There are bears in our woods!

Overcast and a little grey today. An early, short walk with the dog and then a longer walk along the path by the golf course and through the woods by the recreation ground.

The ground itself might seem too plain and well kept to be a real wildlife haven

but it is a place for fresh air,  where dogs are walked and games played by adults and children alike. There is a wonderful, safe, enclosed children’s playground, a tennis club, a Scout hut. There are bins for litter and dog poo – and they are used. A school boundary runs along one side of the park, and in one corner lies this path through the woods:

A path that runs past knobbly trees

and, of course, the bears

What a joy to have such green space on our doorstep.

PS: I’m often asked why there are so few people in my photographs. Sometimes it is straightforward: I want to illustrate a building or tree or flower, and am looking for a clear shot. But more often, when there are crowds of people around, it is because of an awkwardness about photographing people I don’t know without their consent, particularly if there are likely to be children in the picture. Is this unnecessarily cautious? I don’t know, but I do admire those photographers who have found a way of capturing the atmosphere of crowded places. What do you think?