What an absolutely splendid late winter's day. I knew it was goinG to be great when I saw Vanessa enjoying Daphne in our garden this morning. That is
vanessa atalanta (red admiral butterfly) on
daphne jacqueline postill (a fragrant winter-flowering shrub) - but, of course you realized that.
DAPHNE - JUST AFTER VANESSA HAD FLOWN OFF
So we decided to take the long walk to our local by going along the top of Purdown. As is usually the case, a buzzard was quartering the hillside looking for prey. By using sticks I tried to point out the direction of Leeds so it could fliy there and unnerve Jukebox by circling overhead. Alternatively, it might be able to spot Stoop, head down trudging forlornly around the streets trying to find a replacement local in which to spend his £1 voucher. Anyway it drifted off in a northerly direction so they can expect it to be there tomorrow.
THE SKY - JUST AFTER THE BUZZARD HAD FLOWN OFF (FOR LEEDS)
We carried on across the top with views over Bristol and down onto our "village" of Stapleton before reaching the edge of the hill that then plunges down to Duchess Ponds under the gaze of Stoke Lodge where General Fairfax stayed before the Battle of Bristol (1645).
BRISTOL
STAPLETON
STOKE LODGE
Then we were off for a couple of drinks in the local where I am still a regular in good standing and an esteemed customer. In the top right of the first photo you will note the year from which time has stood still for this curiosity of a drinking establishment. But in the second you might notice the phantasmagoria of what appear to be two young women behind the bar that had dropped through a warp hole in hyperspace.
CAUGHT IN TIME
WHEN THE CLOCK STOPPED
ALIEN BEINGS
Then we wandered home along the River Frome, over the oldest bridge in Bristol - the medieval packhorse bridge over which Cromwell and Faifax are reputed to have marched The New Model in launching their devastating attack on Bristol two miles down the river.
BRISTOL'S OLDEST BRIDGE
Past the weir that once used to power the milling of snuff
COLSTON WEIR
And finally, on the other side of the river, past the lake where the were a pair of Canada Geese - just a small contingent of a much bigger flotilla that give me my early morning alarm call with their loud honking-in of the new day. Still, not many Bristolians get to complain about the noisiest thing around here id those damned geese.
HONKERS
