Midweek walking

There is a lot to be said for midweek walking. While the year is too early in the growing season to start up my round of private gardens, I have the delicious (if poorly paid!) delight of two days a week spending time with these two....

The bog trotter who delights in finding every.single.muddy.path.or.pool.or.trench and then sampling the contents by jumping in..... Happy little dog......🙄

And the husband. 

He and the dog outwalk me every time, but years ago I learnt to slow down and walk at a pace which was good for me. Himself calls it 'cat-walking' when I stop and stare, take photos, breathe the air and just be - me.

This particular walk took us up and over Hare Lane (although not a single hare was spotted - the air was a bit too raw and I suspect all the hares were hunkering down out of the breeze) then down into the neighbouring village where we sat and nibbled on super rich and super sweet valentine's day fudge. Both of us wishing we'd brought a flask of tea to dilute the fudge but still savouring the wicked sweetness of the chunks.

Then after nearly three hours of walking while being blustered about by the wind, we returned home. The kettle went on (we were still in need for that mug of tea) and we sat, feeling battered by the weather, quietly recovering.

Thank you for your lovely comments on my last post - they do mean a lot! And, my parting shot for this post is a photo of the info board I put out at work when the gate is open to invite folk in to visit the garden .... we are definitely in a Fool's Spring - I'm just waiting for the Second Winter to land with a mighty bang!

Recipe for Saturday

 Ingredients:

Take a day with a welcome addition of gentle of sunlight

One over enthusiastic mud attracting dog

One patient husband who will carry said tired dog up an almost vertical stile, 

then back down the other side 

so she does not have to jump down to the very much lower field 

Add generous piles of crunchy leaves strewn through the woodlands

Top up with generous amounts of water - almost any variety will do

Randomly insert drovers tracks, farm lanes, bridle paths and byways

Spice up with a flask of steaming hot curried lentil soup and hunks of bread

Sweeten with a surprise clump of delicate snowdrops in the middle of the moors

Mix well and serve with copious amounts of chilly air, 

long distanced views and empty horizons - simmer for nearly 7 miles.                   

Optional extras:

bring along crochet for a little 'in car entertainment'

Have in generous helpings and repeat as often as you can. 

It does wonders for your soul 💚

True story

 Sitting in the front of the van after a really satisfying walk up in the Dales with Himself and Youngest.

Have your glasses with you? (me asking Himself)

Yeah

Can I quickly borrow them (mine are in the back)

Hang on....(rustling around in his pockets until he locates them and hands them over) ... here

I'll just clean them first (using my scarf to wipe the lenses)

Why?

As a treat for them

What?

And so that I can see through them

I just lick them .... (cue a silly grin)

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You can really go off someone....

You only realised that after 30 years? (followed by a satisfied blokey chuckle)

Thank you Youngest for this excellent photo

Remind me never to leave my glasses out of reach.....

Tuesday spotlights🤍🤍

The tips of my fingers are still cool as is the end of my nose. The two digestive biscuits and mug of tea tasted amazing once we'd returned from our afternoon walk but are now long gone. The snow and ice that covered the ground first thing this morning (when my car thermometer registered -4.5℃) had begun to melt creating a green and white marble patterning on the grass.🤍💚

Our village has several prominent hills surrounding it and they were all still flecked white and draped in misty layers beneath the dark and heavy skies. Despite that, the sun managed to find chinks in the clouds and fill our walk with warmth and light.💛🤎

Himself, Youngest, Moss and I did our local 'dog-loop' which is our go to short walk when weather permits. 🧡❤️

I am sure - almost 99% sure - that I have spotted our first Highland Coo calf but the mum was a large and hairy barrier and all I could see were little legs beneath her tum. No lambs yet - far too cold to give birth outside and the ewes that are out in the fields are still 'mums-with-tums'!

It is dark now, Moss has been fed and is gently snoring while she dreams dog dreams, Himself is in the kitchen baking an apple crumble as I type here. After a rather long morning of completing on-line mandatory training - it is little precious moments like these that make my day.💙💜

Hope you have had some of those today too (and I don't mean the mandatory training!!)

Sunday Sunday - so good to me

After days and days (and days) of rain or chilly winds, today is clear and still and although still cold, in the sun it feels warm!

We leave the cosiness of the house and woodburner and set off for a Moss-led dog loop. It seems that other dogs and their owners had felt the same pull - to be out and getting some air! We walk up 'Dead Duck Lane' - not in our usual yomping style as we try to forge our way through the weather, no it is far more meandering. We stop to see if any of the local sheep had lambed and although they must almost be at bursting point, the ewes determinedly chew winter weary grass in the soft sunshine.

We carry on up on to another lane, around another sheep field, past a large house with a small and rotund elderly jack russell. A raspy yip yip was all it can manage then it sighs at our lack of respect and toddles back to the house. In it's 'hey-day' it was a nasty piece of work with reputation of 'quick to bark-quick to bite' which unfortunately landed it's owner is 'the dwang' when they requested a home visit by a doctor who on arrival discovered that not only was the owner not at home, but was then both barked at and bitten by the jack russell. Suffice to say - the doctor wisely got back in the car, drove back to the surgery and rang the owner and had a word or two.....

We continue to follow Moss up a narrow farm track with large and mature trees full of holes and splits and hollow trunks. They are fragile and venerable and beautiful. Sadly I can see that once they start to fall, they will not be replaced. I stroke their grizzled old bark as I pass. I am sure I can hear them whisper their stories to the wind.

 Despite the quantity of rain we have had, the fields although wet are surprisingly mud free. Moss makes the most of the seasonal ponds and drags Himself through the centre. 

This field is also full of expectant ewes, so Moss remains on her lead and because she can not gallop up to the next puddle we can watch a small and garrulous flock of gulls bathing in the fresh water or 'puddling' for worms as they trot on the spot until they can catch a witless worm.

The fresh air, which when we first set off felt icy and sharp, now feels invigorating and restorative and the soft sunlight gently bathes a wintery landscape in an almost translucent peachy glow. Popping up here and there are bright green blades of various bulbs - a bit too soon, their enthusiasm will wane next week when the temperatures are forecast to plummet. Here is to the ewes who will hopefully be indoors soon when they are due to lamb.

So, another weekend has slipped by. We have had Youngest and his lovely girl staying with us for a couple of days - now, Sunday evening, the house once again cosy and warm with the fire keeping Moss in a state of molten fluff as she basks in it's glow. Monday tomorrow, and at this very moment I am not ready for it - but I know by the time I get up, into my work kit and in the car - I will be ready for a day of mulching well rotted manure.... bring it on! 

The 'hole' weekend

It appears that a three day weekend seems to go as quickly as a two day one. Today, being a bank holiday, was a quiet one. There had been a palpable sombre tension in the air, although now mid afternoon, life seems to be returning with cars driving through the village and dog walkers scattered on every path and lane.

Himself's jeans before (with massive knee tear) and after with the Ganzezashi pattern also known as the sea urchin stitch

Having finished Himself's pullover and with a serious crafting/sewing itch, I tackled a pile of jeans with various holes and tears.  I am still inspired by Sashiko and used motifs from a book which Eldest and his lovely girl gave me a little while ago.

Eldest's jeans with a simple concentric circle pattern and a Jujitsunagi named after the kanji character for ten which suggests prosperity with ever increasing tens - I left one character unfinished to imply future prosperity still to come

Eldest had managed to tear holes in a couple of pairs of fairly new jeans so they too were reinforced with supporting fabric and more Sashiko inspired stitching. We'll be seeing them this weekend and I will happily hand over two pairs of hole-free jeans.

Himself knocking holes in the lounge chimney breast, and in the attic wall, 

Eldest and Himself up on our roof - manhandling the  flue into the chimney

Speaking of holes, Himself has been mending holes too. Our woodburner flue - the liner running up our chimney came to the end of it's life - which entailed removing the degrading pipe and replacing it with a new and substantially better version. The original plan was Youngest, Himself and I would do it several weekends ago before the weather turned.  Himself had already demolished sections of the chimney to be able to reach and remove the offending flue then covid hit us and we could not continue. Neither of us felt well enough to lift and pull over 12 meters of metal piping up on to the roof and feed it down the chimney - we had to wait until we felt less rubbish. Fortunately last weekend Eldest came and with the three of us - I tried my best limp wristed help when ever possible - hoisted the piping up and fed it down. They were fantastic but it did take all day and they both came away with bruises and grazes.

Holes everywhere! But definitely being filled back in!

Now this weekend, Himself filled the holes, cementing the bricks back in. We then tidied and cleaned up the construction mess - it felt really good (read exhausting) to get the attic room looking nice again.

Who could resist?

Whilst we were having lunch, a little furry face appeared around my knee and asked if we could go for a walk - so we did. Via the 'dog lead-o' (lido) and that little furry face was so happy (and wet!) It is a while since we visited the neighbouring village well.  It is a year round dog favourite (hence calling it the dog lead-o). The water is bone cold even in summer but it does not seem to deter a certain dog!

Water dripping off her face as she had been trying to get her frisbee out of a rather deep hole in the 'lead-o'

Himself has lived in his new pullover and mended jeans (which I am secretly rather pleased about) and even let me take photos of him modelling them on our walk this afternoon.

I may have been looking on the internet to find another pullover for him - a simple Guernsey - I shall blame my need to knit!

And, does the fire work now the flue has been replaced? Well, it seems that it does and someone is rather pleased it has been lit.

The final note - the swallows have gone. So has summer. I am trying not to let it get to me. Bring on the knitting!

Have a good week xxxxxx

Pass me a tissue - no the whole box

I am, as I type this, late to the party nobody actually wants to attend - both Himself and I have been unceremoniously added to the 'time to get covid' guest list.  

All I can say is that I am grateful (very very grateful) that we have been jabbed.  I would not like to have been poorly without the vaccinations - I felt rough enough as it was. 

Now - starting day eight, I am still testing positive and feeling rubbish but can sense I am over the worst and am (finally) heading in the right direction.  I have had 'standard' flu before and in comparison - this was definitely ramped up however in the grand scheme of things - I know I got off lightly.

Funnily enough (I must be feeling a little more human if I can see the 'funny side') the cat has rather liked the sick bay vibe we have had recently - lots of bed time, duvets at every opportunity, dozing all day and just the minimum disruption to a cat's daily sleep pattern. However, a certain all action hero🐾, despite being such a good girl and so so patient, is about to pop!  I am almost dreading my first day back to work as Moss will surely explode and round up everything and everyone until we are all dizzy and then for good measure I am pretty sure she will do it again just to make sure she got it right the first time. But until then she lies on her bed as if she has melted and oozed off on to the carpet, tongue hanging out and eyes half closed - a coiled spring ready for action.... (you will just have to use your imagination....)

Strangely - time has both stood still and completely disappeared. I can't really recall what happened to last week yet there has been moments when I have sat and watched the clouds move, birds fly, listened to the wind in the trees, watched autumnal leaves fall and felt time stop. 

Yesterday Himself encouraged me to sit outside in the garden (swaddled in a duvet) to get some fresh air, although he was also struck down - he seemed to recover quicker although I feel he was initially hit harder.  Whereas I seem to be 'drifting' and I am well and truly fed up with it. So, today, dressed, with a mug of tea (about the only thing I've lived on this last week) I am kick starting the 'feeling more human' momentum by blogging.

All photos are from our holiday - which seems a life time ago.

Steampunk and vintage

A chance reminder that there was a steampunk and vintage car event this weekend had us making spontaneous plans for a micro-adventure!

And I am so glad we did 😊 Himself, Moss and I jumped into our 2CV and headed over the moors to Hebden Bridge.

There were not as many steampunk dressed folk as there have been in the past which was a shame however those who'd made the effort looked impressive.

The 400 Roses (Quilt Person) folk dancers and musicians delighted visitors in the market square and I loved their costumes - particularly the ribbon and bell festooned bustles!

We wandered through the market but although the stalls were varied and interesting - it appeared that business was slow - people were looking but not spending.  A sad reflection of the times. We were enticed by the rather deliciously inviting fragrance of Asian street food and once we'd chosen, we sat in the park and scoffed to our hearts content. There may have been a lot of finger licking and lip smacking noises. 

We then crossed over the canal on to the sports fields which, for the weekend, had been turned to a HUGE car park of over 300 vintage cars, stalls and music festival. Himself was almost overwhelmed by all the 'car candy' and we spent a very happy afternoon checking almost each...and...every....car. He was most definitely a happy man😊

We knew that Hebden Bridge would be parked up so we found a spot just outside (see photo on the left) of the town and walked down what felt like a gazillion very steep steps (ooh my creaky knees!) the second zoomed in photo (on the right) is the view over the far half of the vintage car field taken from where we'd parked.

Moss thought today was a 'RUBBISH' dog walking sort of day, we shall have to make it up to her and soon🐾😄We left once we agreed that it was getting a bit too busy for comfort - even for an outdoor event - it began to feel a little claustrophobic. How we've changed .........

We returned back over the moors and spent the rest of the afternoon and evening in the garden with buckets of tea - bliss.  xxxxx