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01/01/2018

The hawthorn tree

Dear blog,
day 1 in the year of 2018....

...let me tell you of a story of a walk to a tree on new year's eve.  

However, before I begin, the sharp eyed of you have already noticed I have added our January Scavenger photo-hunt list. This year the format is slightly different yet still the same - here, let me explain. (excuse me while I take a slurp of tea - thank you dear Himself, just what I needed)

This year's hunt has less prompts, giving you more time to find your photos. They can be freshly snapped images or some scavenged from your archives. Each photo can be a standalone story inspired by that image or the full list could be woven into one story - the choice is yours. The only stipulation is you have fun and don't feel obliged or pressured to join in.

Pictures inspired by words, words inspired by a picture - over to you!


My internet sobriquet is 'hawthorn' which is derived from my Celtic birth sign. The hawthorn tree itself has many mythical attachments to it, so, to me, it is a precious tree.

One of our favourite walks is up to and through Grass Wood, near the villages of Conistone and Grassington. 
Up through the moorland fields where the winding track goes, so did we. High above the valley bottom, leaving below the small and sleepy village.
The track took us along the edge of limestone cliffs, high above a dry valley, into sparsely treed moorland. Our destination? 'My' tree, a magical twisted hawthorn that we have visited for over ten years.
We found her, I - as I do every time - stood next to the twisted trunk and laid my hand on the rough bark.  With your back to the tree, the panoramic view over the limestone and moorland is heart breakingly wild and beautiful.  We sat near and had our lunch. After we'd eaten our path took us through a more dense part of the woods. A short while later, we emerged on the other side.
We walked away from the woods, down into green farmland fields. Stone walled, each with their own little barn. Then crossed the valley and turned up back on to the moors. The winter green grass turned to dull brown and sparse. The pasture opened out and appeared bare and exposed.... and it was. The breeze cutting and icy and on the horizon heavy clouds looking sleety and cold.
At the crest of the rounded hill, an abandoned farm house came in to view. We were drawn to explore and although the ground floor filled with pungently smelling sheep dung we stepped inside. The boys went upstairs as Himself and I stepped back out, donned more clothing, made mugs of tea and kept an eye on the weather.
As we drained the last drops of rapidly chilling tea, the sleet and rain hit us. Wrapped up as best we could we dropped off the hills as quickly as the mud and puddles would let us! Moss thought this was the greatest fun ever as she lolloped from bog to bog getting more and more muddy - but that is how she sees every walk.... a mud-n-puddle-fest.
Then as we came off the high pastures down to the village, I happened to look back, the moon was appearing through the clouds - perfect. Just perfect :)
Once home, warmed and dried with the fire crackling away merrily, I lit candles and started our new 'Jolabokaflod' tradition - handing out books for every one to read - which we did! It was a lovely evening, reading, listening to music, nibbling the last of the naughty festive food....
although not all of us did any reading ..... 

*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*
  *H*A*P*P*Y* *N*E*W* *Y*E*A*R*!*

 Welcome, 2018, may she be kind and gentle and loving x

16 comments:

  1. Delightful. I haven't the breath to do this but I went with your words. Lovely.

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  2. Don't you just love a mud filled dog walk....Happy New Year Hawthorn x

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  3. What a lovely walk - and a beautiful tree too! We did Jolabokaflod last year and I'd like to have done it again this year but we've been so busy renovating the house (still!) that we've been painting every day except christmas day and just haven't bothered with christmas at all this year! Next year, in our very own home, I plan to start it again and do it well every year!

    I wasn't going to join in the scavenger hunt as we are still busy at the house and I'm feeling tired and a little bit stressed, but seeing the new, smaller list, I am more inclined to join in now!

    Happy New Year to you :)

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  4. I loved going on the walk with you & have been to Grassington, so know where it is. Now I suddenly want to come home & walk with you & Jayne & am feeling very teary. Whoops! Think I'd love to renovate that barn into a house & have just the book to tell me how. Must have been so cold, but invigorating too & I also noticed your crochet rug hanging near the snoozing Moss. I like the idea of traditions & yours always sound great.
    Happy 2018, talk soon & take care.

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  5. Awww - happiness is laying so close to the woodburner after a fabulous walk that our toes get toasted!

    Glorious pictures, wonderful walk. I used to have 'my tree' when we lived in Hampshire, interesting - I don't have one here, hmmm .....

    Susan - would love for you to be around for another walk :)

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  6. A good walk.
    Those abandoned farmhouses are sad. Some just feel empty,others you can sense they are crying out to be lived and loved again.
    All the best for 2018 xx

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  7. I love the Hawthorns too especially the range of colour of their blossom from pure white to a deep pink. Thank you for sharing your walk with me.
    Arilx

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  8. A beautiful post. Happy New Year to you and your family. X

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  9. Great walk and story. When I used to visit Harlow Carr Gardens, I'd make for a cherry tree with lovely shiny bark and feel it. I gather it is no longer there so I do not want to re-visit that garden any more. Is it me or any anyone noticed there is no date for photo hunt reveal? No doubt I have not read it a usual but I've looked twice!

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    1. Oops! thanks lovely lady - have added the date!!

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    2. Thanks! I have found the date too......

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  10. Blessings to you and your family, wishing you a year filled with lots of fun and adventures.

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  11. Happy New Year (sorry a bit late)
    The walk looked wonderful, I was with you all the way. I love trees, with me its the English Oak. I grew up with one in the garden, and again, four houses later there is one I can see from my back windows. I apologise if it was me with my marathon Christmas list that made you shorten your scavenger hunt list. I am really getting into this and enjoy every one.

    Julie xxxx

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  12. Happy New Year back ! No, it was not the marathon list that made me shorten mine, no fear! It was a comments from a number of photohunters and potential hunters who were put off by finding ten - so I thought I would reduce the number and get more folk using the list as an inspiration to kickstart their blog or just to join in :) Really glad you join in and enjoy doing them too :)

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    1. Love doing them. Love looking at past photos which bring back lovely memories as to why the photo was taken.

      Julie xxxxxx

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  13. I so enjoyed that walk with you. Thank you for sharing. Many years ago we did do part of that walk with you and two small boys when they were Small and Smallest. It is a lovely part of the country. I too always feel that derelict houses and barns are crying out for someone to renovate them and make them loved again.

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Hi there...

Thank you ever so much for stopping by today - I'm really glad that you did. If you would like to leave me a comment then I would be delighted to hear from you, any one signing as anonymous or writing anything unkind, political, any form of hate or computer generated will be acknowledged as spam and deleted.

Hawthorn x

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