There and Back

Well, the end of the year is almost upon us and we are all looking forward to the warmer weather. However, there are still things to photograph and keep us venturing out in the cold! Well wrapped up of course. On the 8th of December I captured this rainbow over the Layham Church as I was setting off on my morning walk. Of course this would be a morning I had no camera on me - how could you I thought. However the mobile phone came to the rescue so I was reasonable pleased with the result. I have never seen a rainbow over the church before, and I have walked past it hundreds of times. Today was the right time and day - it lasted a very few minutes, and then was gone. A chance call into East Bergholt church on my way home from Flatford on 11th gave me the opportunity to capture the window dedicated to John Constable. A one time resident of the village. Lights of another sort as I captured (hand held) these wonderful christmas lights in Hintlesham village. Difficult

There have been numerous occasions in the last few months of torrential downpours and flooding in various parts of the uk. Most of these have been on the western and northern side of the UK, and have resulted in massive damage and horrendous experiences for huge numbers of people. The last few days we, on the eastern side, had some of the rain, but not on the scale (thank goodness) of the western side of the UK. We live by the River Brett, and fortunately the ground slopes away from the river, on the opposite side so we don't have to worry too much! However, the local area had its fair share of water for several hours. Looking toward Hadleigh, the small river Brett is in there somewhere! However, today it has disappeared. The seat, normally overlooking the river, is now isolated amongst the flood waters. I don't  think I shall sit here for a few days. The remains of the Conservation area. The football pitch and toddlers slide.

Having seen the news items and listened to the superlatives as people described it, I thought I must visit the half sized replica of Noah`s Ark which arrived in Ipswich. Although the brain behind the Ark said it was a non Christian floating museum, I fail to see how a 70 m long floating museum, full of bible stores, can be construed as anything else!. The Ark was the brainchild of Dutchman,  Aad Peters who said the ship was an "emotional and cultural" experience for visitors, not religious. From the stern end It is certainly impressive as it sits in the Neptune dock, in Ipswich. It is around half-size to the Ark described in the Bible. As far as I know, the largest wooden vessel ever built (about the size of the Biblical Ark) was Wyoming, a wooden six-masted schooner built and completed in 1909 by the firm of Percy & Small in Bath, Maine. With a length of 450 ft (140 m) from jib-boom tip to spanker boom tip. Because of her extreme length and wood co