The Peacock
I know everyone gets down days, days when it feels like there are a mountain of chores, tons of stress and pressure, you feel alone and nothing seems to be going your way.
I had one of those days recently. It coincided, thankfully, with a day I had already planned to have off to meet up with a group of photographers at Markshall Estate. We were due to meet at 10 but I had a preexisting physio appointment, I would be late.
There is lots of rain and road works on the way and I arrived just at the end of breakfast, but in time for the group photo before everyone headed into the estate to take photos. Mood improved; I head out. I stop by a small bridge point my camera at a small duck posing in the water. Disaster! I have made a rookie error. There's no card in my camera. ie, no film.....
Honestly, I am on the verge of tears. I am 45 minutes from home. So, to fetch one will take 1 hour and a half. I still need to set up for a craft fair tomorrow. Then someone asks if someone might be able to bring one to me. I realise that my son is home, I ring him and my hero, Joshua says ‘yes’ he will bring my card which is sitting on the table ready.
While I wait, I order a bacon sandwich and the kitchen which has been providing amazing service ‘forgets’ me and I have to remind them (honestly, they couldn’t apologise enough and my sandwich was there in record time and absolutely delicious) . Then the heavens open and it pours and pours. As Joshua arrives, I cover myself in my poncho and dash to the carpark to retrieve it. I meet several photographers on the way, completely drenched and leaving. I am then in a complete quandary; do I stay or do I go. As the rain stops, one of the lovely ladies persuades me to head to the walled garden and find the peacock.
I head straight there. The walled garden is lovely and has lots of little rooms with different little garden vibes in. I search them all. Can’t find the peacock. Then I hear him calling. He’s obviously not far. I’m not far from the private area. I move towards the gate and I can see him under a lean to, where he’s been sheltering from the downpour. This is when something that I can only call magical happens.
He sees me and comes out from under the lean to and under the fence. He poses for me beautifully on the grass. He flies up on the wall of the walled garden and (I swear) waits for me to photograph him there. He encourages me back into the garden and lets me take some more shots of him showing off his handsome tail, before gently gliding down in front of me. We continue with the photoshoot.
He looks this way and that, over his shoulder, and a real poser. I pause to photograph my mug (as I try to do everywhere) and he wants to be part of this too. I don’t wish to annoy him, so I wander off, suddenly he’s here too, walking towards me, looking completely majestic. The sun has also come out and his feathers look incredible.
He has already completely turned my day around and lifted my mood. So, we chat, or at least I talk and he calls. After a while, I again think I should give him space, so I leave the walled garden. When I turn, looking for things to photograph, he’s back, following me. If I wasn’t impressed enough, he displays his tail, gently turning around and around. He is absolutely stunning and he has completely stolen my heart.
