The pinprick sound of raindrops on the summerhouse roof fluctuate as the trees are blown around, if I listen really carefully, in between the drops are the scuttly scratchy feet of the blackbirds as they dash across. The cat, with her apparent xray vision, watches the sound as she twists her neck tracking their roof top races.
It is the same cat who, on my last post, triggered an interesting thread - so many noticed and commented on 'her penknife'. Believe me - this cat has no need to a mere mortal's trifling tool - she has 20 very sharp scimitar knives of her own! We as a family have an array on knife like tools, we all use them. We each have at least one (some of us are blessed with two) Swiss Army knives. Mine are identifiable by the generous quantity of painterly finger prints. As is my laptop and mouse.
Winter seems to have slipped back. Walking Moss has been more of a trial by mud than a pleasure and today we may even postpone our morning muddathon until a later hour when hopefully the clouds part and let the sky back in.
Yesterday I persisted and seemed to be one of a few hardy fools as I stomped around the local nature reserve. I was accompanied by an increasingly splattered but happy dog who splashed in puddles, leapt into full streams, jumped over leats and slipped and slid in as much mud as she could find. I chose to withdraw into my coat and wellies which made a glup---glup--glup noise on my calves as I walked.
I became fascinated by the sound, glup--glup--glup. That sound of the synthetic slap of the boot on your leg. Glup--glup--glup.
We followed the river - Colne Water - quietly raging like strongly brewed black tea. The ducks had wisely taken themselves off and sat like flattened feathery stones along the bank. Our route took us past the old mill pond, finally filling up after last summer's dry months. The weeds and bullrushes making beautiful reflections in the still waters.
We managed - or rather I managed and Moss thrashed - a slippery sliddery 1.6 miles before I gave up and took us back to the car. The grinning happy face on the dog made me smile but I was ready to get out of my wet stuff.
Now, today, it is still raining as I type this. I think I need a coffee before I start painting.
Please excuse the quality of the images - all were taken with my cell phone, I did not want to expose my camera to the weather.
I'm sure I can smell that wet dog smell through the internet!
ReplyDeleteI have had many, many walks like that, so slippery and muddy you wonder what on earth is the point - until you see that gloriously happy face jumping back into the car, and then you are reminded why.
ReplyDeleteI must add a caveat that this only applied to my Beardie, one of his many alternate names was "Mud Magnet". Daisy was far too much of a Lady and would have made it quite plain within yards that She.Did.Not.Require.Much.Exercise.Today.Thank.You 🐾 💚 🐾
Thanks for showing the video of one of the higher ponds getting replenished! I was too tired to walk up there the other day. Today has been awful that I've not been outside, not even to the end of the garden to empty the compost bin. Perhaps tomorrow will be better....
ReplyDeleteBrave, brave girls you two, one happy & muddy, the other sounding more perplexed, but I think, probably exhilarated too, by being outdoors. Not much mud around here at the moment, just brown parched countryside & black burned/charred bushland. Thanks for sharing your walk, take care, keep warm & huggles.
ReplyDeleteI do miss muddy dog walks !
ReplyDeletebeautiful photos...
ReplyDeletehave a great weekend
It's great to hear the rushing water and to see the rivers running full again.
ReplyDeleteI realised recently that it's great to have a dog to make you go outside in all kinds of weather - I'm a real woose otherwise - rain means stay inside and have a titter of wit!:) Good on ye :)
Lovely to see the Mill Pond filling up. Moss has such a happy grin on her face. I'm sure just looking at her made you feel that the muddy walk was worth it. xx
ReplyDeleteLoving the sound of the water rushing by, no so sure of the wet dog though especially when you have the heater on in the car on the way home!
ReplyDelete