0510 Peaceful Lake Sunday

Taken at Watermead Country Park, Leicestershire

2309 Sailing on Lake Windermere

This was my first experience of sailing. The boat was a 20ft keel-boat, in other words a boat with a broad keel that was designed to be stable (but not still!) in the water. Although the weather here looks mirky, it was a very pleasant afternoon for being in the water.

1407 Swan Takes Off

Taken at Watermead Park, Leicester.

0807 Choppy Lake

2604 Pleasure Boats

2502 Classic Swan

I suppose this is a photographic cliché, but I never tire of seeing the beauty of swans. This one was pictured at Watermead Country Park, Leicester. Today was the first day when I managed to get through on the muddy paths along the river, and it was well worth it, despite the less than ideal lighting conditions.

0202 Candlemas in the Sun

Candlemas is, I suppose, an almost forgotten festival, and it was today, Febrary 2nd. In my part of the world, it was well worth celebrating, as it was a beautiful day, and a welcome respite from the storms of recent times.

Old country saying.....

A good goose should lay
by Candlemas Day.

I did hear plenty of geese in some ferment today, and at one point several of them started a chorus as they do when one of their number lays an egg, but unfortunately for us, it was very likely in a hidden place on an island in the lake, so there are no photos of the happy event.

I've also heard this saying as

A good goose should lay
by Valentine's Day.

Of course, the scansion is the same, so it could be either. The calendar changed in the 18th century, and we lost 11 days, so it could be that the Valentine's version is the more modern one.

I've made a slideshow of today's 60 photos, and posted it on Youtube.

http://youtu.be/r-9Q5-GryE8