Last night I walked by the Duckpond

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Subject: Last night I walked by the Duckpond

Posted by: Forestfire88
Date: Jan 15 21

Hi, I'm nobody in particular.
I don't fully understand how threads work yet, if someone knows, do I post my new stories in separate posts or as replies to just one post. It's the word 'thread' that makes me confused because I imagine threads like spider webbing. There's a spider who's recently made his home on my bookshelf.
If you didn't catch this other post I made, I've started walking again to clear my mind through exercise and I've started blogging here to clear my mind through reflection.
Last night, the first dry one since November, I walked out by the duckpond. I hadn't any bread with me because I have no extra bread. It was dark but I could still see their crazy white shapes. I think I'd a dream recently about these swans. And then when I was very young we were scared they'd bite our fingers and then one day a swan bit my friend's finger.
I don't think they took it as an offence though, they don't make much effort to greet me anymore. Even the crows were absent.
More and more trees have fallen down around that area. I think it's really sad how these almighty trees that have been around my whole life are now rotten, splintered stumps. I never took pictures of the individual oak trees so I've only my memory to believe.
A lot of people were out walking last night, like me, socially-distanced conversations are easy enough because the roads are so silent.
Nothing much else to report in that regard. The spider has taken up the place on my bookshelf between my photo books and J. Joyce. I'm going to call him 'Leopold'. How's that?
Hope you're all up from being down in the dumps.
Ian.
P.s. The sky is grey but dry. I wouldn't need my coat if it wasn't so cold!

19 replies. On page 1 of 1 pages. 1

brm50diboll

The best way to find out how threads work is to read a bunch of different ones. You'll figure out the themes that way. In the virtual blog section, the creator can discuss pretty much whatever he/she wants to, but it still helps to have some sort of theme.

Reply #1. Jan 15 21, 9:08 AM

postcards2go

A thread is the subject, or theme. This blog of yours is a thread. It's all about your walks, and what you see and your musings.

A post is a reply to what has been written. So, what brm wrote is a post, and what I am writing is a post.

You will 'reply' to continue your blog/thread. Because it is *your* blog, your posts will be noticeable from posts like mine, and have a black border.

I hope that makes some sort of sense. As brm said, looking at other threads and posts will help you to figure it out.

:-)

Reply #2. Jan 15 21, 9:54 AM

flopsymopsy

Well done for making it over here. :)

I think that Brm and Postie have answered your questions well enough - I could go into lots of boring detail but that would probably confuse you more than it helps. You can always ask more questions if you need to either here, or via the Mail option; I'm happy (mostly, lol) to answer specific points but FT players are a helpful bunch on the whole and they'll usually tell you who to ask if they don't know something.

So, welcome to the blogs. My country is currently under lockdown (again) so I could do with the exercise of some good walks. Actually I grew up near a swannery and know quite a bit about those beautiful birds. When I was a teenager my sister lived in Africa so her children were used to dangerous creatures. Then they came back to England where we have only one poisonous snake (and they're not very common) and not much else worth worrying about. One day I took my 8 yr old nephew out for a walk and warned him about the swans. I told him not to get too close to their nests or they might attack him.

Well, no 8 year old boy who has spent his childhood around lions, leopards, hyenas, hippos, vipers, crocodiles, and an endless list of predators is going to worry too much about a bird that's smaller than he is so when we got to the swannery he pulled free of my grip and ran towards the river. Where there was a swan's nest. Oops. Mr Swan flew off that river faster than a bullet, straight for my nephew. Eek! I grabbed his arm and swung him out of the way as the hissing swan flew past. Listen, I said, that swan could break your arm and I might have let it, just to teach you a lesson, but there's another dangerous creature I know would kill me if I let something happen to you. What's that, he asked. "Your grandma" I said.

Reply #3. Jan 15 21, 9:05 PM

Godwit

Nice idea for a thread. When a walk has become a major event, and welcome relief, it's nice to hear about.

Lol Mopsy. I had a friend who as a small child was chased about and bitten hard on the bottom by a goose, day after day, until her parents realized.

Reply #4. Jan 16 21, 1:37 AM

Forestfire88

Hey again, nobody in particular here.
Thanks Mopsy, brm, Postcards and Godwit who left replies. I would've used a different name in that case. Something like 'Trails, Treks and Trivia'. It's grand though, people can find out easily enough from the first post. The duckpond is at the top of my housing estate so I actually have to pass it to walk anywhere. Unless I go through the Green Area, but we don't go walking there anymore.
Leopold is hanging here beside me. I have somewhat of a phobia of spiders, but only when it's dark or they're threatening that I'm scared. Nothing is worse than waking up to see one crawling across your sheet like a tsunami of spider legs. Anyway, I went for another walk.
By the time I left it was raining again and dark. This old green jacket that I take is so frayed and torn by now. I could get a new one but I don't want to part ways with it. I can look at its imperfections and think and remember what and when they were caused. Like a little time-capsule clinging to me. I don't put any photos on my walls but if I did, it would be close-ups of this coat. Images that wouldn't make sense to anyone else.
I went by the duckpond, as I have to, the ducks were all screaming again. There were a bunch of teens to the back of the sanctuary drinking. They'd a speaker and some boxes of something by the look of it. I couldn't see their faces though, because the bushes out there are evergreens.
The path to the right took me by this wall. The stone which was new when it was built is mostly all worn and crumbled by now. On some archive newspaper website there's a picture of my brother and I posing with mother for a picture. The picture was taken to be published by a county counselor arguing that a path needed to be built connecting our estate to the rest of the village. In the background you can see this lengthy mass of tangled weeds and grass where I walk now.
The past is important to me but I think it's better to hold up in the future. I'll buy a new coat after all.
All the best from the wall,
Ian.

Reply #5. Jan 16 21, 12:30 PM

flopsymopsy

I'm usually called "Flopsy", only Godwit has chosen to use the Mopsy bit - but Mopsy actually ran off some years ago, last seen chasing after a sailor. Won't catch me doing that, I get more seasick than Admiral Nelson.

I can change the title for you if you want, as this is a new blog it shouldn't upset the moderator too much. Oh wait, I am the moderator... so speak now if you'd like to change it. :)

And yes, Postie, I am being remarkably nice. I can't think what's come over me. ;p

Reply #6. Jan 16 21, 2:11 PM

postcards2go

Careful... flopsy reads minds :-D

Reply #7. Jan 16 21, 2:41 PM

Forestfire88

Hi
Flopsy then, ok. Mopsy ran after a sailor. I have no idea what that means but, sure. I've been sitting here trying to decode what that means like a sudoku puzzle. I got nothing.
On second thought, I think I'll stick with the original title. It's grown on me.

Reply #8. Jan 16 21, 5:22 PM

flopsymopsy

That's like FunTrivia, it grows on you. :)

No hidden meaning in Mopsy and the sailor, might easily have been a grocer or an insurance broker - it's just that I'm from a naval family so sailor was the first word that came to mind.

Reply #9. Jan 16 21, 9:11 PM

Forestfire88

Here's another experience of maneuvering from point A to B with the use of my feet, referred to as 'walking' by the more travelled of you.
I'm nobody in particular and on this day my feet were taking me nowhere in particular. 'This night' would be more accurate.
It was all a haze, I was dreaming. The time would have been early on a Sunday morning, some few months ago. My dreams used be all action packed excitement and what you'd expect, but in the past few years mine have lost their touch. If I dream the scenario is always the same - I'm walking along this massive passage with nobody else around and hardly any visual cues.
On this Sunday morning in particular it was a beach that I was walking along. The sky was dark and topless. To my right, an endless ocean, dark also. To my left was a sand dune which might've been climbable at some other point of life and further ahead to that side, a street light. It lit up some portion of sand.
Nothing came into this dream. I walked on and through the light and then I walked out into the darkness. Some time later I woke up. Unless I'm still dreaming.
In the case that I'm still dreaming I will email sleep-experts and ask them if I am still dreaming. In the event of realizing that I am still dreaming I can at least know that I never stopped walking.
The sky's grey out there again.

Reply #10. Jan 17 21, 11:02 AM

Forestfire88

I haven't bought a new coat yet. I'm too afraid of catching Covid right now to go out to the shops. None of the good ones would be open.
Anyway.
I pulled this grubby old hoody my niece had sent me out from the shelf of unused gifts. Even with the dust and musty odor I can admit that it's a whole lot fresher than my green coat ever will be.
A laminated sign has been cable-tied to the fence of the duck dock. "DO NOT DUMP YOUR WASTE. AREA MONITORED BY CCTV" Why do those signs need to be fully capitalized? It's like the sign is screaming at you no matter what you're doing.
Taking a look around I can't say that I saw any such camera. Granted it was nighttime, but also I doubt our county council would pour in much to any care for this wildlife reserve. The entire pond is swamped with algae and beer bottles.
Post-Covid I should try to come out and pick up that litter. God knows if I will. This hoody has no logo on the front. I'm anonymous when I wear it. I'm nobody in particular.

Reply #11. Jan 17 21, 4:07 PM

Forestfire88

I forgot to mention in my last post that there weren't any people out tonight. One or two cars maybe.
My pet spider, Leopold, has also deserted me. I'm used to the extra space though, since Lockdown it's a normality to rely on your own company.
But I do wonder quite often. All the people. Where do they go away to when I look? The day is all hustle and bustle and I step out to still atmospheric pressure and distant echoes.
When I said that I was afraid of catching Covid, that wasn't exactly true. I am, of course, but that isn't what's deterring me from shopping. It has been some weeks since talking face-to-face. I don't receive many calls.
I'm not sure if I'll be able to talk again.
Signing off, from nobody in particular.

Reply #12. Jan 17 21, 4:15 PM

Forestfire88

Hi, nobody in particular here. There's a time gap between where I live and where other people are. I think this site uses American time.

I don't know what's up with the power. It went out about an hour ago. I'm planning on writing this and uploading it later when I get the net back. It's about 6 a.m. now, Irish time, the sun hasn't risen yet so the whole house is lonely and dark. It's cold as well.

I'm wrapped in a throw that's usually saved for the couch in the front room. It's white. I walk around these haunted corridors now appearing like a ghost. I'm the ghost for my haunted house so it is my house and home.

Apologies if this is hard to understand. I get illiterate when I'm groggy. I awoke from a dream. I don't remember what it was of but I do remember what I thought when I awoke. I thought, "This is messed up".

Your guess is as good as mine. All I can think is that I wasn't walking in it because walking makes me feel familiar and active.

You'll know when I get WiFi when this goes up,
All the best.

Reply #13. Jan 18 21, 6:27 AM

Forestfire88

Hi, power's back, and with no reason behind why it left.

Reply #14. Jan 18 21, 6:28 AM

Forestfire88

Hello again,
Sometimes when I become really comfortable at home it's all the harder to get up and go outside. The time here now is right about six p.m. Right about now, I'm really comfortable right here.

The reason in part is that I've started a new book. It's Orwell's 'Why I Write'. And it's a great collection and I think reading in general is a fine, fine hobby but one thing occurred to me just then.

As good as good writers are at creating something within you, they can't make you literally cold or find the way to throw your hair back like a gust of wind can. Now I think of you reading this - that is, if anyone reads these, I can describe all I can the sleet I have to trek over and the ducks I pass each day, but I can't reunited you with the exact climate here.

There's a side to both however. I used be an English Prof, and there's nobody like Orwell left out on my trails. There should be plenty time for both I reckon.

Hope you're all doing well and happy walking,
Nobody in particular signing off for the evening.

Reply #15. Jan 18 21, 12:05 PM

postcards2go

FunTrivia uses the U.S. Central Standard Time (CST). We end up calling it FT time. It doesn't recognize the time changes in the Spring, that are observed in so much of the world, so when the clocks change, you will find that you are 7 hours ahead, rather than the current 6.

I'm in the U.S. Eastern time zone, so I'm currently one hour ahead, and come Spring, I'll be two hours ahead. There is a time clock on the home page, so you can always see what time the site thinks it is.

Yes, people are reading your musings. That's true of most of the blogs and threads. Yours are so descriptive, without being long-winded, and so peaceful, without being boring, that it often seems as though it would be a shame to break the perceived tranquility.

postie :-)

Reply #16. Jan 18 21, 12:58 PM

Forestfire88

Hi,
Nobody in particular here, taking a stroll through a village in the countryside. It's foggy out now. Somebody told me recently that a walk first thing in the morning is the best you can do for your health, my health in this case. But then I thought, what do they know about my health? And what do I know about theirs?

No, I prefer taking walks later on in the day or happening on the night. But I wanted to verify what they'd said for myself. I find it funny how some of the city folk haven't ever seen cows or sheep before in person. I can walk in any direction and find a field full of them in less than five minutes.

I don't find them that charming, plus, tractors are filthy machines. But what do I know about farming, cows, the health of their machines? Nothing.

I only know that the fog hangs low today and gives an awe to the trees just barely visible at the far edge of a close field. People in cities don't get sights like these.

Signing off, Ian

Reply #17. Jan 26 21, 10:30 AM

Forestfire88

I think the wind said my name when I felt it outside. But how could a breeze be anything other than a breeze? I'm sitting in the dark with the window open to catch the last heat from the day.

I'm not a big believer in angels and reincarnation so I don't think the wind is my passed friends. It's just some pressure from a cloud maybe. Or a group exhalation.

But I like to imagine sometimes that such a gust was made for me. To carry me off away up to wherever. Maybe I need to be ash for that to work! Who knows? The storm is young still

Reply #18. Mar 04 21, 6:08 PM

postcards2go

Good to see you walking, Ian.

Reply #19. Mar 04 21, 8:44 PM

19 replies. On page 1 of 1 pages. 1

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