Sunlight & Shadow

I took a walk along the river today, the air was fresh, almost spring-like and the sun was shining gleaming on the water and casting long, liquid shadows. Swans, ducks and geese flapped and called noisily or drifted slowly, majestically, as silent as cumulus clouds upon a silvered river.

It felt peaceful, "far from the madding crowd", as Hardy would say and yet three-four hundred yards away the traffic streamed over the bridge into the bustle of the town.


Flocks of Canadian geese feeding on the grass along the river bank would occasionally look up with that huhuh-huhuh chatter of theirs and give you the once over, "Are you going to feed us?" before returning to their natural diet.


The avenue of graceful willows that hung over the path touching, tapping you on your head and shoulders as you walk beneath them, their long tendrils still green in the November sun. Autumn seems a little late in some parts especially when in the town centre preparations are already underway for Christmas with several decorations suspended from the vaulted ceilings. What a topsy turvy mix of seasons. Is it Autumn being a little hesitant or are we just bringing Christmas ever earlier?