Friday, March 24, 2006

Grey Day

I called off my planned trip into the forest today due to the weather. Instead I trundled around wet and windy Hythe. When it dries up I'll take my camera into the pine-clad moors of the New Forest.










Dead people have these benches named after them so that nearly-dead people can sit and watch the boats.


It doesn't matter if that sinks beneath the grey waves now.


In the grey distance is the city I no longer need to visit for work. Sharp eyes will spot the small red ferry beyond the blue tipped piling as it carries the unfortunates to their treadmills.

17 comments:

Elena Horowitz-Brookes said...

Brother Virgo, these grey photos of yours sure set an introspective mood. I love grey days. I love gloomy ocean weather, that's why I live near the ocean. The benches for the nearly dead people is so funny. Last time we went to England we kept going back several times to a forested area in Alton. I was addicted to going to this area and just walking the solitary paths. It was so different from what I would usually think of when I think of England. There was an old pub/restaurant called The Travelers Retreat. I felt the whole area was like a sancturary. There was a river there too. Do you know this place? We had to go down a real narrow country road to get there. My husband remembered the place from his youth and found his way back there for us. Close by he said there was an old pup called The Highwayman which he showed me and it was derelict now. Wonder if you know about this. Thanks for posting these photos and enjoyed your comments accompanying them. Mentioning your cancelling your trip into the forest brought all of my Alton forest up for me. Oh my husband said he thinks it was the Churnet river. Spelling may be off. P.S. Glad you're free from your dreary job across the waters

Elena Horowitz-Brookes said...

Here again, It's on the grounds of the Earl of Shrewsbury. There is an very old oak tree on the path called The Chained Tree. It still has chains on it. Legend says that if a limb falls off, a member of the royal family will die, so they chain all the limbs. Quite a trip! I miss England.

Perfect Virgo said...

Boulies - grey as it gets that day. I don't miss the trip or the ferry or the drab grey buildings!

I think you must mean Alton in Staffordshire. That is about 300 miles north of me and I have not been there. I have however visited an Alton in Hampshire with river valleys and forested areas much like you describe. Additionally there is hilly countryside which draws walkers like a magnet. You have inspired me to go there again!

I like your mention of the royal family and chained limbs! Don't we have some quaint habits over here!!

Elena Horowitz-Brookes said...

I do love your quaint habits. Here we have drive by shootings. It was in Staffordshire. Not too far from my mother-in-laws in Stoke. Hampshire sounds beautiful. I'm glad I inspired a new trip for you. Will love the see the photos.

Perfect Virgo said...

Boulies - drive by shootings indeed! A hilarious comment, thanks. Hampshire is full of photographic treats, I'll do my best to capture some more.

Neetee said...

Hello my dear spirit siblings - here we are yet again! I will not let you have a good chat without me! Ha ha!

I have been stuck in the house ill for some 3 days and do appreciate the tour.
I love grey days too. These are wonderful pictures! I love the names of the places, though they are common to you perfect bro virgo. They sound so magical and storybookish to me. Like our sister said, the only magic this way are the reports of 'drive by shootings', oh and 'high speed chases' on the freeway. Ah the daily life in California. And it's all done under a beautiful sun. Ha ha.
Those benches for the dead are amazing! What a sweet sad tribute.
So, are we going into the pine clad moors of the New Forest next? That will be exciting! Thank you for getting me out of the house - in my mind.
:)
Beautiful photos!

Perfect Virgo said...

Neetee - sibling rivalry is healthy and strong around here. Sis Boulies is demonstrating her world geography expertise! A grey day was so apt for my grey mood. Some day soon when the sun shines I will be a happier bunny and collect pictures of bright early morning spring scenes.

Far away places always sound so romantically alluring do they not? Near me are villages called Brockenhurst, Ringwood, Lymington, Fawley, and Milford to name but a few. Each is ancient and steeped in history and I will try to bring pictures of those.

While not writing I am busy fiddling with cables, connectors and a miniature bullet-shaped camera. I am trying to perfect the procedure of filming my motorcycle rides and transferring the results to DVD. The initial results are encouraging but I want to spice things up with voice-overs, music and captions.

I'll post more about that as time goes by but as uploading video to Blogger is nigh on impossible I may have to ship DVDs.

Watch this space.

Perfect Virgo said...

R&E - thank you for confirming that. So many times I think the views are just too plain so I don't record them.

Perfect Virgo said...

Sirreene - no the sun don't shine on these shores. Boats? What are they?

Elena Horowitz-Brookes said...

Dearest Virgo, Gena left a little comment on her blog. It's still linked to finn's but I'm going to create her own soon.

Perfect Virgo said...

Boulies - thank you for telling me. I have been to Gena's site and left a short note for her. I am sure you are proud of her creative instincts and will nurture them as a mother of young children does.

Nick Zegarac said...

Grey dull and stormy conditions brewing in these visceral and stimulating photos. Bad weather is always a prelude to greay photos. Go figure!

Patry Francis said...

I love your benches for nearly dead people.

Perfect Virgo said...

Nick - welcome. grey/gray it's all dreary anyway. I thought the sea looked like mercury.

Perfect Virgo said...

Patry - I'm sure the people who sit on them are grateful but the folk who sponsored them, less so.

Perfect Virgo said...

SilvermOOn - glad you liked the dry comment re the benches! Blogger always eats tasty comments.

Perfect Virgo said...

SilvermOOn - Blogger has done this before, it is most irritating. The best and juiciest comments simply vanish without a trace. I am left wondering what the words may have been. Whimsical and clever, of that I am sure.