England in January

Today was brooding and crisp and we went to the Isle of Sheppey. I don't know who first described being in this country as 'like living in a Tupperware box' but it is very true.

I like the bleakness of this time of year; you can only really appreciate it in a flat windy landscape. Makes me think of Graham Swift's Waterland.




We went on a long ponderous walk. I made a video of Jack walking on the beach.

There's a lot of bird spotting on Sheppey

We spoke to a warden at the nature reserve who pointed out some geese who had flown in from Russia for the winter - he also, as it turned out, had been watching us through his binoculars whilst we paddled about in the marshes.

Aside from walking we also paid a visit to the islands own concrete garden ornament manufacturer, what a treat.

I couldn't believe the magic that lurked around very corner.

There were people walking around with industrial strength trollies buying up many ornaments at a time, they were incredibly cheap and I was a little bit tempted . . .

 . . . then I just found myself buying a concrete hedgehog as Jack looked on in disbelief. I reckon they mist some sort of intoxicant at you as you walk in. No photo of the hog yet - he'll nuzzle amongst my house plants and I'll show you soon.

A very fine day.