One of those moments

Today Himself and I wistfully acknowledged the swifts have gone.

We'd seperately been keeping a half cocked ear for them for the last few days and today, we reluctantly agreed... yes, they have left.

The swallows are still about, flitting around, getting their maps and travel plans ready and it wont be long before they all start congregating on 'phone lines and organising their day of departure.

I miss the screaming parties of swifts as they cut through the sky above our heads at phenomenal speeds.  These birds are, to me the spirit of summer. When they go, summer goes too.

Another animal that has a hold over me is the wild brown hare. Secretive and wary, it is a magical moment when you come across, however fleeting, a hare quietly getting on with it's own life.

Last week, during a rather long and very warm walk, (over ten miles in the end) we came across this special moment. 

To be honest, I was tired, very footsore, limping slightly as my knee although as good as it will ever be, gets tired too. Our conversation had dried up as had our water and tea in the flask, it was now just the final push to get home.

And, as we trudged our way up a dusty farm track, I was halted by this site - we stopped immediately, hissed at Moss to lie down and ..... apart from my camera coming up slowly, we stood stock still.

I could barely breath, especially as the hare after what felt like an age of not moving, quietly began to lope towards us. Unhurried, unworried and unaware.

Then, after the hare had come delightfully close, it must have spotted us, and calmly sprang up on to the banking into the field and vanished.

Wow.

We stood for a moment, stunned by this precious moment. Then continued with our walk, only this time we had a bit more oomph in our step and our conversation has returned and was filled with what we had just seen.

Now, as I type this, sitting at home, I can still feel the heat of that day, taste the dust and smell the ripening grain crops in the fields and the hot pine tree resin scents that surrounded us.

Magic!