Road trip

Now,  every now and then I get very dissatisfied with myself and forgot to see the beauty of my surroundings and that in reality I am very lucky.  Saturday was one such day. The weather certainty didn't help. Despite it being a bright blue sky,  it was cold, the sort of cold that feels brittle.

I tried gardening in the greenhouse but even with a heavy coat and boots the cold, like my mood was rather stony. Being numbingly tired certainly aggravated the situation...

Then, mid way through the afternoon both the weather and my scowl lifted and I announced firmly that, when Youngest had returned home, we would jump in the car, stop along the way at our favourite  fish and chippery then we would find ourselves a hill, watch the sun go down and eat hot chips with our fingers.

Funnily enough every one agreed without a moment 's hesitation.

So that's what we did.

Our 2CV cheerily trundled us and a large flask of tea through the country lanes as we headed to Settle. The town centre was quiet - so very much quieter than it had been the day before - when the bicycle racing fraternity came to town. (A story for another day).

Vinegary and salted yummy purchases made, we set off for a conveniently situated hill, 

the car filling with mouth watering hot food smells 

and rumbling tum sounds.

As we drove upwards, we slowed to noisily rattle over a cattle grid 

when we were bleated at VeRy LOuDlY

by a ewe and her lamb.

So Youngest hopped out - well this was our 'road trip' and we could do what we wanted!

He knelt down and fed handfuls of grass to a rather friendly ewe.

She must have been expecting her farmer with her evening meal 

and we appeared instead!

A few short (but increasingly hungry) minutes later,

we had parked up,

view sorted,

picnic blanket laid out

and with extra blankets wrapped around us

we tucked in to our delicious paper wrapped meal.

Tea poured, fingers licked 

and satisfied hmmmings filled the air.

Even the biting cold air

didn't damped our mood.

We were cozy under crochet blankies,

slurping hot tea,

tummies full and happy.
We sat and gazed on an endless sky
and scudding clouds.

Reluctantly, we eventually grew too cold

to linger any longer,

so picnic packed, we returned to the car

and continued our road trip.

Himself followed the country lanes as they

gently rolled up and over hills

and through valleys.

Along the way we spotted the  magical folk who fill the space in evenings.

Hungry raptors feasted on fallen lambs

while being harassed by loudly cawing crows.

Eventually giving way to crow crowd pressure

effortlessly soaring away before vanishing into a nearby woodland.

Later still, as we still bumbled along,

more dusk dwelling folk were spied

quietly lolloping through silent meadows.

We watched, 

our road trip temporarily halted.

The light fading to a soft grey haze, 

I felt ready to return home,

I felt a lot happier.

I felt stronger and more able to practise gratitude.

The magic of our micro-adventure had worked.