But I only have one photo to prove it as my battery died. As I walked in the warm sunshine just before lunch, I wondered what people's ideas were of the first signs of spring. For me it's the first flowers in the fields and there, almost dwarfed by the grass, on the side of the road was a little daffodil.
I came home had a bite to eat and then took my Christmas present that just arrived yesterday, a book from Donna, and went to find a sunny spot by the river. The scene was so full of photos but that's when I discovered the battery was dead on the camera that is always in my pocket. I decided to see if you could imagine my afternoon just by my description.
I sat on some concrete steps that led down to the river, which is muddy and quite swollen with all the rain that we have had. The first thing that caught my eye was an old wood row boat tied to a tree on the bank. It drifted ever so gently out into the the current and then back to the shore. At one time it was painted blue but now the gunnels and seats are a grey, green colour with all the moss growing on it. The trees are still devoid of leaves but the brown of their branches and of the soil in the the freshly turned farmers field beyond speak of a warmth unlike the greyness of winter. As I started reading my book a beautiful white swan came into the scene. There were more people out and about on this beautiful Sunday afternoon than I have seen since being here. Lots of families, all with their stale baguettes to feed the ducks and swans. A old man and woman came down the steps I was sitting on with a bag of bread. They were both dressed very smartly and she had on very high heeled shoes. She followed him very carefully across the grassy bank to a concrete block where they sat and fed the ducks.
I started to noticed the ducks a little more. At first I thought there were just mallards. Then a couple of white ducks with funny tufts of feathers growing out of the back of their heads paddled by. They paddled after a male who looked similar to a Mallard but the feathers on his head were such a deep purple they looked black until he turned his head in the sun and his body feathers were shades of brown, black, grey and white. Next came the males that I think belonged to the females with the tufted heads. These guys were the funniest looking ducks I have ever seen. Not like the hood of a Merganzer or Grebe, these had puffy tufts coming from the back of their heads. Turns out they were quite the randy group of ducks. I looked up from my reading when I head some splashing and at first thought he was trying to drown the white female. Nope, just a little afternoon delight for all three of the girls.
Anyhow, it was a lovely afternoon - hope you enjoyed it with me. I might take my other camera down when the light gets a little lower and have a little play. By the way, Donna - I'm loving the book.
I came home had a bite to eat and then took my Christmas present that just arrived yesterday, a book from Donna, and went to find a sunny spot by the river. The scene was so full of photos but that's when I discovered the battery was dead on the camera that is always in my pocket. I decided to see if you could imagine my afternoon just by my description.
I sat on some concrete steps that led down to the river, which is muddy and quite swollen with all the rain that we have had. The first thing that caught my eye was an old wood row boat tied to a tree on the bank. It drifted ever so gently out into the the current and then back to the shore. At one time it was painted blue but now the gunnels and seats are a grey, green colour with all the moss growing on it. The trees are still devoid of leaves but the brown of their branches and of the soil in the the freshly turned farmers field beyond speak of a warmth unlike the greyness of winter. As I started reading my book a beautiful white swan came into the scene. There were more people out and about on this beautiful Sunday afternoon than I have seen since being here. Lots of families, all with their stale baguettes to feed the ducks and swans. A old man and woman came down the steps I was sitting on with a bag of bread. They were both dressed very smartly and she had on very high heeled shoes. She followed him very carefully across the grassy bank to a concrete block where they sat and fed the ducks.
I started to noticed the ducks a little more. At first I thought there were just mallards. Then a couple of white ducks with funny tufts of feathers growing out of the back of their heads paddled by. They paddled after a male who looked similar to a Mallard but the feathers on his head were such a deep purple they looked black until he turned his head in the sun and his body feathers were shades of brown, black, grey and white. Next came the males that I think belonged to the females with the tufted heads. These guys were the funniest looking ducks I have ever seen. Not like the hood of a Merganzer or Grebe, these had puffy tufts coming from the back of their heads. Turns out they were quite the randy group of ducks. I looked up from my reading when I head some splashing and at first thought he was trying to drown the white female. Nope, just a little afternoon delight for all three of the girls.
Anyhow, it was a lovely afternoon - hope you enjoyed it with me. I might take my other camera down when the light gets a little lower and have a little play. By the way, Donna - I'm loving the book.