crispina kemp

Sunday Picture Post: Gunton Woods

Posted on March 23, 2025 by crispina kemp

14th March 2025, the weather being fair, we hopped a bus and rode south of the county border, to the outskirts of Lowestoft. Destination, two woodlands, totally different. Photos from Gunton Woods this week, and from Corton Woods next week. So let’s go.

14th March 2025

This woodland contains a scatter of really old trees, of middle-aged trees and of youngsters

14th March 2025

It’s bounded by drainage ditches with conveniently placed footbridges over them

14th March 2025

Sometimes the sun can be against you, dazzling. But here it sweeps across a small glade of snowdrops, daffodils, primroses, catkins and cherry trees

14th March 2025

That sun was burning through these old oak leaves, almost setting them afire

14th March 2025

Cherry blossoms. Daffodils. Let’s celebrate spring

14th March 2025

Above: Drifts of snowdrops holding on, though some display signs of ‘aging’ Below: The abundant green leaves of hawthorn, looking fresh in the sun

14th March 2025

The trouble with these water-filled ditches is that as a tree ages, and gains in girth, the damp soil fails to hold it up straight – unlike (below) these younger firmer rooted trees

14th March 2025

Now it’s beyond this woods that we must go. But I’m leaving that till next week. Meanwhile, don’t forget to cheek out the flowers in this week’s Tuesday Treats

Hope you enjoyed

Posted in Photos | Tagged Gunton Woods, Norfolk and Suffolk Walks, Photos | 15 Comments

The Bypass

Posted on March 22, 2025 by crispina kemp

Image credit: Shilin Wang on Pixabay

The bypass relieved the snarls of congestion at the town’s heart

11 words written for Sammi’s Weekend Writing Prompt: Heart

Posted in Mostly Micro | Tagged Sammi's Weekend Writing Prompt | 19 Comments

CCC026: Jiggity Jig

Posted on March 20, 2025 by crispina kemp

Wally went alone
His brothers preferring to stay at home
Laziness bred deep in the bone
Greed increasing, never satisfied
Waistlines lost, hope that gratified
Meanwhile with a jiggity jig and a jiggity jog
Wally wheeled his barrow to town

Posted in Crimson's Creative Challenge, Photos, Poems (Some Silly) | Tagged #CCC026, Crimson's Creative Challenge, Photos, Poem | 19 Comments

Crimson’s Creative Challenge #026

Posted on March 19, 2025 by crispina kemp

Every Wednesday I’ll post FOUR photos (if you want to get a head start you’ll find them marked in that week’s Sunday Picture Post and Tuesday Treats). Lots of choice!

And here there are:

You respond with something CREATIVE. Perhaps an answering photo, or micro-fiction, or a poem, or just a caption

As before, there are only two criteria:

!!!!! Your creative offering is indeed yours !!!!!

!!!!! Your writing is kept to 150 words or less !!!!!

If you post a link in the comments section of this post I’ll be able to find it.

Here’s wishing you inspirational explosions. And FUN

Posted in Crimson's Creative Challenge, Photos | Tagged #CCC026, Crimson's Creative Challenge, Photos | 22 Comments

Tuesday Treats: More From Chet Valley

Posted on March 18, 2025 by crispina kemp

This early in the year we’re pleased to find colour of any kind. Enjoy these colour splashes from our walk on 4th March 2025

4th March 2025

Snowdrops line the country lanes

4th March 2025

Daffodils, but obviously garden escapees

4th March 2025

Leaves can turn such unlikely colours

4th March 2025

Honeysuckle is always early with its soft-green leaves

4th March 2025

And even the deer provide welcome colour

4th March 2025

The blackthorn (which I’m assuming this is) is very late blooming this year. Held at bay by the frigid east winds?

4th March 2025

Hidden amongst the grasses by the roadside, the blue flowers of speedwell and the purple of red-deadnettle, two little gems

4th March 2025

That’s all for now folks. Hope you enjoyed

Posted in Photos | Tagged British Fauna, British Flora, Photos | 26 Comments

Sunday Picture Post: Along the Chet Valley

Posted on March 16, 2025 by crispina kemp

Hooray, 4th March 2025 promises to be a dry sunny day. So it’s on with the shoes and off we go early, cos we’re heading to the very rural Chet Valley, and that’s two buses just to arrive at the start. Please do join us

4th March 2025

The roads around here go around and around, scarcely straight for more than a few hundred yards

4th March 2025

Last chance to see into the distance. Soon we’ll be into the valley and although the enclosing land isn’t high, still it gives an enclosed feeling

4th March 2025

Catkins hang their golden tails all along the road, we many we begin to tire of them

4th March 2025

The Wellbeck, tributary of the Chet

4th March 2025

Our destination is Loddon where we’ll catch the bus back to Norwich, then another etc etc

4th March 2025

Rural. Farmyards greet us around every corner

4th March 2025

This route abounds with charming thatched houses and intriguing old barns

4th March 2025

Bergh Apton churchyard. Churches usually provide a seat, which for hikers is most welcome

4th March 2025

Rural often means abandoned for nature and weather to decompose. But rural also means materials that will decompose, unlike modern items left willynilly to trip the unwary

4th March 2025

A walk of many animals!

4th March 2025

I’ve taken many photos of this ‘barn’, it has such character. But today I’m sad to see the gate’s boarded up and the farm buildings deserted.

4th March 2025

Sisland church. We sit on a seat in the churchyard, snowdrops nodding at our feet, and eat our packed lunch. Perfect.

Hope you enjoyed. Next week’s walk is as yet undecided. I’m hoping for primroses and other spring flowers. Please join us.

And don’t forget to check out Tuesday Treats for more photos from this walk

Posted in Photos | Tagged Norfolk Churches, Norfolk Lanes, Photos | 11 Comments

The Emperor

Posted on March 15, 2025 by crispina kemp

Image supplied by Falco on Pixabay

He was the worst emperor they’d ever known
A buffoon, a dictator, a clown
He said he had the people’s mandate
Then proceeded to do what he wanted to do
His subjects howled and told him to go
But he was blinded by imagined popularity
The cause of despair, not of hilarity
As emperors go, they wished that he would
For four months on his throne
He was proving no good

71 words written for Sammi’s Weekend Writing Prompt: Mandate

Posted in Poems (Some Silly) | Tagged poems, Sammi's Weekend Writing Prompt | 10 Comments

CCC025: Alien-Nation

Posted on March 13, 2025 by crispina kemp

The swamp, it is a lonely place
Inhabited only by an alien race
Not human, that’s for sure
Lay eggs that look like squishy burrs
Then stick them on a human tree
Like lice in hair, like pussy-fleas
And so they grow
Where no one goes
None observe the transformation
That turns these squishy eggs into an alien-nation
Hatch, they do
Like tadpoles made of some blue glue
Best not to go there
To any swamp that might be near
Best not to see
This alien flesh adhering to our native trees

Posted in Crimson's Creative Challenge, Photos, Poems (Some Silly) | Tagged #CCC025, Crimson's Creative Challenge, Photo, Poem | 21 Comments

Crimson’s Creative Challenge #025

Posted on March 12, 2025 by crispina kemp

Every Wednesday I’ll post FOUR photos (if you want to get a head start you’ll find them marked in that week’s Sunday Picture Post and Tuesday Treats). Lots of choice!

And here there are: