I mentioned earlier in the month that I would be illustrating the natural world close to home this year – a sort of photographer’s nature journal. I have also decided to link it to the Changing Seasons Photography Challenge, hosted this year by Su Leslie. A very talented Kiwi lady who lives in Auckland.
January 2018 has been a washout month in more ways than one. If not raining, then the winds have been so ferocious as to keep me indoors. The countryside lanes are full of mud from the heavy tractors; the underground spring is so full that it has become overground and the lane now a stream. Though unlike England’s usual grey and brown winter palette it is still very green.
On January 6th I see Alice in a frosty field as the early morning sun’s rays reach her. We rarely get frost this far west.
Fields are full of gulls, sheltering away from the blustery coast. Fat sheep graze on the rich green grass, unperturbed. A rare blue sky mid-month. A pastel feathery sky with crows flying home to roost. A neighbour’s Yucca casting pretty shadows in the twilight hours.
The evening stroll which ended with a golden sunset.
Hedgerows are still bare. Not even any evidence of leaf buds emerging. Trees are bowed and blown by the south-westerlies.
I search for colour: Gorse in the hedgerow down the lane; winter heliotrope is beginning to bloom along the verge where last year’s common hogweed is still flowering; navelwort, pennywort or penny pies (Umbilicus rupestris) and Common ivy (Hedera helix) greening up among the crevices on the stone walls.
Several dramatic skies. All featuring Rogers Tower, a folly built on Castle an Dinas (Penwith) hill where there are the remains of an ancient hill fort with three rings of defence that go all the the way around. (Not to be confused with a hill fort with the same name near St Columb Major)
I will end the month with a rather foggy Alice, taken only yesterday. A familiar sight as the mist creeps over the hill.
Cornwall in Colours 
Alice is a marvellous, grounding constant! Love the frosty image….frost in Cornwall??
We get frost this far west two or three times a year. Though this is the first I have noticed this winter.
Oh, OK
Beautiful captures of your month, but yikes it has been cold if you got frost.
Frost is quite rare in these parts, but more so further north. Last year I lost some succulents, but this year, so far, all is well. Though I did bring some plants indoors into the cold conservatory.
Oh no about last year’s succulents. Hope this year isn’t quite as bad.
An excuse to buy more 😀
Hee hee – love it!
A stunning collection of images. I particularly love the sky in no.23
Thank you. The skies can be awesome at this time of year and I am always happy to see some colour after a usually very dull day.
I haven’t been inspired to take a single photo this month. Mud, and more mud, even on the dry days.
You have put me to shame with your enchanting catalogue of January in Cornwall.
Best wishes, Pete. x
Looking back at last year’s entry it seems that we have had a lot more rain this month. We haven’t really managed to go anywhere! By the time the cloud lifts (often mid or late afternoon) it is too late to go anywhere because I hate having to drive home in the dark.
It must be a marvellous country that can be so beautiful during the bleak month of January. Your photos are a great delight to see for someone like me living in snow and ice during this time of the year.
Well said. That was my reaction too 🙂
It is very green down here, but the downside (there is always a downside) is that we do get a lot of rain or mist (Cornish mizzle), which makes it less than pleasant for going outdoors. Makes you appreciate the sunny days even more though 😀
In that case I would prefer the snow and ice with a blue and sunny sky.
Yes. At least you can go for a walk by wrapping up warm.
My favourite photo is the yucca and its shadow. That is one thing I do love about winter – on a sunny day, the shadows are amazing.
… and today is definitely not sunny, It’s a cold, blustery day with snow starting to fall heavily. A good one to stay indoors!
Cold, blustery here too, but without the snow. In fact after a very dull and rainy morning it is actually quite nice out there now, sun shining and cloudy and still very windy. Maybe another evening stroll is doable 🙂
No strolls here … temperatures dropping to -20C tonight.
Eeeeeks! Now that is definitely going to be a “curl-up-around-the-fire-with-a-book-day” tomorrow!
I wish! My next whole week just went sideways last night, so I’m going to be running in high gear. At least it should keep me warm(ish) 😉
Oh, dear. Hope things are OK.
Sadly, no. My father-in-law passed away yesterday evening. The funeral is being planned next weekend in Quebec City and now I’m in major juggling mode 😕
Oh, I am sorry to hear that. Sounds as if it was unexpected too. My thoughts are with you at this sad and challenging time.
Thanks Jude. The past week has been challenging and the next one coming up will likely be even worse. It seems like a lot of things are happening at the same time – doesn’t that always seem to be the way?
Indeed. Life has a way of hitting you all at once. My thoughts are with you. Take care of yourself too. ((hugs)) xx
You’ve captured beauty in all weathers! I like the yucca with its blue shadow too.
Strange the colours you get in the low setting sun.
I like the soft sunset sequence, and nothing much bothers sheep, does it? 🙂 🙂 We were forecast gritty brown sand from the Sahara overnight, but aside from a rather scruffy car windscreen it wasn’t much in evidence. Strolling and smiling weather.
Back to wind again now, but we did see the sun this afternoon, a welcome change. Hoping Friday will be calm enough for us to visit a winter garden 🙂
Going to get cold here if that’s any consolation. I have a walk in the marshes tomorrow. Not shorts I don’t think x
How’s the foot? Did you visit the chiropractor yet? Or shouldn’t I ask? 🙂
Don’t ask!
So go and see the nice lady xx
Another stunning post. I love the idea of a photographer’s nature journal – you’ve certainly been thinking about blog renos, not that it needed renovating! That yucca is dramatic+: did you post-process at all? Your sunsets are always a treat, and I find misty shots irresistible. And of course there’s the coarse poetry of common plant names!
No processing. Having recorded the journey of my garden for a year as part of the challenge, I thought it would be nice to record what happens in the hedgerows close by. I find it useful to look back and see what was happening a year ago.