After the storm
Jun. 17th, 2018 11:09 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shewhomustI went out after dinner for a breath of air and a quick tour of inspection. We were, as D. had claimed, surrounded by lakes:
At least, the lane that leads away from our door was a sequence of puddles. I hadn't been planning to go that way, but I paused to enjoy the view of Lindisfarne Castle (still wrapped, but open again to visitors) and the more distant Bamburgh, quite clear on the horizon. For once we don't see that view from anywhere in the house, as there are no windows in the end wall. The air was scented with wet blossom: elder and hawthorn and I thought I recognised flowering currant, though I couldn't see that.
And the seals were calling to each other, a constant loud moaning. At first I thought I must be hearing wood pigeons, surely the seals couldn't be so insistently audible, here in the centre of the island? But I followed the sound. I had meant to walk to the harbour, but found myself instead on St Cuthbert's beach. My sight isn't good enough to make out the seals who congregate across the water on the mainland, but they were certainly there, and in great numbers. The sun was nowhere near setting, although it illuminated the clouds in a very pleasing way:
A couple, emerging from the lifeboat house (which we visited last year withlamentables and abrinsky) took the same photo, and I heard them saying, "We can pretend that's us!". I pointed out to them the big puddle between us, which I was having fun with:
and - I should probably have seen this coming! - they asked me to take their picture on their phone. Usually I make a complete mess of this, and touch the wrong place and reset the phone and who knows what, but this time I don't think I disgraced myself. I'll never know, of course, but there was a satisfying shutter noise, and just as I was about to hand the phone back I spotted a reflection and took a bonus picture. So I came home feeling quite smug, just a touch too late to catch the juxtaposition of house and sunset, but in time to help D. finish off the crossword (he had already done all the hard work).
An evening well spent.
At least, the lane that leads away from our door was a sequence of puddles. I hadn't been planning to go that way, but I paused to enjoy the view of Lindisfarne Castle (still wrapped, but open again to visitors) and the more distant Bamburgh, quite clear on the horizon. For once we don't see that view from anywhere in the house, as there are no windows in the end wall. The air was scented with wet blossom: elder and hawthorn and I thought I recognised flowering currant, though I couldn't see that.
And the seals were calling to each other, a constant loud moaning. At first I thought I must be hearing wood pigeons, surely the seals couldn't be so insistently audible, here in the centre of the island? But I followed the sound. I had meant to walk to the harbour, but found myself instead on St Cuthbert's beach. My sight isn't good enough to make out the seals who congregate across the water on the mainland, but they were certainly there, and in great numbers. The sun was nowhere near setting, although it illuminated the clouds in a very pleasing way:
A couple, emerging from the lifeboat house (which we visited last year with
lamentables and abrinsky) took the same photo, and I heard them saying, "We can pretend that's us!". I pointed out to them the big puddle between us, which I was having fun with:and - I should probably have seen this coming! - they asked me to take their picture on their phone. Usually I make a complete mess of this, and touch the wrong place and reset the phone and who knows what, but this time I don't think I disgraced myself. I'll never know, of course, but there was a satisfying shutter noise, and just as I was about to hand the phone back I spotted a reflection and took a bonus picture. So I came home feeling quite smug, just a touch too late to catch the juxtaposition of house and sunset, but in time to help D. finish off the crossword (he had already done all the hard work).
An evening well spent.
