Spring Tide at Brighton

Last year March's low tide had a feel of summer about it, and the waters receded to reveal what an amazing sculpture the remains of the West Pier is. This little photo was taken by Anni Agnise, and adorns the March page of Brighton's own calendar Brighton Photography
My photo is of the West Pier last Saturday at about 5 o'clock, with the sun going down behind it, gunmetal blue sea and pale contrails, the glow across the water. Earlier this week I composed a poetic blog about it, mesmerised by the colours of the sky, the textures of the sea, the strangeness of the nazca-like lines in the sky... then lost it before publication, as I tried to upload the photo on my phone!
Living here in Brighton has the distinct advantage of a shifting viewscape... never the same, even if it's only the push of the pebbles into different spaces on the shoreline. Who needs telly?
Tomorrow the Spring Equinox happens at about the same time...

Meanwhile, in the south of france...

A WHITEOUT ON THE CATALAN COAST
CROISIERE BLANCHE SUR LE LITTORAL CATALAN


The  Pyrénées Orientales (Eastern Pyrenees), one of the most sunny departments of France, put on an incongruous show last Monday (11th) of palm trees bending under the weight of snow, and the coastline covered with 30 cm.  Bus and lorry traffic was banned on both sides of the A9 motorway, cars could go on one lane each way and only in convoy. On the national route 116 inland, heavy goods were banned and cars had to use chains starting at Bouleternère (my place is 5 km further up the valley). At the airport (Rivesaltes) flights were suspended through lack of visibility. The Little Yellow Train was stopped! Links: On the Traine Jaune
 ...or not!
Les Pyrénées-Orientales, un des départements les plus
ensoleillés de France, offrait ce lundi le spectacle incongru de palmiers croulant sous la neige, et le littoral recouvert de 30 centimètres de neige était sous la menace d'un coup de mer. Sur l'A9, circulation interdite dans les deux sens des autocars et poids lourds, circulation autorisée des véhicules légers (VL) sur une voie et en convoi, dans les deux sens. Sur la RN 116, poids lourds interdits et équipements spéciaux obligatoires pour les VL à partir de Bouleternère. A l'aéroport, les vols aussi sont suspendus pour manque de visibilité. 

Video de lindependant

Garden like....?

I never knew this was by Mark Twain, but I guess if the Wednesday Wave man Tim says it's so, then it is!
Dance like no one is watching
Sing like no one is listening
Love like you’ve never been hurt before
And live like it’s heaven on earth

I wonder what  Garden like.....  
would be?


Spring appears to be on its way, according to my friends ;-)

This is a barefaced way of trying to get some Comments to my blog!

Another look at the dew pond

Today there was a keen wind, and even at 11.30am in full sun, the ice was still on the pond. The clouds are possibly cumulonimbus capillatus, but also might be a lumpier form of cirrus fibratus; whatever it is it's cold up there! Last week's clouds, below, were fluffy cottonwool cumulus. Thanks to the Cloud Appreciation Society little pocket-sized Handbook (Gavin Pretor-Pinney) and website for this info - I was given the book for Christmas and it goes out with me for just such nerdy study!
It feels like spring is really on its way... yesterday I pruned lilac trees,  mended fences & trellis, planted raspberries into my embryonic forest garden (as understorey plants), and put up a new little greenhouse. Tomato seedlings are sitting on my windowsill. Other seeds are queuing to get out of their packets!
Kruspolska: one of my favourite tunes, played here by my walking companion, Mandy, and Ben & Kevin, at the Royal Oak Folk Club, Lewes, UK.

South Downs Way dewpond

above Ditchling Beacon, on the way to Jack & Jill windmills, today