Yesterday I girded my loins to take a walk to the marsh by myself.
Although I know the route it involves crossing a busy road where one has to judge the flow of traffic at traffic lights. This is something that gives me a sense of dread and foreboding.
Biggie’s traffic work was impeccable, so although it is always the guide dog owner who decides when it’s safe to cross a road I knew if I got it wrong he’d refuse to move.
I approached the junction with my heart in my mouth. In theory, the road is closed in one direction for roadworks but – there is still access, and apparently an awful lot of people needed to access the road on a Sunday morning. 🤔 So I judged, listened, listened again, waited for the traffic light sequence to go round a few times … then scuttled across the road hissing “Oh shit oh shit OH SHIT !!” to myself.
I am still alive though so, as you might guess, I made it.
As I got to the footbridge over the railway line a train was approaching. I wasn’t prepared for how sad that would make me feel.
When Biggie and I encountered a train approaching I would say “Here comes the train, baby !” in an excited happy voice … because when we were first matched I didn’t know if he was nervous of trains. I knew I bloody well was, so it was as much for me as it was for him. As time went on he would wag his tail and get excited when he heard a train, even before I said anything, so seeing a train was a little ritual for us both that would result in cuddles and happiness.
So as I stood at the foot of the bridge stairs and the train rushed past I just felt so incredibly sad.
I climbed the steps with tears in my eyes.
The marsh was lovely as ever. Just very lonely.
Here are two shots – the first, a view over a wide wooden gate across a lush green field full of tall grass, rushes, and low scrub. In the distance, before the horizon line of dark trees against the blue and white sky, large white shapes can be discerned. Moo cows ! These bovines help keep parts of the marsh in control and are placed there at different parts of the year. They belong to Norfolk Wildlife Trust, who own the marsh site.
The second is a portrait orientation shot of the view looking down one of the water filled ditches in the green of the trash. It’s dotted with little white flowers, patches of duck weed, and other water dwelling plants. On the right hand side of it are tall bushes. On the right an open field with tall grass.
I took this shot whilst resting the camera on a low stump of wood that I have used many times for this purpose. Except this time I was suddenly swarmed by very annoyed ants ! Who proceeded to bite me. Bitey little buggers. Rude !
They get everywhere, really fast. Only my fore arms were resting on the stump but soon enough the little blighters were up my trouser legs, on my chest, on my biceps. I beat a hasty retreat, muttering, “Seriously, there’s no need to be like that !”
Fortunately no one else was around to hear me and wonder what on earth I was doing.
Soft of Sight Photography 