Church Explorer 2020 Review

 

 

This week the Church Explorer published the first part of the 2020 review  in the past I have just written one blog covering it all but in the present climate I thought it better to make two, next week I will publish part two.

Last Saturday

 

 I have been trying to work out what to show this week then realised I took some of the clouds last Saturday. 

This was 9:25 in the morning and the sun was just up

The rest were taken around midday

This one I took while a Red Kite few past

This was looking South out the front of the house

Could be looking East here

Sort of looking North East out the back

From the back not sure of the direction

The clouds looked like someone had painted them on a blue background

Happy Skywatch

Take Care

Rudolph & Santa

 

 

A Walk after Christmas

 

 I decided to take a walk down to the river just after Christmas as we drew near the New Year, I knew we had had a lot of rain and wondered if it had flooded

This was as near as I could get on Ferry Lane, the Thames had clearly risen a lot flooding the meadows and lane.

Zooming in on the Thames you could see it flowing through fast where the scum was in the centre

I took a panoramic of Cholsey Marsh, from a line across the lane you could see the water had been further up but had receded a little

I headed back along the lane passing this meadow which once held dairy cattle for the old hospital, a sign now telling you it was a nature reserve. From what I could see a Dog walk where inconsiderate dog owner let their dog poop for others to walk in as I witnessed from the person who you might be able to make out in the left of the photo

Nearby a path leads to the old hospital which has been converted into housing

I carried on along the lane past the old Goods entrance to the hospital, the place a far cry as to what looked like 10 years ago.

Taking Part in My Little Corner of the World  Our World Tuesday and Imag-in-ing, you can find all the links in the right hand column Take care everyone 

 

Hope is Born

 

As we are effectively back in a lock down in the area I live  situation  This week the Church Explorer shows you the St Mary's Church Nativity Trail. My original post was to be a review of the Church Explorer in 2020 but I lost heart and decided to come up with something different. I will still be writing a review but it may be a short time longer. At the moment I cannot see me visiting any new churches for a few weeks yet so I will be re publishing some of the older Church Explorer blogs.

Christmas Day

 

This time last week it was Christmas Day now we are into the first day of 2021 for which I wish you Happy New Year. Looking out the window on Christmas morning I noticed the clouds so thought I'd take them through the day.

 Looking out the kitchen patio doors these clouds are what started me off

 Turning around towards the garden the sun was low behind the trees

Looking over the house next door more clouds

These were looking east out the front of the house

Evening came and the sun went down giving a beautiful light on the clouds

As the sun went down further clouds took on different colours

Finally taking on a red hue

A panoramic view from the bathroom window over towards the sunset.

Lets hope 2021 is better for all of us than last year.

Happy Skywatch

 

Christmas Eve Sky

 

 On Christmas Eve  my sons and I always would go for Breakfast in Newbury or Reading. This year it did not feel the same and none of use wanted to traipse around a town doing what we always have done in the past getting stocking fillers and last moment presents for each other. The sad thing is we had been doing this since they were old enough to go. This year I made us all Breakfast at home which is when I looked out of the kitchen window as I was washing up the plates and spotted the sun was reflecting off the clouds.

Just after 8AM

Three quarters of an hour later the sun was up

It was quarter to three in afternoon when I took this, clearly Christmas day for someone around the world

Out the back blue sky and clouds

Half an hour later the sun was setting and the moon was in the sky

The last rays lighting up the clouds

 

Out the front of the house clouds flew past 

 

An hour later darkness was chasing off the sun. See you next year  

Merry Christmas Everyone

 

Happy Skywatch

 

Snoopy is on his Way

 

Sunday Walk

 

There are a number of things going on around the village at the moment various trails for kids to follow during the holidays, (I will feature the walks in another blog) for now I will show some of the places I have written about or am going to blog about on Our World Tuesday

 I will start at the Station which opened in 1892 having been moved from the original place about a mile back up the line. Most usual thing about this photo is it is the first time I have seen no cars in the carpark  

The next few photos were taken a couple of days previous when I walked around the village. The is the entrance to what was Fair Mile Hospital my parents worked there for most of their life. I have written a series of blogs on the place.

The old farm entrance to Fair Mile, when the place first opened they kept livestock and a dairy herd and were nearly self sufficient, the original farm buildings left were restored being used for homes and small businesses one of them is a coffee shop

The set of houses here were built on a property that once had a bungalow on it. I did show it a while ago now the houses are nearly ready for occupation 

I will end with this picture of the old Phone box where in the past youngsters would be phone their sweethearts and girlfriends now a mobile phone does the same. Th box has deteriorated and is in need of some TLC. The other one at the ether side of the village is now used for a defibrillator but the future of this one is unknown to me. I just home it is restored and put to a good use it would be sad to see it go. That it for Our World Tuesday from me this year hopefully I will be back in the new year with more for you to see. Do have a merry Christmas  and lets hope next year brings us all better times.

Taking Part in My Little Corner of the World  Our World Tuesday and Imag-in-ing, you can find all the links in the right hand column Take care everyone

 

All Saints Cuddeston

 

This is the last Church featured in the Church Explorer this year as I will be taking a break till the new year when I will be featuring a round-up of the churches visited in 2020. In this last church you get the chance to look around inside which I feel was a lucky break considering the last one was locked.

 

 Till next year Do have a Happy & Safe Cristmas