‘Dappled’ is such a summery word. It speaks of strolling through woodland on a sunny day, as the sunlight dances through the tree canopy to brindle the path below. It defines the russet spots that stipple the silvery trout weaving around in a clear and still-flowing stream. It describes a piebald foal frisking in a field alongside its mother. And it’s sunlight streaming through the stained glass windows of a parish church, painting the cold stone floor with warmth.
Woodland near the Strid, Wharfedale.
I couldn’t manage a trout or a horse. My daughter’s dog Brian can stand in for both.
Ripley Parish Church.
That’s why I chose ‘Dappled’ as my Ragtag word prompt on this July day.
From Pyrenees to Pennines 
A lovely word full of summer connotations.
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I thought so. I’ve just returned from a hot summery walk where a stretch through the dappled shade of the woods, alongside the river, was very welcome
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Margaret, this is one of my most loved words of the English language. I saw it first on a photo of a Scottish friend whom I met (via Flickr) when we both lived nearby each other in lovely Switzerland. I use it whenever I can (get away with it!)…. 🙂
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It is a lovely word, Kiki. And one which doesn’t translate well. I remember walking through dappled woodland with French friends having a long conversation about what the best French translation was. And in this context… they decided …. there wasn’t one.
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Always love a little dappled stained glass – it brings another dimension to the original, nicely captured.
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Thank you. It’s not exceptional glass, but pleasant enough. Its appearance on the cold stone flags was rather nice.
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I had a piece in my head for ‘serried’ and I have another in my head for ‘dappled’. Being in my head isn’t much use though…. 🤔 Love the choices you’ve made so far though, Margaret 🙂
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Get mouse to keyboard Sandra! You know you want to….
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Thank you for this ode to “dappled” – a beautiful summer word!
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Yes, ‘dappled’ simply doesn’t work in winter, does it?
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Lovely word and photos, Margaret. And of course there is the famous Hopkins poem too (well it used to be famous), and I do have a soft spot for it.
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I almost quoted that – it was in my original draft. And then somehow I didn’t use it, though I too have a soft spot for it.
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Glad to know you also like it and even though you didn’t quote it, its presence was felt 🙂 I suppose it borders on the sentimental, but his evident delight in dappled things and his delight in painting word pictures is infectious. He would have enjoyed your photos. Perhaps many a photographer today would have been a poet in the pre-camera era?
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An interesting thought. Though I think once a wordsmith, always a wordsmith.
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Yes, it’s all of those things, and very poetically put. 🙂 🙂 Love the photo of the pooch, and I shall be walking beside The Strid on 1st August. Our walking group in the Algarve have a UK summer rendezvous there.
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How lovely! Always a great spot to relish the English countryside. Brian’s not so much a pooch, more a dashing dynamo. Like all dalmatians.
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I love dappled shade best of all!
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Me too!
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