A cold January morning, but the sun shone and a bike ride beckoned although time was at a premium.
A favourite run when only a couple of hours is available is to St. Rumwold's Church, Bonnington (a bench to rest on is usually available in churchyards). On reaching my destination I walked up the church pathway and these views convinced me that I needed to change my Blog Title from "Winter" to "Spring" (where this church is part of its scenery).
Daffodils were starting to bud and the Narcissi were in bloom on the yachtsman's grave. Note his grave "stone" is made from a single piece of oak - as is the memorial bench nearby, with this Stevenson quote engraved on it:
"Home is the sailor, home from the sea"
I always make use of it when I stop here and today a flask of whiskey laced coffee was very welcome whilst I enjoyed the utter silence of the landscape around this little Romney Marsh church.
Then home, refreshed, to get the lunch ready for my invalid wife.
5 comments:
Good to have sunshine..Pirate is out in it today. And we had a ride together on Friday.
The elder has not only leaves, but flower buds starting to grow..I know we need a proper Winter, but on the other hand I don't want a frost to kill all the flowers!
Yes it's been a quite mild winter here, with no snow and very little frost. I'm not complaining!
Just been for 20 miles over Romney Marsh, bright sun but the south westerly wind was very cold indeed.
I've always wondered about that Stevenson verse. Given its romanticism, shouldn't home (for the sailor) be several fathoms under, sewn up in a spare bit of canvas, with a round shot at his feet. Apart from anything else it's cheaper than arranging the obsequies on land. And, come to think of it, who was it that first decided people in this line of business should be known as funeral directors? As if they were members of the board and/or able to mastermind a performance of AYLI at the drop of (top) hat?
RR
Yes, perhaps Newbolt would be more appropriate:
Drake he's in his hammock an' a thousand miles away,
(Capten, art tha sleepin' there below?)
Slung atween the round shot in Nombre Dios Bay,
An' dreamin' arl the time O' Plymouth Hoe.
I had never considered funeral directors title before you mentioned it. All they do is usually simply carry out the relaives' directions. Perhaps "enabler" would suit instead?
I'm just out of hospital again , so doing some catching up. Good to see you out on the bike. I've gone backwards in my recovery, due to a blocked bowel. I follow my friends on Strava and just wish I was able to join in on some of the ride , but life is the cards we are dealt.
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