Along Oare Creek.

An after-Christmas walk along Oare Creek, near Faversham in Kent. It was a windless afternoon and still, so the reflection of these cottages stood out.

We were glad to be wearing wellington boots.

Kent is criss-crossed by power lines, with current from Belgium, France and off-shore wind farms.

Wrecked barges beside the creek.

Looking out to sea.

The sun came out as we left the path to walk back along the road.

Kent’s Big Sky Country! There were lots of water birds but no telephoto lens to capture them.

A Christmas Rose

On Christmas morning there were a few blooms on the Mermaid rose by the front door, so one was brought inside to open fully in front of Mrs Turnstone’s place.

The winter so far has not given more than two frosts, neither sharp enough to kill Mermaid’s flowers, nor those of Thomas Becket. One of them can come inside on Saturday, the day he was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral.

And, as our parish priest would insist, it’s not too late to wish you a Merry Christmas!