Mist, Muck and Misery.

These past days have been miserable with dreadful weather and no possibility of gardening. Walter de la Mare’s November echoes the feelings of these days very well:

November

There is wind where the rose was,

Cold rain where sweet grass was,

And clouds like sheep

Stream o’er the steep

Grey skies where the lark was.

Nought warm where your hand was,

Nought gold where your hair was,

But phantom, forlorn,

Beneath the thorn,

Your ghost where your face was.

Cold wind where your voice was,

Tears, tears where my heart was,

And ever with me,

Child, ever with me,

Silence where hope was.

Walter de la Mare

Fortunately, today brought a change, a break in the rain, some sunshine, some blue sky and a long overdue opportunity for a walk:

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These photographs show the Red Iron Bridge, a railway bridge crossing the River Suir outside Waterford. It brought the Cork to Waterford line across the river to the train station. The bridge was closed in the late 60s, reopened in the 70s and closed again in the 80s. The central span was removed about ten years ago and it stored locally. The last photograph is of the Thomas Francis Meagher Bridge which opened about ten years ago. In the background of the photographs of the Red Iron Bridge is Tory Hill in south Co. Kilkenny.