keith's ramblings

A DIARY - PART ONE

I could not have chosen a more unusual week to start my diary of the park. Being perched on the south coast of England, snow and prolonged periods of cold weather are something we are not used

 to! However, this week the picture from my window, seen below, changed from its usual hue of green to glistening white!

There are two lakes in the park connected by a stream in which ducks various, pigeons, sea birds and our resident swan are normally be seen swimming around. But not this week, for they were all frozen solid (the lakes, not the birds!) However, the park wardens came to their rescue, and armed with spades bashed holes in the ice so at least they had a few places to float around.

It did in fact only snow for one night, but the volume of the white stuff was more than sufficient to attract hoards of child sculptors who competed to create the most amusing snow man or creature. Brightly coloured sleds were dusted off and dragged to the park where future Olympic toboganers raced each other down the one and only slope on the southern side. One of the parks’ main features is the bowls green. During the winter, members of the two bowls clubs move to the indoor centre at the west end of the park leaving the open green to go into well deserved hibernation. Last Sunday, unnoticed by the park wardens, a couple of kids clambered over the fence surrounding it, and built a snowman right in the middle of the hallowed turf! If left, it would have caused damage to the grass, so on Monday morning it was removed as a matter of urgency!

Almost a week has passed since the snow storm, but the lawns are still white and the lakes frozen. But the pathways are clear ear and the sky is blue. From my window I can see hardy folk walking dogs, children hurtling along on scooters and ducks eagerly gobbling bread being thrown at them by a child in a push chair. Right now I’m heading off the join them!

To read The park; an introduction, click HERE!