13th October from the West Cliff Green, Bournemouth
A grey drizzly morning suddenly gives way to bright sunshine and a gentle breeze. Even though the majority of the sky is blue, there are big dark clouds around to the North. The grass is thirstily soaking up the moisture and is becoming plush green once more. And as if making up for the summer an autumn bloom of flowers is beginning; patches of pink oxalis, red dead nettles and the bright cranesbill. Even though the yellow leaves are beginning to shower down on the breeze there is still lushness and an urgency of growing everywhere. Voices are raised near the toilets because the dealer has already left on his bike and one or two individuals are left without whatever it was he has meant to bring.
From October 13th 2021
Autumn - October- seems to take a pause in the breathless, headlong surge of the year. The air is calm and still. The sea is barely ruffled and although the afternoons are warm the is a fresh crispness that promises something coming. The paths under the sweet chestnut trees ae now deep in the remains of the soft, prickly fruit. Couples still sit long into the dark evenings on the clifftop benches under the golden half moon. #Bournemouth #WestCliff #Autumn
From October 13th 2016
A gothic moon glares out from behind the silver edged ragged clouds reminding me of a painting by Caspar David Friedrich. Fingers of moonlight make bright puddles on the crawling sea which gnaws at the beach. A small dog with flashing red collar lunges at me from the darkness like some junior hound of the Baskervilles. The wind has a wintery bite to it but I find time to stop and wave at our newly installed cctv camera. I like to let the operator know that they are not forgotten in what must be one of the most soul destroying jobs in the world. Later I reconsider and imagine that the Control Room is staffed by a shy middle aged couple who have suddenly found love in each others arms whilst the scenes of drunken mayhem and fighting in the town centre go unnoticed.
