Wednesday 10 August 2016

Lazing on a sunny afternoon


I couldn't be arsed to go to work yesterday, so I went to IFORD MANOR. (Spot the attempt to entice the H@@s over.) I parked up against the river and tried to catch-up on sleep, but was kept pleasantly awake by children in the shallows with little nets being shouted instructions by their mother, who was simulataneously trying to control two huge and boistrous dogs on long leashes in a slightly deeper part.

Then two girls on horseback turned up and attempted to persuade their mounts to go into the river. One horse was obviously scared of water and kept turning full circle before bolting for the bank, only to be turned round and sent back in again. The noise was tremendous.

A Kingfisher flashed past, and once again my Pavlov's response to the event was to remember that my mother spent her entire life never having seen a Kingfisher, despite years of trying.

I once took her out to a spot where I knew to be a Kingfisher nesting-place, and we stared at the stream for great stretches at a time, knowing that one would appear sooner or later, but only for a brief instant.

About three times that day, my mother - having a low boredom threshold - would look away just as the irridescent bird flew past, and only respond to my shouts a second too late. She died never having seen a Kingfisher.




15 comments:

  1. I like it that a pretty bird like the kingfisher brings such sweet memories of your mother, Tom.
    Greetings Maria x

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  2. I have loved kingfishers since I was a small child ..... there is something so spellbinding, midsummer night's dreamy about them !! The way that you described your day at Iford Manor took me right back to those lazy, hazy days of my childhood summer's ! XXXX

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    1. I don't know how long they have been here, but I think they came from India.

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  3. I wish I could be so cavalier about blowing off work. Damn Puritans.

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    1. You can do that so long as you are only dealing with luxuries and have patient clients.

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  4. Sad mum story Tom.

    Incidentally - off to see a silversmith next Thursday - I will let you know how I fare.

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    1. Remind them of the recent scrap-purchaces and the current price of silver by the ounce - show nounce.

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  5. Kingfishers are quite beautiful, and I also hope to catch a glimpse of one someday. There are so many lovely birds in different parts of the world. Every so often I spot something other than sparrows and pigeons over in Central Park.

    Now you've got me humming that Kinks tune...in the summertime. Thank you!

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    1. Central Park has Ibis - we don't have those here in Somerset.

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    2. That's true. I have seen them, and some hummingbirds and herons occasionally. Cardinals, bluejays, robins are around...and some hawks, too.

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  6. I remember watching one from the ancient Pont Valentré in Cahors. Spellbinding; I stayed for hours.

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    1. If they dive, they always get their fish, it seems.

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  7. I have seen a kingfisher many times on our local river here in Harpenden. Blink and you miss their flight across the surface though! I was once about 3 yards away from one that was sitting on branch . Beautiful birds.

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    1. I once spent about half an hour watching one dive and come up with a little fish - over and over again.

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