First Daffodil

 

The first daffodils have flowered in out garden and joy to see on our  wintry days

This one shines in our front hedge

The crocus and snowdrops still shine through

Some daffodils are still have yet to bloom

 Nearby at the pavilion they are starting to show

Take care everyone

At Nicholas Fyfield

 

This week the Church Explorer visits St Nicholas Fyfield. This is a  church I visited many years ago but  at the time only quickly looked around finding it rather dark This time I found a church full of history and a tomb effigy worth going along to see

February Dawn

 

 This is a real Skywatch Friday as it was taken on Friday 3rd February I had just got up and looked out the kitchen window and after opening the door I saw this view

 

The glow of the sunrise yet to happen

 

The glow of the sun just showing

 

Zooming in the houses were outlined in the sky

 

 From the bathroom it looked beautiful even a bird could be seen in a tree

Happy Skywatch

Murmeration

 

A Starlings murmeration was a common thing to see years ago but the birds started dying out  and for many years now you never saw one around where I lived. Last time I did see one was on the Somerset levels at Glastonbury back in 2014. For the last few years I noticed Starlings making a comeback in our garden starting with a nest on my bird box at the bottom of the garden. This year they have been raiding the feeders we hang out

Two starlings making the most of the feeder

Getting there first 

I then noticed this a few nights later

Starlings murmerating

 

 

There were two different murmuerations

 

Which at one time joined flying right over us, a little later the flew off to roost 

St Perter & Paul Ringwood

 

St Peter & Paul Ringwood  was the first church I visited in 2023 just a few days in and came about after we had to do some business down there. I stopped off quickly on my way back to the car to get some photos of this church. 

 

End of our special day

 
Special day well I suppose being married 40 years counts and we celebrated in our own way. The evening finished and I looked out the kitchen window and realised I'd missed the sunset but I got the afterglow

Wide shot out of the bathroom window

Looking west along the roof

The moon was there with clouds glowing in the sky

They picked up the final glow from the sunset

Looking south

turning to the west

west along the roof

I realised I could make a panoramic from the last three photos, not my best but does give you a good idea as to the sky

Happy Skywatch

Signs of Spring

 

Snow drops announce the coming of spring when the flower  and have come out in abundance in our garden putting off a wonderful display

The sun shines and makes the brighter

The crocus are not far behind

But snowdrops outnumber them

The Daffodils are growing but still have to show their flower heads

Till then flower the snowdrops hold court

Take Care

St Leonard Eynsham

 

 

 This week the Church Explorer visits St Leonard's Church Eynsham, a beautiful old church in the middle of the village 

 

A Monday Sunset

 

Back in January my son asked me to pick him up from work when he finished at 4:30. On my way there I could not help see the sunset over the downs, well I had to stop didn't I

 

The sun was giving off a nice glow to the sky

Zooming in shows it better

 

I drove on over the hill and checked no one was behind then too this shot of the sky towards Didcot

 

On my way back from picking up my son I stopped again to get one more shot of the sky

Happy Skywatch

A Walk to the Bridge

 

The other day I took a walk to one of my old haunts Bow Bridge just on the edge of our village 

 

This was the place I was heading the old road did go here though now it is well overgrown

 

Overgrown was one thing but the path was blocked by a fallen tree that had not been cleared, it was covered in ivy so I feel that did not help

 

It was not the only tree succumbing to age and weather

Once you got over the tree you could see it in the distance

 

The old bridge parapet was still looking good

 

Looking over at the stream you could see the new bridge in the distance

 

The old road towards Wallingford now just a footpath were people walked their dogs

 

Down by the bank of the brook looking at the bridge

 

Where it flows towards the river Thames about 200 yards away, a few weeks ago I would be up to my waist where I am stood because of all the flooding

The path to the river used to be around here but has moved a few yards to my left  because the path got overgrown.  We did go to the river and found the stream there was getting blocked by fallen trees.

We left it there and went home for tea. I'll come back here again and show you more

St Mary the Virgin Kirtlington

 

This week the church explorer visits  St Mary the Virgin Kirtlington  the last of my visited in 2022 which I thought might be pushing it to visit but turned out I had time to spare. The church I was pleased to find out dated back to 1086 and had some interesting features to see.