Thursday 29 October 2009

Fancy a trip to the Beauty Parlour
















Tess is going for a wash and brush up this morning. It is a fine Autumn morning. A pale, watery sun is shining in a milky blue sky striped with puffy white clouds. - do I make it attractive enough for you to come along? We are going to Bedale, a distance of about twelve miles. Bedale is on the upper edge of The Vale of York and fog is forecast for the Vale, so keep your fingers crossed that we can see the sights!
There are no pheasants on the lane today: the pheasant shooting season has started and already they have learned to avoid humans and to keep a low profile. Once off the lane and out on to the Main Road, there is a slight mist. The hawthorn hedges along the sides have lost their leaves but here and there a field maple with yellow and red leaves relieves the monotony of brown.And bramble stems arch out towards the roadway with their brightly coloured leaves, like early Christmas decorations.
Now and again there is a stand of trees, or a small copse, or a larger wood. Here most of the deciduous trees are bare apart from the larch, which is in brilliant garb and the wonderful beech which lights up the interior of the woodland with its leaves like copper pennies.
We pass through Constable Burton, where the wall of the Hall's walled garden edges the road and where horse chestnut branches, already losing their golden sparkle, turn brown and hang limply over the road in the mist.
Once through the village we are out in open country with fields either side of us. Some have been ploughed and look so smart with their straight furrows; some have been sown with barley, which is up - the new bright green shoots standing bravely ready to face whatever Winter might throw at them. One or two fields have been left with stubble after harvest. Here the pale stalks of straw are peppered with cock pheasants scratching for the gleanings.
At Patrick Brompton the little church stands surround by bare trees, the leaves of which lie thick on the ground.
By the time we reach Little Crakehall the fog is quite thick. Single bare trees in the hedgrows take on an air of mystery as they rise out of the fog. I spot a sparrow hawk on the fence, preening its feathers and stretching its wings. Before I reach home again I have seen three.
I intended to take a photograph of Bedale, but by the time we reach there the fog is really thick.
I deposit Tess at the parlour. The farmer is collecting her this afternoon. She loves the attention and is quite happy to be left (we are all the same, we women - we do like attention!)
It seems strange at home without her around my feet. I hope you enjoyed the journey with us - tomorrow I will show you how lovely she looks when she is first cut (that is if she will stand still long enough for a photograph).
As we come up the lane to home, the pedigree limousin cattle from the farmer down the lane, are gathered round the feed trough in the field - a sure sign that the grass is getting weaker and not giving them enough nourishment. I stand at the gate to photograph them - one or two turn to face me wondering if I am a further food source.

25 comments:

Arija said...

A beautiful trip. I hope the pheasants were too close to habitatin to be shot at, they look so lovely in a stubble field.

Gwil W said...

You've certainly captured the mood of autumn Weaver. I look forward to seeing Tess all prettied up. I didn't know about 'weak grass' - that's a new one on me, but I should have worked it out for myself - I mean I do eat my greens after all, including spinach and such :)
ps- now some gadgets taken off my blog - also defragd and given my pc a cup of coffee - hope it speeds up a bit!

Gigi Ann said...

I enjoyed the trip to town with you today or was that yesterday. I look forward to seeing Tess all dolled up or should I say all dogged up?

Yesterday, Joey, (my dog) and I both got a trip to our separate beauty shops. It's amazing what a little snip here and a little snip there can do to make a person feel pampered. But, Joey doesn't really enjoy his grooming outings as much as I do.

Leilani Schuck Weatherington said...

As a matter of fact, I presented myself at the beauty parlor yesterday for an extensive grooming. In my dream last night we were on vacation in England and it was just about as lovely in my dream as in your pictures, until it got sort of weird, as dreams are wont to do

Tess Kincaid said...

I love hearing of your thick autumn fog. Good that Tess enjoys her day of pampering. Please show us the "after" pics!

Jinksy said...

Beauty parlour?! Well, I DID cut my hair this morning... does that count? Sadly, I only had to travel as far as my kitchen to do it, so the scenery lacked a little something in comparison to your route!

Unknown said...

Hello Weaver,

Well, if you've got Christmas decorations in the hedgerows, I can't hang about any longer!

Glad the fog wasn't too thick for navigating. Looking forward to seeing the freshly coifed Tess!

Leenie said...

Weaver, I thoroughly enjoyed the misty, foggy trip to town. What a beautiful picture you painted with your words and photos. I could almost smell the damp leaves. Good of you to take Tess to the Beauty Shop. We ladies need a day of pampering occasionally.

Mistlethrush said...

Clever pheasants your way.

We're in the Shropshire Hills at the moment and like you find ourselves shrouded in mists for much of the day. The pheasants are still very visible here though but maybe that's because we haven't heard much shooting around here yet.

CHummelKornell said...

Wonderful trip and photographs. You have a delightful way of painting a picture with your words. Thanks for a relaxful outing. Looking forward to seeing Tess tomorrow.

alison said...

I'm impressed that Tess goes off for Pamper sesions! I'm not sure that Fudge would stand still for long enough, which is a pity as there are lots of doggy 'salons' over here. I think she would look tres chic if she were to be groomed by a professional but as it is she tends to look rather motheaten thanks to my attempts with a pair of scissors!

Leenie said...

Weaver, I'll put you down as a possible for this week when I post for tomorrow (Transportation). For next week I'll post a link to the host when I know who she is so you can link to him/her. Glad to have you along!

Elizabeth said...

Hope Tess is looking super splendid and chic
as for me
I think I would have preferred the walk.....
I'm 'doing' a party for dogs and owners at the park tomorrow am!!!

Titus said...

That was a lovely drive Weaver, and I adore fog - as long as I'm not driving. I love the changes is brings to the most familiar landscapes or townscapes.

Dog question - do you have Tess cut, and if so, why? We only strip Titus, and he has never needed a cut. I thought this was the usual for Borders, so most intrigued. Discussed same with Rachel, who has had Zoe clipped.

Heather said...

Another lovely trip Weaver. The autumn colours are glorious. It is strange but here in Glos. there are still quite a few trees with leaves that haven't changed colour yet. We have two ornamental cherries and they are only just beginning to show sigsn of taking on autumn colour. Last week I saw pheasants galore on our day out. Today has been worryingly mild and I didn't need to take a coat with me. I daresay it will turn cold soon enough. Hope Tess enjoyed her day of pampering and that the farmer got home safely through the fog.

Golden West said...

I was just reading that cows give better milk when called by a "pet" name. Me thinks your farmer would get a good laugh out of that.

steven said...

weaver - i miss and love the names of english villages. they carry so much presence. names that connect through history and mystery and certainly on a foggy autumn day with fields of cows and leaves falling . . . . well i'm lost in reveries of times gone past. thankyou. steven

gleaner said...

Weaver I love your new photo at the top of your blog.

Totalfeckineejit said...

Nice new header,Weavy and I didn't leave the house today (migraine) so it was nice to have a virtual trip to Bedale.Wish I'd really seen those sparrow hawks though.

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

I enjoyed the journey and cannot wait to see Tess all puffied! Edward loves this process as well, although we do it at home. Songwriter washes, I blow-dry!

BT said...

What an atmospheric trip to town and back Weaver. I just loved your narrative and am glad the fog didn't stop your photography. Waiting in anticipation of the new beauty at your feet!

Teresa said...

What a lovely trip! The photo of the cows looks misty and cool... makes me shiver and think of damp cold days.

alison said...

I like the new photo!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Ohhhh - those views are so glorious, Weaver! I love the atmosphere, and fog and mist add to it.

(HB for tomorrow! I've a piccy for you!)

Jasmine said...

Happy Birthday. I just came here from Raph's Ramblings :)