BRIAN REID PHOTOGRAPHER
A Weekend Around Home
Monday, 4 March 2024 17:00
Yup a bit of stormy weather around this weekend. The headline shot from the RSPB Lodge Reserve shows the Langford wind farm over Biggleswade with a bank of storm clouds behind. I didn’t complete my walk on Saturday completely dry but nothing to worry about. The paths at the Lodge drain well as it is on the Greensands Ridge but even here, if there is enough rain, puddles are inevitable. The last of the snowdrops don’t mind though. Who doesn’t like a mossy derelict wall, I know I do. The signs of spring are everywhere and the greylag geese have returned so we can hope for some more fluffy goslings. They seemed happy to see me. :-) On Sunday I was down at Old Warden to enjoy the start of spring in the Swiss Garden and to enjoy my habitual walk through the Shuttleworth Collection. There is always something to see and even a little sunshine to backlight fresh chestnut leaves. Daffodils were flowering around the garden and wherever there is water there is a photo opportunity. In the Engineering Hanger the restoration of the Hawker Hind is looking really good and the DH88 Comet Racer was getting some TLC ready for the new flying season. There are often quirky little things to capture like the logo on a propeller from The British and Colonial Aeroplane Company Ltd Bristol Eng. and a good example of reuse with a beer kit tin as an oil catcher. The tin must be at least 40 years old. The collection was busy as it was hosting an air cadets competition with teams from as far away as Hull. The Bofors gun was set up with a laser in the barrel and cadets were trying to shoot a laser pointer target which can be seen in green on the roof of the hanger. Not at all easy requiring two cadets to operate the pitch and yaw controls separately. This was just one of the excercises that they needed to complete.