Ruth Partridge

After Rain

This inspiration came by running last evening just after a heavy shower had passed. I’ve been waiting to finish work to write it down!

A pastel glow beneath the heavy sky
Signals a sign of change. 
Warmth descends to valley floor; 
All nature held in the spell of rain. 

Breathe deep.

Droplets jewel from the fronds of ferns;
Earthy smell from moss and stone 
Heightens senses in this place; 
The knowledge of being quite alone.

Breathe deep.

In this world of darkened state
Of hidden boughs laid low
Musk of fox, rank smell of decay 
Spires of foxglove bright pink aglow. 

Breathe deep.

The tremoring call of the lark, 
A bird which  cannot be seen 
So high it flies above; 
The silhouette of the hare
On sodden field of green. 

Breathe deep. 

All nature seems awakened
The shower  for  now  has passed.  
Swallows skim close to the ground
Refreshment , nourishment
Elixir of life is found. 

Breathe deep. 

Ruth Partridge

A splash with paint

Rain allowed a few hours painting and this is how far I’ve come in three days. Plenty left to do and I’ve repainted the gate twice already . Will rub back tomorrow and keep working.

Summer Rain

 A leaden sky
 dark grey marauds
 against
the brightness of the morning. 
A stillness;
time suspended;
all nature  waits.

Slow to fall 
the sound awakens,
perceptions heightened.
Olfactory senses  stirred by 
 primeval  smells 
of spores released.
A reawakening -
nature's release.
Rejuvenation or decay, 
water replenishes.

Droplets quicken- 
a move to a different
  tempo.
Sounds intensify against hard earth.
Nature responds:
Birds quieten, 
Plants stand tall,
Colours intensify
 against the grey.  

 With gentleness it falls ,
The weathervane redundant;
Windless 
Slow moving 
Thirst quenching
Life-giving.

Into pools and rivulets, 
streams in the lane,
each droplet  finding its course,
Repurposed,
Focused.

For each living thing
hydration.
Repurposed, 
Focused,
Changed.  

Ruth Partridge

Final structure on the vegetable garden

Putting the bean canes in always signals the last of the planting out and completion of the veg layout ( not the work involved). Tying with snake and square lashing reminds me of Girl Guides. How thankful I am that I learnt how to tie knots correctly.

The joy of morning

Loving having breakfast with these two . Soda bread rolls and fruit in the hut and the joy of rain for the garden. The contrasts we see in our weather are beautiful.

Early Summer Run

A dusty road snaking down
 To sound of constant whine.
The rumbling sound of trailers carried,
Grass-cutting is the sign
Of summer in this ancient lane- 
A vein off an artery.
None will know that this exists
Save those whose lane it be.

To run this route is less well known 
But beautiful all the same.
It slopes away beneath the hill 
Contouring is this lane.
So stride is long and metres swift
From top to valley floor.
The river is a welcome sight,
The shade of trees assured. 

The river's sound is pleasant now-
A soft flow through the gorge.
Slabs of stone are now revealed
Undercut by constant force.
Sparkling water runs so clear
And tempting it would be 
To take a dip within its depths
As it glints and beckons me.

Instead the view of houses
Perched up on the hill;
The choice is there- short and steep-
Or even longer still.
Past the old kiln cottages 
The true height though is hidden 
A laboured run up the narrow track 
Roughly worn and pot hole riven.

This, an hour, is not so long
 As others on my rounds,
But offers up the best in choice
of running steep hills down.
The shelter though and trees contrast
And the river is a dream
And often favoured is this way
To run a while unseen.

Ruth Partridge

An after work run 6Km

To hit the lane down at rush hour is far from practical ,stopping three times for traffic coming up and down . Once at the bottom though it’s great to turn into the quiet lane and run for miles on a downward run with a gentle slope all the way. To then reach the main road for about 50 yards, I’m reminded that I last did this in the first week of lockdown when I could run down the middle of it. Tonight there were commuters. Before that was the whine of the grass cutting and huge tractors rumbled their way past. On reaching the returning lane, the joy of running under trees was welcome and the gentle sound of the river was inviting especially with the thought of the upward gradient to come.

Evening run – quiet route

8.5km my favoured route of late- the Langford round. Lovely to run through a wooded lane on a track only passable now with care. The difficulty is seen in the steepness around here. Literally steep down and along and back up again. There are few stretches where I can actually get proper long strides in- it’s great when I can. Down hill I have to be so careful to be kind to my knees. Uphill is fine but some of these are 1in 4 possibly 1 in 3 in places.