Tuesday 11 August 2009

ABC Wednesday - D

D is for Daisies, Devils, Downs and Damsons

Oh, I Don't think I have anything for D, was the first thought that came into my mind. So I dashed out into the rain and take a picture of Daises. An exuberant plant, difficult to keep in check, but requires no looking after whatsoever. I always associate these with high summer. Ha, summer, did that happen some time in June this year? Perhaps if I head south and over the channel it is happening there. I hope so for in a few weeks that's where I'm going and there will be lots of Dolmens. (Possibly D is sorted for the next round). Nil desperandum . This gives me my next D which is,

slightly further south and east a bit, on the top of the Le Grand Ballon is a monument to the Diables Bleus (blue devils), mountain troops active in World War 1.
The Devil has a lot of things named after him all over the world, he is a busy person. There are numerous Devil's Bridges although I have only come across one Devil's Ladder (in Ireland). My local one is the Devil's Chair, a rocky outcrop. What is the one called near where you live?
Here is the Devil's Kneading Trough (foreground)

which is part of the North Downs in Kent.
Postline
Where Dun coloured cows roam
Tolsford Hill
and it is known as the Garden of England. (I was there in August last year and there was some the wonderfully tasty fruit being sold from the front gates of houses).

There used to be Damson orchards all over England but like the apple orchards they have greatly declined in number. These were just growing by the field margins in Kent.
We have orchards nearby in the Lyth Valley but the Westmorland Damson is smaller and sharper than their southern cousins. Damson Day is celebrated there in April when the pretty white blossom appears. Anything you can make with damsons is on sale - jam, wine, tarts, cakes... and perhaps some of the Mason's Arms, Strawberry Bank Damson beer. Which is a very nice Drink.

Dash over to Mrs Nesbitt's ABC Wednesday for a diversity of Ds

10 comments:

Sylvia K said...

Gorgeous captures! Such rich colors and all perfect for "D" day!

Enjoy1
Sylvia

photowannabe said...

Terrific choices for the letter D and your pictures are so discriptive. Great post.

Strawberry Jam Anne said...

Great set of Ds. Lovely pictures of the English countryside too and the cow looked curious. I like the sound of the Damson beer.

Mara said...

I've never tasted damsons, at least not as far as I know! I must rectify that someday.
We used to have a sculpture in the area called Devil's Tongue, but it kept being damaged or stolen. It was just this huge flattened obelisk like figure made out of bronze.

ArneA said...

If there is a God there must be a Devil

Jay said...

See, you had LOTS of Ds! LOL!

I don't know of a Devil's anything around here, but I remember a trip down south where I saw the Devil's Punchbowl. Quite a sight! It was wreathed in mist at the time.

Roger Owen Green said...

a distinctively descriptive dissertation

Acloudlessday.blogspot.com said...

Are you really a baby boomer?
Most baby boomers I know aren't quite as discriptive as you.

Gerald (Ackworth born) said...

we used to have lots of daisies on our lawn and they always gave way to dandelions or was the the daffodils that came first and the dandelions and then the daises - i don't know anymore!

Tarolino said...

Such wonderful photos of exceptionally pleasing scenery. My eye rests on these pictures.

Close to were I live is a place called the Devil's field. A rock crevice filled with big round boulders it is. Just thought of it when you mentioned all the different places named after the king of darkness.