Cheshire: The changing seasons

‘Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.’ Poet Stanley Horowitz wrote that 18-word poem more than 30 years ago and, since it was published in the November 1983 Reader’s Digest, his words have apparently been quoted more than 1,630,001 times on websites around the world (and that count was back in November 2011). Well, Mr Horowitz, I’m adding one more website to your list because I truly appreciate the wisdom of those 18 words.

One of the things I noticed most during my recent return to Cheshire was the late summer lushness everywhere I walked. And the differences, when I compared what I was photographing in early September 2015 with the images I had taken during my previous visit, the six months from late autumn November 2014 to early spring in April 2015, were quite simply phenomenal.

The moat around Holford Hall, in winter, spring and summer

Now, some of you might think, ‘So what? It’s the seasons. It happens every year.’ Well, let me tell you that, when you come from a more temperate climate like that in Auckland, New Zealand, where the seasonal changes are much less noticeable, the variations in the seasons in Britain are nothing short of sensational.

Those of you who live in harsh climates, where the seasonal changes are very pronounced, probably take all this for granted. Well, you shouldn’t! You really need to open your eyes and appreciate the beauty that each passing season brings. Admire the etching of a single winter-bare tree in a snow-touched landscape. Cherish the miraculous watercolour of wildflowers emerging in springtime. Applaud summer’s brash and brazen oils painted in bold strokes upon the earth. And marvel at the miraculous mosaic of autumn trees.

As Spanish philosopher, novelist and poet George Santayana famously wrote, ‘To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring.’

I hope my photos give a taste of what I’m talking about …

Autumn, winter and summer in a cultivated woodland near Pickmere

Spectacular autmn colours, winter (with partly frozen lake) and summer at Tatton Park, Knutsford

Winter, spring growth, then summer lushness on a track leading up to a railway bridge near Holford Hall

My favourite: winter snows, spring daffodils, then summer leafiness at the lime avenue at Great Budworth

Cheshire walks: Pickmere Lake in the snow

When I posted a couple of photos on Facebook this morning, excited at waking up to a white landscape after overnight snow, my New Zealand and Australian friends mentioned their recent high temperatures – it was still 32 degrees at 5pm in Nambor, it was sweltering in Ashburton, Christchurch had had a high of 34 degrees, and one friend en route to Cambodia figured she’d be wishing she had some snow after a few days in their scorching temperatures.

So I thought I’d share snapshots from my white walk in our 2-degree temperature here in Wincham in the heart of Cheshire. Hopefully, just looking through these will help cool down all you hot and sweaty Antipodeans!

If you follow my daily photo posts – this year it’s a celebration of trees – then you’ll recognise this scene, though the sheep are a charming addition. They’re probably not locals – farmers who live on higher ground, both in Cheshire and in counties further north, often send their flocks south to over-winter.

Across the road from the sheep is one of the three access ways off this lane to Pickmere, our local lake.

The access ways leads to the fields behind these houses. I often think this would be a pleasant place to live, with picturesque views over the fields and lake.

Down the fields we go, towards the lake in the distance. This is a public footpath and, as you can see, I’m not the first person to walk this way this morning. Usually, everyone follows a more narrow route but the field is a bit mucky today so walkers have been meandering, seeking a less muddy path.

Pickmere Lake. It’s looking quite full following recent rains. It’s home to flocks of mallards and other ducks, coots, swan and seagulls.

There’s an old jetty, though it’s beginning to fall apart. The seagulls are often to be seen roosting on the end as they are today. It’s very misty down here today.

The jetty again, and those seagulls, and a coot swimming by.

Further round the lake, past the kids sledging down the hill (sorry, no photos of them!), to the area where the ducks usually congregate, waiting hopefully for humans to bring them bread. Cute snowman on the water’s edge!

Homeward bound. I was hoping for better landscape photos as we’re on a bit of high ground here but it’s just too foggy. Still, I quite like the indistinct trees in the distance.

Now we’re heading along one of the other pathways, back towards the lane where we first started our walk. There were lots of other locals out for a walk, with family, friends and dogs.

Looking along the footpath in the other direction.

The last photo for today. Just before we reach the lane, there’s a pond that a small flock of ducks calls home. They also get fed bread by the locals so came heading over when I stopped to take this photo. As you can see, the pond was partly iced over – shows how nippy it’s been.

I hope all my Southern Hemisphere friends, who’ve recently been overheating, are now feeling a little cooler after that brief stroll through England’s white and chilly lands. I’m off for a hot cup of tea!