Category Archives: Spring

Another Day when the sun came and went……

Posted on by under David Oakes - Images, DERBY, Derbyshire, England, Everyday Life, Peace, PHOTOGRAPHY,, postaday, Spring, Trivia

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River Derwent, Derby

The Derwent is running  all smooth and calm, only a distant Duke breaking the surface.  Mid May and the trees are all lush green, extra bright in one of the sunshine breaks.  Hard to think back to the beginning of March.   Where I am standing I would have been under water with flood waters rushing past.    So  very tranquil today.

It is here in Derby that the River runs through Darley Park, a Park that tucks itself into the northern edge of the City.  So it is no surprise that it has been a popular place for that Lockdown Exercise.  Since Boris made his grand ‘easing’ statement last week, those numbers have dramatically increased.  Thankfully it is only a small minority who act with no thought or care for social distancing or for other folk.

This morning the Park was busy (ish) but large areas were people free.

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Plenty of space to relax and enjoy the May sunshine….. and they do recommend Vitamin D for the immune system – here you can get it for free.

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May growth is very lush, perhaps all the winter rains, followed by this springs extra dose of sunshine and warmth, have produced  this rich green May.  A May that I cannot recall having been so full and varied in spring growth.  Growth both wild and cultivated.

Bold bright colours in the Herbaceous garden, Poppies and Iris the first blousy blooms….

In the meadows and hedgerows the very humble Daisy and Dog Rose,.  Simple, yet  they  add a joy to any days walk…..

As for the weather report.  Well we did get Sun, we did get cloud and it was also humid and warm.  Rain is threatened for tomorrow..  Daft as it may seem, we could do with some (not too much though).

So best make the most of the rest of the day absorbing  some more Vitamin D..

Please Remember ….

Stay Safe …. Be Kind…. Look After Each Other

18th May

(C) David Oakes 2020

Looking for the Shade…..

Posted on by under David Oakes - Images, Derbyshire, Everyday Life, Peace, PHOTOGRAPHY,, postaday, Spring, Trivia

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Darley Park, Derby

Seems daft that when we want to enjoy the sunshine we try to stick to the shade when out walking (sorry – Daily Permitted Exercise).  But with morning temperatures around 24c and rising, shade was very welcome…. and that heat brought out the scent of the Wild Garlic….

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Being Saturday I did expect more folk out and about. Well there were quite a few more, all keeping a safe distance but it did nothing to ease the strange isolated feeling.  Passing the Park Café, that on a day like today, would normally be packed with people, tables over the patio and a happy bubble of conversation – you were soon reminded that this is indeed strange times….

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Still nice to be able to get out and about… the bonus apart from space to breath is the sound of the spring bird song….. now that is worth a listen too.

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Not sure what tomorrow will bring…the forecasters are full of doom and gloom.  Our high of 26c today is down to a probable 8c at best.  We wait to see.

But today was just great so best not to complain… 🙂

Please Remember ….

Stay Safe …. Be Kind…. Look After Each Other

9th May

(C) David Oakes 2020

 

Mixed Fortunes……. (or Sods Law)

Posted on by under Allestree, David Oakes - Images, Derbyshire, Everyday Life, Garden, Peace, PHOTOGRAPHY,, postaday, Spring, Trivia

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After a day when the skies had been gin clear blue,  just as expectations of a clear view of the Super Moon looked good….we get cloud cover.  Though we did get a small break in the clouds. Cannot win all the time.

It was a nice start to the day, sunshine over the Lake…

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In the meadows and hedgerow things are growing fast.  Campion, Buttercups, Forget me Not, Hawthorn and Dandelions, now just seed heads.

Back in the garden it does look as if the weekend is going to be busy..

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We also had some company.  This Blackbird was doing its best pretending not to be there.

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As it had just been bathing in our birdbath I guess it was reluctant to have its photo taken….’bad hair feather day’

Please Remember ….

Stay Safe …. Be Kind…. Look After Each Other

8th May

(C) David Oakes 2020

It is getting Hot…… it won’t Last

Posted on by under Allestree, David Oakes - Images, Derbyshire, English Woodland, Everyday Life, Peace, PHOTOGRAPHY,, postaday, Spring, Trivia

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Big Wood, Allestree

The sun was out from dawn, the sky was blue and for once not a hint of a breeze.

In the woods it was dark.  The leaves casting a shadow over the woodland floor like a giant umbrella. But there was also a real difference this morning.

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For the first time this year there was a warmth, not just in the air, but that warm feeling of reflected heat from the ground….. now that is much more like summer.

I had thought we had seen the last of the Bluebells, so it was a bonus to find this small sweep of Blue…… past their best, but still a feast for the eye…

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Friday and most of Saturday are forecast to be good….. maybe 26c tomorrow.  We will see as they also forecast Arctic Blast on Sunday and Monday with the potential for real wintery showers.

Keeps us on our toes…even in these trouble times.

Please Remember ….

Stay Safe …. Be Kind…. Look After Each Other

7th May

(C) David Oakes 2020

Could be Summer….. well for a few days!

Posted on by under David Oakes - Images, DERBY, Derbyshire, Everyday Life, Peace, PHOTOGRAPHY,, postaday, River Derwent, Spring, Trivia

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The River Derwent, Darley, Derby…….   the river is running smoothly, no breeze to disturb the surface, the sun shines and the temperature is climbing.  Its early morning so still a chill in the air, but the promise is for a warm day. The trees are bright green, vegetation lush.  The promise is for at least 4 days like this with temperatures set to reach 20c+……  it could well be a summers day, but those bright greens tell us it is spring.

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Wild Garlic is both the colour and aroma for these early days of May.   This stretch of the Derwent is a corridor of Garlic.  This location has always supported a good crop, but I am sure, that this spring it is much more prolific….. it was underwater for several weeks so maybe those flood waters actually did it some good….

 The early morning added colour to the restored Darley Mills Complex. Apart from being a Wedding Venue it is also home to a mix of independent companies of offices, gyms, studios and a mini Brewery.  But like so many places in these times it is eerily deserted.

Back on the riverside meadows it is now Buttercup time,  just add children playing, cricket on the pitch beyond and it would really look like a summers day…

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It will all happen again…sometime

Please Remember ….

Stay Safe …. Be Kind…. Look After Each Other

6th May

(C) David Oakes 2020