Photo Diary

DSC_0001.JPG, originally uploaded by michael_jecks.

This year has got to be one of the wettest summers I’ve ever known. The weather is just diabolically bad, with constant rain for the last week or so. When it’s likely to end, God only knows. This is the Taw near Sticklepath, where usually the water dribbles over the weir. When I was here the day before, when it was still raining (which is why I didn’t have my DSLR with me – petrified of getting it wet!) the water was absolutely shocking. Up at least a foot above this level, it was roaring and thundering like a full size river, not a little Dart-i-moor headwater!

We’re all just hoping that there may be a little imitation summer weather soon. If not, we’ll all be pasty as hell before winter!

DSC_0002, originally uploaded by michael_jecks.

OK, I know it’s not authentically medieval English, but it is a nice little knife to hold. And better because I made it myself. The blade I got from a great firm called Attleborough Accessories (attacc.co.uk) who import and sell items from Brisa.fi. Only a blade of less than two inches, but handy in a little knife like this. The handle was on my logpile, a quarter of oak that was a pain to split, and when I looked at it, I was sure that the lumps would be pretty little burrs. So, several hours of rasping, filing, sanding, wire woolling and glueing later, I have this nice little knife to take camping or walking on the moors.

DSC_0034.JPG, originally uploaded by michael_jecks.

So another weekend fades out, ready for another day’s hard slog. But this last weekend was rather good.

Every year we have a series of events in order to raise funds for local charities (such as the children’s playground which needs renewing). For this there’s a Summer Ball on the Friday. A massive marquee arrives, large dancefloor, and bar area, and on the Friday we all beautify ourselves (well, everyone else does). Then there is music, meals and plenty of dancing . . . and the next morning some sore heads.

On the Saturday we try to have Zayle Fair – which this year incorporated Tinners’ Morris joining is, as is proved here. Usually, there’s a series of things going on – bouncy castle for the kids, stalls flogging off old items no longer wanted by the original owners, and a lot of beer drunk. This year all happened indoors, really, in the marquee, because the weather was atrocious.

Finally on Sunday is the end of the weekend’s events, with a cricket match, beer festival, music with a live band, and the joy of strawberries and cream on a perfect English summer’s day.

But this year was a typical Dartmoor summer’s day. Lots of rain, no sun whatever, and gale force winds. Heyho.

The beers were good, so who cares?

DSC_0021.JPG, originally uploaded by michael_jecks.

This is a series of steps in the water heading down to the East Ockment, which this stream joins at the bottom of the photo. Lovely and tranquil down here at Fatherford, east of Okehampton.

DSC_0003, originally uploaded by michael_jecks.

On the way back from Bovey Tracy, giving a talk there, I saw the sun going down, and just had to stop to get a quick photo. It’s gorgeous up in the Teign valley at all times of the year, but in the summer like this, it’s best of all.