Fish Out of Water

A fish forever leaping on the flower banking of Grange Over Sands promenade caught in April when the spring flowers were in bloom.. There was also a flat fish nearby always associated with Morecambe Bay,

the fluke (possibly more commonly known as flounders).  I don't know if people still go fluke treading in the bay but it was a method of catching them by feeling for them with ones feet and then grabbing hold of them by head, gills and tail.  I've never fished in my life but have in the past waded across the silty channels of Morecambe Bay and suddenly felt something stir under my feet which made me and it move a whole lot faster, a very strange experience, and I'm never sure who is panicking more me, or the fish.

Here flying into view is one of our feathered friends. 

These wooden sculptures along the promenade are relatively recent and I wonder what they look now amongst the summer planting rather than the rather restricted cover of spring  They are all the creation of Andy Levy wood sculptor who works with both traditional tools and chainsaw carving.


A fondness for fish in the artistic sense has also just appeared locally as mosaics on the Haverigg foreshore but the sunlight was in the wrong direction for photography.  No problem, I'm just grateful that the sun is making an appearance after a less than stellar summer.  I contented myself with taking an image of this rather charming 

fishy embellishment on the new Haverigg information board.

An entry to ABC Wednesday, a journey through the alphabet, this week sojourning at F here

 

.  

Clock Towers

At the top of the hill overlooking Morecambe Bay stands Grange Over Sands Clock Tower.  Don't get the impression there is much sand here by the town's name as it refers to the old cross sands route across the bay which took miles and hours off a stage coach journey.  A beautiful but not benign bay full of shifting sands and channels so a guide is an essential when making a crossing today and he lives down by the bay's edge about a mile away from this point. 

The wall around the clock tower has a plaque which tells the history behind the Clock Tower.  Travelling about 250 miles south and

a larger, and much more famous clock tower is Big Ben in London whose chimes first rang out in July 1895. The building in the foreground is Westminster Hall, the oldest building of Parliament being built in 1097 and an appropriate place for the statue of Oliver Cromwell head of the Parliamentary forces in the 17th Century English Civil War and ultimately head of the government.  To climb the 399 steps of Big Ben and see the clock workings and the view the only way is to contact your local Member of Parliament to be able to join a tour although there is a long waiting list open only to UK residents.

r

But this Clock Tower despite having what looks like a wonderful viewing platform at the top isn't open at all. Built in 1938-9 and inspired by Hilversum Town Hall in the Netherlands it was originally Greenwich Town Hall (today it is now business offices) and is called Meridian House for the Greenwich Meridian line is just a short walk away.

An entry to ABC Wednesday, a journey through the alphabet this week sojourning at C here

ABC Wednesday - Grange Geese

A seagull having memorised the the wildfowl names on the noticeboard is looking to see how many can be spotted, unless someone appears with food. The ornamental lake in Grange-Over-Sands park has in addition to the native species lots of geese and ducks not normally found in England. Although the two Ruddy Ducks resting in the distance are a North American species they are an established English breeding bird, the result of escapees from the Slimbridge reserve in the 1960s.  I have looked at this notice from time to time but the names have not settled into my brain so lets turn from the lake and take a walk on the grass

and spot a growing chick, mother goose wondering if the grass is greener on the other side of the wall

although this family seem to have found lots of interest. 

"Me and my shadow"

 

Photos taken on a sunny day in June, now the days are growing shorter and the little chicks will be a whole lot bigger. 

 

Go visit ABC Wednesday where there will be lots more words starting with G