On the way home

I've been at the members' day and AGM of the Upper Thames Branch of Butterfly Conservation. It was very enjoyable and especially rewarding as I won 1st and 3rd place in the Immature Stages category (not me, but butterflies and moths) of the annual photographic competition. The branch covers Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire and the meeting this year was in Amersham, in the centre of Bucks. On my way home, as I crossed between the Chilterns and the mid-vale ridge at Wing, I was stopped in my tracks (or on my tyres!) by one of the most amazing sunsets I've seen for years. Screeching to a halt in the entrance to a farm track I managed to get a few photos looking west past a group of trees I call 'The tump'. Carrying on my way, I was aware of the intensity of the sky-scape decreasing over to my left and by the time I reached Mursley the fires were almost extinguished. It had been one of those amazing moments one just has to respond to quickly.