad your snow is gone. Seeing sheep was a delight indeed. I do hope the flood waters receed soon.
I also went for a nice walk today. I needed some sunshine.
Happy Safari.
Sherry

Lisa at Greenbow said...

You took pictures of teasel today and I thought about bringing a bouquet home to decorate with. I really wish I had now. I think they look so architectural. Those sheep do look baffled by this human coming to them empty handed. Ha... What does Nella think of them? Maybe they were a little frightened of her.?

Amy said...

Cheryl, I'm not familiar with teasel - is it the same as thistle? The photos are lovely regardless. I bet Nella was happy for her walk!

beckie said...

Cheryl, oh the water looks so cold yet. I know you must be pleased to have the snow gone and the green back. And no more icy roads!

Love the photo of the sheep. They are comical animals with great facial expressions. Glad you and Nella had a lovely walk. :)

Cheryl said...

Hi Liz....oh my gosh, bokeh, only learnt about that when I read your most recent post. I am bad, I just pick the camera up and fiddle with it....I do not like technology. I always get so excited about what I can see through my lens, I totally forget about the camera and what I am doint with it...

There are hawks in the area at the moment....so you could be right. It was unusually quiet. There is a lot of water around, some of the lanes are running with water. What would I do without my welligogs!!

Liz said...

You may well not like technology, I certainly don’t like ‘rules’ but once you begin seeing something you love so much, and getting interesting shots which excite you then I’m sure you’ll begin to use those settings more often until you’ve well and truly fallen in love with it.

I’ll give you a tip, use the lowest aperture number you can… Set the camera to aperture priority, I’ll assume you’re using the kit lens then I believe it’ll be 5.4 or 5.6. This will give you the smallest area in focus.
I started out with the kit lens, began to play with it… then in photoshop I blurred the background a touch (not too heavily otherwise it comes out looking like a real bad photoshop job) and eventually got myself a macro lens and it opened up a whole new world.

If only I could lend you it, you’d fall in love.

In general I stick to one setting only. 2.8, ISO 100 in aperture priority mode. That’s it. Simple as.

Rose said...

I love the photo of the sheep, Cheryl; they look very curious and probably wondered why you didn't feed them:) I'm glad things are getting back to normal for you. We, too, are seeing green grass in spots. Fortunately, the snow is melting slowly so that there is no flooding, as we often have during a spring thaw. The birds at my front feeders have suddenly disappeared, too; I wonder if they have found another food source now that some of the snow has melted? I hope that the worst of this winter is over for you.

Roses and Lilacs said...

What pretty sheep. I hope the standing water drains quickly. We have warmer weather but the snow and ice don't seem to be melting much.
Marnie

Moonstone Gardens said...

Hi Cheryl,
You sound so peaceful today. It was wonderful taking a virtual walk with you.
We're starting to see the first of the spring lambs around here and they always lift my heart.
Cheers,
Cindee

Cheryl said...

Hi Lisa....I have teasels in the house....I dried some roses and put teasels and other seedheads with them...it turned out fine and looks really lovely......

Cheryl said...

Hi Amy Teasels are prickly like the thistle. As far as I know they are a different species.
I have both in my gardens and must say I like both their qualities.....

Cheryl said...

Hi Liz....tku so much for the information, you are really kind to bother with me...

I shall take my camera into the garden tomorrow and have a play. Hopefully I will remain patient with it, long enough, to take some good photographs......

Cheryl said...

Hi Rose.....how kind of you to hope the worse of my winter is over, when you still have snow.
You are very generous in spirit....

The birds come and go don't they. I expect they go where the pickings are best.......
Have a good week.....

o2bhiking said...

We've not had a ton of rain lately, but it did warm up for the past 4 days and all of our snow is gone as well.

Wendy said...

Oh, those sheep looked so serious! "And where is my food?" LOL! Nice pic.

I'm happy your snow has melted and soon things will be back to normal. Isn't it wonderful to see a heron? They really are majestic creatures with their long legs and quiet stance.

I haven't heard or seen many birds this winter and that concerns me. Seems like our naughty squirrels eat all the bird seed in the feeders.

LG said...

My pleasure Cheryl, I am glad if I could help you feel a bit better. They aren't my words but I found them beautiful.

Have a wonderful week?

Glad you could get to see some green again! Hope the winter does not get too cold or snowy...we understand cold, but not that with snow...

:))

Cheryl said...

I so enjoyed the photo of the sheep. Lovely. I am looking out at over 1 1/2 feet of snow covering my lawn today! The snow is still falling. I am beginning to wish for green lawns and the trees beginning to sprout buds, and plants to pop up! It will be here around April though.