Therefore all seasons shall be sweet to thee,
Whether summer clothe the general earth
With greeness, or the redbreast sit and sing
Betwixt the tufts of snow on the bare branch
Of mossy apple-tree, while the nigh thatch
Smokes in the sun-thaw; whether the eave-drops fall
Heard only in the trances of the blast,
Or if the secret ministry of frost
Shall hang them up in silent icicles,
Quietly shining to the quiet Moon.



Thursday, January 25, 2007

Stormy Weather


Today has been a lovely, sunny day but pretty cold. Over the last ten days or so we have had some bad wind storms though and above is Bilbo Baggins among the top branches of a full grown ash tree that fell across the river near us at the weekend. This isn't the river in Eccleshall Woods - there are several close to us apart from the Limb Brook, this one is Old Hay Brook. Double clicking on some of the photos will make them clearer I think.


This is from a bit further back showing the main trunk actually across the water.

Another big branch that came down into the same river. The water level has dropped quite a bit now but last weekend it was running very fast and deep.

My husband was over at our other house on the Lancashire coast over the weekend to check up that all was well there. The bungalow is about 5 or 6 miles from Blackpool and he went up there with his camera and took these rather spectacular photos of the sea front. The promenade had been closed to traffic because it was so dangerous. I have to say that I'm very glad I wasn't crossing on the ferry to the Isle of Man that day! I may be a member of a seafaring island race but I am, regrettably, not a very good sailor! Mind you, Admiral Nelson wasn't either so I'm in good company!!


An even more spectacular wave breaking. Virtually every year people are swept into the water along this part of the coast and drowned because they don't respect the power of the sea and get too close.


Believe it or not there is an entire pier behind this wave.


And here it is!



Finally, I couldn't post about Blackpool without including a picture of the Tower.

7 comments:

VintagePretty said...

Wow it has been stormy! Really beautiful photos, thanks for sharing :)

rel said...

Rowan,
Golly that ocean really is worked up isn't it? The power and force of nature always fasinates me. I too like to photograph it if I can manage a safe distance. I am a pretty good sailor but not a foolhardy one. We've been reading about the turbulent weather over your way this winter and wondering if you were affected at all. Looks like a goodly accumulation of fire wood lying about there.
rel

Anonymous said...

We have heard about the storms there and the damage they have caused.
The waves breaking on the sea front are spectacular, but as you say very dangerous. The sea can be a fearful place to be in foul weather. I crossed the Atlantic by ship in November (many years ago) and remember it well..!

I need orange said...

My blog reader managed to lose you -- I needed to add you back in!

I love the ocean, but it surely pays to be respectful! I've never seen it so wild (you can tell my exposure is limited!).

I love the gorgeous cardigan you knit!

Anonymous said...

Bilbo looks dwarfed by that tree! You must have had some really intense storms. The photos of the ocean are awesome. I am not a water loving person....I like my feet on dry land. I love to look at the ocean though and actually enjoy going to the beach when it's gray and just a bit stormy. Nothing like what you've pictured!!

Anonymous said...

That wave looks scary Rowan! Glad things have calmed down there now. We heard about those high winds you had on the news. Terrible! Looks like we here are now having seasonal weather, with some extra cold thrown in for good measure unfortunately. Hope spring comes a little early this year, or at least not late. Never know these days.

tea
xo

Anonymous said...

Hi! -- We had terrible winds down here in Surrey and our garden fence blew down! Lots of trees down here, too. And then we had our first snow of the winter on Wednesday.

Bilbo Baggins is lovely. What a gorgeous boy he is! He looks a little confused by the fallen limbs.