Views from South Drive

Hartswood is beautiful in late April when the Blue Bells are in full bloom. This was taken early morning. Wells Next To Sea in April - we saw one for sale for £60k Hartswood Pond in April - local kids empty bins into the pond. Local councillor says bins will be removed. It's June and they are still there. Sun rise in March - can you see the bins in the background? Tell them that not all kids are vandals! I love this the 'Aesthetic tree' with chalked decorations and hanging CDs. Cromer Pier Sea groynes at Bacton on Sea Bacton Beach in April Sea defences which appear to be failing to do their job - global warming? Guess who?

We have had some wet, cloudy, grey days recently so it was really good to get out in the winter... nearly spring sunshine. Here are some photographs which show that Hartswood still finds itself in the grips of winter. Some coppiced beech trees next to the Hartswood Road Duck weed everywhere The pond is full again after some heavy downpours When the wind blows the duck weed to the edges but it soon returns to cover the whole pond These are the bluebells ready for some warmer weather Some forest art work Snowdrops I think?

These photographs were taken over the space of a week and include a guest photographer - Hannah! Hannah went for a dog walk and captured the late afternoon mist Hannah captures fungi in Hartswood Winter sunset sky - Hannah Early sunrise in King George's at 6.45am I call this pond 3 - I think it's called the Childerditch pond in Thorndon Park. Ice on the surface remains after a chilly night. Panoramic shot taken from the top of the north park looking south across Childerditch. Spring sunshine in Thorndon Park Moss grows fat... The woods are really looking light as there is barely any green left. Mud remains despite freezing conditions this week It appears nothing eats the fungi this time of year - the tree stumps are covered in this type of growth Bracken at its brownest - there are no green shoots yet. I had to stop take my gloves off, get the camera out before taking photos this week!

We spent an afternoon in Islington with family and friends. On a freezing cold day the light and architecture was stunning- I hope I did it some justice?  Regents Canal - Islington I love this photo - that's unknown man and Ethan Giant lego Juxtaposition!! Floating in urban sprawl A restaurant in Kings Cross An intricate patterned column Chefs working behind glass wall in Kings Cross Cool address Architecture and human interest - I like this photo Can you see the tree in front of this fascinating building? Found on the side of a canal boat on Regents Canal

Winter perhaps in Hartswood?... after an extremely mild and wet winter so far this December and January, we have finally had some cold evenings and nights and some flurries of snow in the past twenty four hours. The woods aren't exactly transformed by the cold just yet but it does lend itself for some good winter photographs. Snow is forecast for later in the week so maybe some 'snowy' shots next week? These are the logs left to rot next to the playground The snow remained on the logs but not on the ground The shapes of the logs are almost 3D in this photo Old beech trees have been felled to give more light at the edge of the park Tree stump More fungi - I must get round to identifying them Where ever wood is left on the ground the snow has remained Amazon may have fungi books? At 2 degrees it is cold enough for ice and snow to remain even though today was quite sunny Frozen pond with snow on the surface