17th May from the West Cliff Green, Bournemouth

It’s the clouds that hold the attention today. Big, bumbling masses ranging in colour from soft dove grey to harder slate and even charcoal. The sweep and roll backwards and forwards, ever changing and mutating into fantastical shapes. But it’s still warm enough for sunbathers to catch a few rays when the sun does shine. The breeze is chilly but the sea is calm and the waves gentle. Visitors sit out on the benches watching the clouds roll in and back like the sea swell. Where the goats have been busy clearing the undergrowth, the grass is growing up and greening the top of the cliff. The rhododendrons are in full flower.

From 17th May 2022

The usual. Blue sky and a warm sun in the morning. Big grey slabs of cloud appearing mid afternoon along with stiff breeze. The waves are short and snappy but then by tea time the rain is pouring down in stair rods. The rain means that everything is lush and green and continuing to grow. Some stinging nettles are as big as my hand. Docks and sorrels climb skywards and already there are signs of rosebay willow herb in the sunny places and toadflax in the shade. #westcliffgreen #bournemouth #may #spring

From 17th May 2020

A deliciously dewy dawn. A green woodpecker is yaffling away in the trees. Ox-eye daisies stand tall in the rough grass. On the shore the fishermen are dumping nets into their dinghies and pushing off onto the blue, breeze busied bay. Early Runners pound along the promenade headphones clamped tight shutting out the soft susurration of the little waves. Cyclist whizz by desperate to be somewhere else. The sun is already well up and is bright in my eyes and warm on my face even if the air is chill. Back on the cliff a dunnock scraps about at the edge of the path, robins sing from every bush, greenfinches wheeze and great tits join in with their monotone teacher-teacher. I’m happy to be able to stop and listen.