Duck Days.

During my contemplative days staring out of the windows (see my previous blog Late Tulips dated Sunday 30th June 2013), I spotted a couple of different varieties of duck.  A pair of handsome Shelducks visited one early morning at the end of May, fed for a while, flew off and haven't been seen since.  A lone Mallard arrived in early June, patrolled the area and seemed for all the world as though he were searching for his mate; he swam back and forth, round and about, up and down, stood on the sea wall for an age, looking this way and that, but to no avail, and off he went.  A few days later he returned, this time with his mate - hoorah!  He's been back regularly since then, sometimes alone, sometimes with his mate, he doesn't stay for long, but it's always good to see him.

The picture at the top shows the Mallard on the sea wall, overlooking Southampton Water, at Hythe, Hampshire, on Monday 3rd June 2013 at 09:22.

The picture at the bottom shows the pair of Shelducks on Hythe foreshore, Southampton Water, Hampshire, at 07:47 on Sunday 26th May 2013.

To read about Mallards, click on the link below:-

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/m/mallard/index.aspx

To read about Shelducks, click on the link below:-

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/s/shelduck/index.aspx

Late Tulips.

I haven't said much in the last couple of months (see my previous blog Last Valentine dated Sunday 23rd June 2013), but I've certainly done lots of standing and staring - into space and out of the windows.  I can't say that the quiet contemplation resulted in any flashes of inspiration or fundamental insights, but I did have my camera to hand and photographed whatever was happening outside, so the only thing I can say with any certainty is that life goes on.....

I won't overwhelm you with endless pictures of cruise ships, warships, spectacular sunsets or dramatic stormy skies (and there were lots of them!), but I will show you the tulips.  Planted last September in pots on my balcony, they emerged in March this year and flowered magnificently during April and May; two varieties, Double Early "Foxtrot" in pink and Lily Flowering "Sapporo" in creamy white.

The picture above shows the tulips on my balcony in Hythe, Hampshire at 14:49 on Thursday 16th May 2013.

The picture below shows a close-up of the Double Early Tulip "Foxtrot" on my balcony in Hythe, Hampshire, three days earlier, on Monday 13th May 2013 at 14:31.

To see more photos of the tulips on my balcony, click on the link below:-

http://susanvale.tumblr.com/post/54265987676/tulips-on-my-balcony-in-hythe-hampshire-photos

Last Valentine.

It's been two months since my father died and I'm lost for words.  I want to say something, I want to say something about my Dad, and I think I can do no better than to share the card I made, of a card he made.  The inscription inside is an excerpt from my family memories, a personal obituary, read out at his funeral, and explains the history of the Last Valentine.

The picture at the top shows the front of the card I made, featuring a photo of the Last Valentine from my Dad to my Mum, the pictures below show the inside inscription and the back of the card.

NB: My father had been ill for almost a year with a skin cancer (squamous cell carcinoma of the nasal passages - a particularly aggressive and disfiguring cancer).  Surgery took his nose and radiotherapy took most of the sight from his right eye, damaged his left eye, his mouth, his tongue and his hearing, but did nothing to stop the cancer, and the tumours continued to grow.  It was horrible and awful, but he never complained and his first thought was always for others.  He died peacefully in a Leicestershire hospice (LOROS) on 24th April 2013.  He was a very nice man and I miss him.  Arthur Anthony Vale (Tony Vale) 22.07.22 to 24.04.13. RIP

The Sun Also Rises.

The sunrise this morning; the day my father died.  Arthur Anthony Vale (Tony Vale), 22.07.22 to 24.04.13.  Love you, Dad.  RIP.

The picture shows the sunrise at 06:08 on Wednesday 24th April 2013, looking east across Southampton Water, Hampshire.

Easter.

A fabulous sunset yesterday, a full moon last Wednesday, British Summer Time begins tomorrow, a cruise ship in port and a bottle of champagne on ice - in lieu of an Easter egg.  I'm not a big fan of chocolate, but I do like a glass of something lovely, and champagne fits the bill perfectly.  I'll drink mine straight, with a plump frozen raspberry dropped in at the last moment; it makes the champagne fizz and gives it a lovely pink colour.  Mmmm. Happy Easter.

The picture shows the Good Friday sky an hour before sunset yesterday.  To see a few more photos of the sunset over Hythe, Hampshire on Friday 29th March 2013, click on the link below:-

http://susanvale.tumblr.com/post/46663496685/the-good-friday-sky-an-hour-before-sunset-and-at

To see the current moon phase, click on the link below:-

http://www.calculatorcat.com/moon_phases/phasenow.php

To visit the webcam for the P&O cruise ship Oceana, click on the link below:-
http://www.pocruises.com/Cruise-Ships/Oceana/Ship-Webcams/

Spring Equinox.

A beautiful sun glowing through a hazy, cloudy sky, late this afternoon, just before sunset on the day of the Spring Equinox.  I wasn't sure I'd get a good photo, shooting into the sun, but pointed my camera in the general direction and hoped for the best.  I was nicely surprised when I saw the results.  I also took a shot of the sunlight on the water; a golden, rippling reflection that actually looked more like moonlight - must have been the haze that caused it - wonderfully romantic and mysterious.

The picture shows the pre-sunset sky, looking west over Hythe, Hampshire, at 17:13 on Wednesday 20th March 2013 - the day of the Spring Equinox.

To see a closer shot of the pre-sunset sky, plus the rippling reflection of sunlight on Southampton Water, Hampshire, click on the link below:-

http://susanvale.tumblr.com/post/45845316931/pre-sunset-on-the-day-of-the-spring

To read about the Spring Equinox, click on the link below:-

http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/march-equinox.html

Words And Music.

Following on from my previous blog (Baroque Spring), describing the feelings that sweep over me when I'm listening to music; this morning I settled down with a good book and came across these lines:-

"As the grand tones resounded through the church, they seemed, to Tom, to find an echo in the depth of every ancient tomb, no less than in the deep mystery of his own heart.  Great thoughts and hopes came crowding on his mind as the rich music rolled upon the air and yet among them - something more grave and solemn in their purpose, but the same - were all the images of that day, down to its very lightest recollection of childhood.  The feeling that the sounds awakened, in the moment of their existence, seemed to include his whole life and being...."  From Martin Chuzzlewit.

Damn you Charles Dickens, I wish I'd said that!

The picture shows the cover detail from one of the serial editions of The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit (1843) by Charles Dickens.

Click on the link below to read about Martin Chuzzlewit by Charles Dickens (1812-1870).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Chuzzlewit

Baroque Spring.

I'm certainly enjoying the baroque music on BBC Radio 3 this month (Baroque Spring 1st March to 1st April 2013).  It suits me down to the ground and I've been uplifted, diverted, consoled and delighted in turns.

Henry Purcell has been one of the Composers of the Week and the opening chords of Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary stopped me in my tracks; I've heard it many times, but it never fails to transfix me. It's a wonderfully heartfelt piece of music that seems to envelop me with warmth and understanding.  It speaks to my soul.

The picture shows the cover detail from my treasured and much played CD.

To listen to the opening march from Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary (1662-1694), composed by Henry Purcell, click on the link below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYELAu9hqdU

To read about Henry Purcell (1659-1695), click on the link below.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Purcell

To read about BBC Radio 3 Baroque Spring, click on the link below.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p012fwtk/features/about

Tulips.

I do like a nice bunch of flowers and these beautiful, pink-kissed, tulips are a delight.  Overall I prefer a scented flower, but at this time of year I find it hard to resist the charm of an elegant tulip;  I love the arching shapes, the broad green leaves and the thrill of watching the petals unfold to reveal their true colour.

Red tulips are my absolute favourite, but you can't have everything....... and if I mention red tulips I'll be reminded of the Sylvia Plath poem ("Tulips" 1961); a fine and poignant poem, but not at all the mood I want to evoke with my picture.

Click on the link below to read about tulips.

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=684

To hear Sylvia Plath reading her poem "Tulips", click on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=872XCkXdGco

To read about the Sylvia Plath poem "Tulips", click on the link below.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulips_(poem)

International Women's Day.

Today I salute the life and work of French film-maker Agnes Varda.  I love her films, her honesty and her gentle energy.  A remarkable woman.

The picture shows a still of Agnes Varda from the film The Beaches of Agnes.

Click on the link below to read about Agnes Varda.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnès_Varda

To see Agnes Varda talking about her 2008 autobiographical documentary film, The Beaches of Agnes, click on the link below:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqzSTznliHQ

To see my Agnes Varda film blog, click on the link below:-

http://susanvaleonfilm.tumblr.com/post/44852609804/the-beaches-of-agnes-les-plages-dagnes-france