Saturday 12 April 2014

This and that

Last night, when the farmer went to shut in the hens at 8pm he surprised a big dog fox, who was just slinking past the hen hut.   They were all in, but the pop-hole was still open so they had a lucky escape.   He sloped off along the hedge side - all the pheasant were making such a racket and there wasn't a rabbit to be seen.  We shall have to be very careful in future - if there are cubs then I can see the vixen making visits during the day time, when my hens roam the fields, so in that case we shall have to keep them in.  Sadly, the farmer has told our 'man with a gun' - it seems hard but we really can't afford to let him just roam freely - I just wish he would go somewhere else so that I didn't have to worry about his demise.

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Often, on a Saturday morning, I meet friend, W, and we go for a coffee (or two) into our little market town.   Today the farmer has gone off with the Wensleydale Society on their Ramble - this time into Swaledale.   They left at nine o'clock this morning as they were meeting in Muker, which is an hour's drive away.

As we were both going to be alone for lunch, friend W and I decided to go further afield for our coffee.   Where did we go?   We went into Swaledale ourselves and had coffee at a lovely centre where there is a cycle-hire shop with a bunk house above and a cafe next door.   All are owned by the same people.   They hire out bicycles and provide maps with selected routes to follow;  they provide food and accommodation; they run courses - it is a marvellous set-up.  The lunch menu looked so good that we decided to have a drive up the Dale and then return at lunch time.   Where did we go?   We went to Muker!   By the time we got there, the walkers had long gone - just their cars by the road-side let us know they were there somewhere.  We had a look round a craft shop and also round Swaledale Woollens, a shop which sells beautifully knitted woollies (there is a long tradition of knitting in the Dale).  There was a fine drizzle falling but I expect the hardy walkers hardly noticed it.   Then it was back home to collect in my washing which was no drier than when I put it out as the drizzle had spread to Wensleydale too.   My friend helped me to collect it in (thanks W) and it is up on the drier.   The sitting room fire is lit as I have friends S and J coming for a drink and a chat this evening.

Aren't these sudden decisions to go out to lunch the best sort?   A lovely surprise, a day well-passed in nice company, what could be better? 
 

9 comments:

Twiglet said...

I spent my 40th birthday weekend at a farmhouse B & B in Muker - such fabulous countryside to enjoy around there. We walked over to Keld.

jinxxxygirl said...

You should have left a sweet note on the car for the Farmer. It would have been a nice surprise after his wet drizzly walk.... :) And yes those are the best type of lunches. :)Hugs!deb

Virginia said...

That was a delightful outing for you both. Yes, the unplanned ones are the sweetest, aren't they. Poor fox, but poor hens and pheasants too! One fox RIP, or how many other birds - not to mention the decrease in eggs for you!

angryparsnip said...

Sounds lovely to me !

cheers, parsnip

Dartford Warbler said...

What a lovely day for you and your friend (and for the Farmer out with his walking boots on).

It`s so hard when you respect the fox but need to keep your hens safe from harm.......

Heather said...

That sounds like a very interesting and pleasant day, and all the better for being spontaneous. Glad the hens were safe. Mr and Mrs Fox will have to look elsewhere for their food or face the consequences.

Elizabeth said...

Sounds a perfect day to me!

Cro Magnon said...

Foxes are a nuisance. I would hate to see them disappear, but please don't dine chez moi. Just last week I found some frenzied digging by our hen's wire enclosure; I think the fox (or dog) had encountered some stone, and gave up.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Friends round in the evening too, so altogether a lovely day. Thanks for calling.