The Whispering Sky

Thursday, August 3, 2023 

Needing to get away for a few days to meet up with my daughter, we took a long weekend break in Mosely, London, where we rented an apartment for three nights. The weather forecast was gloomy but as we crossed the Severn Bridge to England, the sky whispered a promise for a brighter few days ahead. 

Wind Turbine Roundup

 I don't know why people hate wind turbines. These majestic constructions are stunning, and I have always enjoyed visiting them.

Last nights sunset visit to the local wind farm was a success but the photos do not show just how chilly it was out there. As for today's tasks, the sunniest week of the year so far will no doubt draw me into the garden again, where I hope to get a good chunk of reading done. This evening's task/is to continue to trawl through my terribly messy files for suitable images for RoW. Anyway, time to crack on...

Pet Cemetary

 What a lovely walk through the pet cemetery and bluebell woods 😎😎

ShadowMe3

ShadowMe4

Sweyne's Eye ~ The Bay (Ancient Forest Remains)

My last few pics from the second issue of my photography zine, Sweyne's Eye, which is titled The Bay and explores the natural beauty and diversity of my local beach:

Ancient tree remains

Ancient tree remains, believed to be over 7,000 years old

The above photographs show the scant remains of an ancient forest that one stood on the site now occupied by Swansea Bay. The forest remnants are believed to be over 7,000 years old and have been preserved in the old estuarine mud that was formed at the same time when this forest existed and still remains in situ in this portion of the beach.

Sweyne's Eye ~ The Bay (More Sunset Shots)

Two more sunset shots from the recently published photography zine Sweyne's Eye ~ The Bay:

Sweyne's Eye ~ The Bay (At Sunset)

The best time to be on the beach has to be sunset, right? Three more images from Sweyne's Eye ~ The Bay

I hope you enjoy this edition of Sweyne's Eye, whose price, in keeping with the spirit of zine printing, I have kept as low as Amazon allowed. :)

Sweyne's Eye ~ The Bay (Seaglass Finds)

Some of the seaglass finds from my local beach, including a very rare piece of pink seaglass :) Pictures from the recently published zine, Sweyne's Eye ~ The Bay:

Another Image from Sweyne's Eye - The Bay

And here's another image from the recently published photography zine Sweyne's Eye ~ The Bay:

Sweyne's Eye ~ The Bay

To celebrate the release of the second issue of my Sweyne's Eye zine, which is devoted to photographs of my local beach, I will be posting a few images from the publication over the next few days. 

First up are these images of the crows who seem to love this stretch of sand (and the worms and shellfish it contains). I like both images but finally decided on featuring only the second photograph in the zine. Still, it is nice to see them presented together here on Pixie-Led :)

Hand ̶i̶n̶ Glove ~ Unearthing more Images

Just when I thought my new photography zine was ready to be published, I find 8 more images (including this one) I want to include in it - grrrr.

Hand ̶i̶n̶ Glove ~ First and Last and Never Made It

This is the image that started off my project Hand ̶i̶n̶ Glove. Unfortunately, I was unable to use it in the completed project, as Hand ̶i̶n̶ Glove later fell under the umbrella of my larger, overarching project - my Sweyne's Eye photography zine, which dictates that all the images must have been taken in my home town. This particular image was taken near the Brecon Beacons whilst my family and I were out on a sledging adventure. Still, that's what I like about this blog, images that don't quite make it into print can always find a home here :)

A Walk Through My Local Woods

I took a walk down to my local woods this morning. It was a misty morning and I added to the mood of the walk by separating myself from the ambient sounds of the woodland by donning my headphones and playing the moody Nordic sounds of Forndom. I Loved it :) I need to do this walk more often as the whole circular route from my doorstep is less than 3.5k steps.

Sunset at Newport Wetlands

I took a late afternoon wander around Newport Wetlands this past weekend. It was quiet out amongst the reeds, with few people and, strangely, even fewer birds. All was still and calm there. There was not even a breeze to tussle the reeds that sprung like forests from the boggy ground. And the sunset was incredible!

This short video, made as I made my out along the floating walkway through the wetlands towards the sun really does remind me of one of Kaneto Shindo's Onibaba:

The Wetlands were designed to help birds and wildlife after the construction of the Cardiff Bay Barrage had a devastating effect upon their numbers. The birds must have all settled for an early night this particular evening though, as apart from the odd flock of seabirds, seen skirting the Severn Estuary in the distance, the place looked almost desolate.

But the delight that was lost from not seeing many birds on this walk was more than compensated for the splendour of this year's most spectacular sunset yet:

A gentle scene of sky and water and reeds

Taking a stroll along the floating walkway towards East Usk Lighthouse

East Usk Lighthouse overlooking the Severn Estuary

Reeds fringing the coast at Newport Wetlands

The northern shore of the Severn Estuary

The sunset climaxes over Newport Wetlands and the Severn Estuary, bringing a close to a wonderful hour's walk:

As the light faded from the sky and I traipsed back to my awaiting car, I saw the fading light over one of the ponds that lined my track looked delightfully serene. Never have I seen so many pylons looking so picturesque:

And with that moment gone too, darkness fell quick and it was time for me to head home for the night...

2020 ~ The Adventures Begin...

Despite the heavy rain and howling wind, I had my first adventure of 2020 today, walking out to the Sgwd Clun Gwyn and Sgwd yr Eira waterfalls in the Brecon Beacons.

My first stop was at the mighty Sgwd Clun Gwyn waterfall. Although the spectacle of Sgwd Clun Gwyn was impressive in the extreme, this was not my primary port of call and after a quick photograph and video of the waterfall, it was then on to the more distant...

Sgwd Clun Gwyn Waterfall

... Sgwd yr Eira, Wales' finest waterfall!

Sgwd yr Eira Waterfall

Sgwd yr Eira really is a beautiful sight to behold. Despite the daunting number of large, nearly knee-high, steps that led down the valley floor, I reached the river Sgwd yr Eira serves feeling refreshed and excited (though the return climb is another matter altogether!)

Sgwd yr Eira 

This is one of Wales' most magickal attractions, and offers its intrepid visitors the rare opportunity of actually walking along a slippery ledge behind the curtain of its waterfall! :)

Looking out from behind the Sgwd yr Eira Waterfall

Yours truly getting well and truly soaked behind Sgwd yr Eira waterfall

As you can see from the videos below, you do have to be prepared to get wet if you take this little jaunt behind the waterfall. And during weather conditions as wild and woolly as they were today, when the water actually rampages down to the awaiting river below, you can actually get drenched here!

The ledge walk behind Sgwd yr Eira waterfall

Whilst it is the waterfalls themselves that attract visitors to this particular stretch of the Brecon Beacons, the surrounding woodland are themselves noteworthy. Given the dire conditions that marked particular visit, I was surprised at just how rich the mid-winter colours were in the woodland :)

There are actually four waterfalls of note here, but given the time of day we visited, the atrocious weather and the heavy gloom that descended pretty quickly after I left Sgwd yr Eira, I decided to leave them for another (and hopefully not too distant) day...

So, all in all, I'd mark my first adventure of 2020 a success, despite learning that my winter coat was not as waterproof as I had imagined it to be. The picturesque walk measured an easily manageable 13k steps on my Fitbit, although there were some very steep inclines to negotiate on the route (my Fitbit clocked me doing 111 floors during the walk).

Now, where shall I go for my second adventure of the year?