Tuesday 30 December 2008

The Scenic Route to the Supermarket.

Does anyone actually LIKE going to the Supermarket? I find it a necessary chore sometimes and I set out at 8.30am today to miss the crowd. Dull, misty morning - won't be much about.

How wrong I was. Before I got to the top of the lane I had had to slow down for a brown hare (my most favourite animal) and had seen a little owl sitting on a post.

I drove through our village and up on to what used to be the Richmond to Lancaster Turnpike Road. As soon as I turned the corner onto it, there is a dew pond on the left and there were fifty or so lapwings, standing like statues, all facing the same way, their feet in what is at present little more than a muddy puddle.

Further along the same stretch of road two curlews coasted across the road in front of me and landed in a damp field. They are a common bird round here, nesting in our fields and flocking in the winter - we sometimes see flocks of fifty or more - but only two today.

Almost immediately after that a great horde of mixed fieldfares and redwings swooped across from one tree to another. How I wish there would be a few waxwings with them!!

And then - the piece de resistance - in the silver birches on the grassy verge - a black cock, incongruously perched half way up a tree, presumably eating the shoots.

There was no view today - it is dull and misty - but on a usual run to Tesco there is the added advantage of the most fantastic view right across the Vale of York.

All that before ten in the morning - not bad for a seven mile journey to supermarket shop is it? Oh! and the shop was almost empty so I had a gentle walk round - and bought myself a bunch of roses to celebrate!

24 comments:

Leslie said...

What a wonderful start to your day. The way you told that story, I could almost see the creatures myself. Thanks, for sharing.

Woman in a Window said...

Celebrate, indeed! Makes me want, in my gut, for spring to be here. Any trip anywhere right now has me white knuckled and tense, hoping I won't go off the road. I often forget to look.

Elizabeth said...

I envy you your birds.
Here in NY city there are sparrows and pigeons aplenty but we get all exited whenever we see anything else.
You are right to get the shopping done early.
Happy New Year

Debra (a/k/a Doris, Mimi) said...

Hmmm...if I close my eyes I can almost see the birds and creatures you encountered on your way to town. I see birds around here but don't know many of their names. I can point out the obvious - cardinal, blue jay, crow, red-tailed hawk, wild turkey - but many other names escape me. I would dearly love to photograph an owl. Occasionally we hear a hoot owl in the woods behind our home, and last week we heard the eery sound of a screech owl. Gads! That made the hair on my neck stand up! Oh, how I long for the warmth of spring...

Gigi Ann said...

I almost felt like I was right in the seat next to you. What a lovely way you have of weaving words together to make a lovely picture in my head!

Lucy Corrander said...

Fantastic.

Lucy

Babette Fraser Hale said...

The birds have such fascinating names and you paint the scene so vividly. Your distance to the market is about the same as ours, but our birds are Inca doves, redheaded woodpeckers, cardinals, chickadees, titmice, as well as turkey vultures, crows and red tail hawks--birds of central Texas. Isn't it wonderful, though, not to be struggling against city traffic in order to buy our groceries. (I hate supermarkets, too.)

Crafty Green Poet said...

oh that sounds like a wonderful journey. I dislike going to the supermarket and avoid it wherever possible, we're lucky in Edinburgh to still have a lot of thriving local stores. When I do go to the supermarket i only need to go across the road so no chance of such good birdwatching along the route!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Weaver, this is so wonderful! I love the way you introduce the idea of missing the crowd, and then follow with the descriptions of all the wildlife!

I have a mental image of the fifty or so lapwings all facing the same way. Thank you!

Reader Wil said...

It sounds like the perfect start of the day! I should try that too!
Tomorrow I get only 6 visitors , three of them adults. We'll have a light meal and for the rest of the evening oliebollen, applefritters
and all kind of snacks. When the clock strikes twelve it's still 23.00 pm in Great Britain. We always watch that on BBC.

Teresa said...

What a wonderful supermarket trip! At the risk of sounding like I lead a very dull and uninteresting life, I reluctantly admit, that, yes, I do like going to the supermarket (though over here it's referred to as "the grocery store"). Since I live in a small town (teeny, tiny) and have a home office, when I go out for groceries I often see friends in there I might not otherwise see! Plus, I dream about the wonderful dishes I'll concoct as soon as I get home with the supplies! Well, now you know the sad truth! :-)

Leenie said...

How good to have so many varieties of creatures and to know all their names.

Liz said...

Weaver I hate going to the supermarket but like you I see wonderful things on the way and sometimes if I can I'll stop and photograph something interesting. I like hares too even though here they are pests. Wonderful creatures. We have a rabbit warren just near the house here as well. Somehow the baby rabbits have been outsmarting the cats and the hawks and are growing well. New year's eve here So I'll say happy New year to you. Keep warm

All the best for 2009
Liz

Mistlethrush said...

What a wonderful route to the supermarket. But be careful as simultaneously driving and bird spotting can be dangerous - I know!

I'm very impressed that you managed to spot a little owl whilst driving - I can't spot them even when stood still! I'm also a tad envious about the waxwings - I still haven't seen any.

Best wishes for the new year.

Acornmoon said...

your supermarket run sounds a lot more interesting than mine!

Have a good New Year and take time to smell the roses.

Michala Gyetvai (Kayla coo) said...

I live very close to a supermarket,so close I can walk.
Trouble is I always buy more than I expect and then struggle to carry it home!
How lovely to see all the wonderful wild life.

Janice Thomson said...

What a treat to see so much wildlife just on the way to the store.
Happy New year Weaver!

Femin Susan said...

Hi………
Absolutely fantastic post! Good job!
Great! Keep writing…….
Good week………
" A Happy New Year''

Searching Soul said...

Wow, what a wonderful day. That is what I call LIFE! What a perfect way to live and enjoy it.

Thanks for sharing your quaint and meaningful life.

Searching Soul
http://journalofasearchingsoul.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

A great start to your day: sounds like you're very much tuned into your surroundings :)

Arija said...

What an eventful morning!
I hate shoppng with a vengeance but also had to nip to the nearest supermarket for a few things (14k). Saw no wonders on the way but we managed to get a beautiful potted Madonna Lily each. Normally I have hundreds of them at this time of year. Because of the extreme drought, not a single one!
Enjoy your Roses and have a wonderful New Year full of blessings and joy.
Hugs, Arija

Tess Kincaid said...

Somehow, I know your trip to the grocery store is much more charming than mine.

Happy New Year to you and yours!

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

Wow, what a morning!! It sounds as though you were traveling through an Arthur Rackham illustration!

I wish you a truly Happy New Year - full of a variety of joys! I'm very glad we "met" this year!!

The Weaver of Grass said...

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO COMMENTED ON THIS BLOG. NEW YEAR HAS CAUGHT UP WITH ME AND IF I WRITE AN INDIVIDUAL COMMENT TO EACH READER I SHALL NEVER CATCH UP. SO THIS IS A THANKS TO YOU ALL AND VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR WISHES - FOR HEALTH AND HAPPINESS IN 2009