8th July from the West Cliff Green, Bournemouth

A hot and humid overnight and then it begins to drizzle. The air is still and hot. The moisture collects on blackberry leaves and bracken fronds in trasparent crystals. Then it rains harder from the lumpy grey sky. Pigeons hunch against the weather. Droplets collect on the bells of bindweed. Broad leaves on the ground are annoyed by the dripping from tree branches above. But in between the showers, the paths dry quickly. Off shore racers snarl up and down the bay. Pigeons coo.

From 8th July 2022

The trees, the bushes, the grass suck the heat from the sun and exude it back again in one giant hot breath. The gorse, the bracken, the ragwort and thistles are getting drunk on the heat. The tarmac of the path is almost too hot to walk on. The sky is a uniform blue from horizon to horizon. Only the laziest ripples disturb the crystal clear waters of the bay. Crows demonstrate just how hard they are by sitting on a row of fence posts in the afternoon glare wearing their black winter overcoats. Sun worshippers are doing just that while most people have retreated to the shade of the pines. Pigeons find it almost too much effort to coo. Gulls seem to be far away and their voices echo dully off the cliffs. #bournemouth #westcliffgreen #summer #July

From 8th July 2021

A chilly grey dawn but the air is calm and still. Not far off shore a fisherman stand in the stern of his small boat paying out his net. It is a timeless image. On the cliff top three crows huddle together talking to each other.

From 8th July 2014

So what did your Mum tell you to do there's a big thunderstorm outside with hailstones the size of sugar cubes and thunder grumbling relentlessly away? (Apart from unplugging all electrical appliances and covering up the mirrors of course.) Make scones, that's what.

From 8th July 2011

is watching the squalling winds rip through the fading sky..