Saturday 11 January 2014

Glorious day.






Today the weather is glorious - bright sunshine, strong chilly breeze and wonderful for a walk if you wrap up well.

It is a long time since I walked round the fields as my bad ankle makes walking so difficult, but I couldn't resist giving it a go this afternoon with the farmer in attendance - and it was absolutely lovely.

I have taken a few photographs just to show you the farm in Winter.   As we set out, the farmer opened the door of the loose housing so that I could photograph the in-calf cows and heifers snug and warm and well-fed.

We passed the hen house and it was empty; instead the cockerel and all the hens were huddled in the chilly tractor shed looking thoroughly miserable.   I will never understand the mind of a hen (can you enlighten me here, John?) - why stand huddled in a cold, draughty shed when you could be in a snug, warm, strawed hen hut with plenty of food on hand?

Once in the pasture there was certainly a lot of water but on the whole it was not as wet as I expected it to be.   I took a long vista for you to where the sheep are grazing in the big Mill lane field and also a photograph of our beck, which is very high and fast-flowing, although nowhere near the top of the bank.

The wood was still and devoid of life of any kind and looked a cold, uninviting place, although I am sure there are plenty of rabbits over-wintering in there somewhere.

Half way up the big pasture we came to a long line of crab apple trees.  The wind has blown all the apples off and the water has washed them all into the gulley by the hedge.   They are indescribably sour, but if really cold weather comes then the hungry fieldfares and redwings will come in and finish them off, along with the dotting of solitary holly berries here and there.   Almost all of the Winter food has long gone - rosehips remain, but they are always the last to go.

**Sorry - blogger is not coming out to play today and I just can't show you my photographs - maybe tomorrow.  Thank you blogger - I managed to put these on effortlessly at eight o'clock this morning.

13 comments:

mrsnesbitt said...

Hens need to be playing golf Pat! lol!

MorningAJ said...

We've been out today to the farm shop and also dropped into a craft centre and a garden centre (all in various parts of Derbyshire and Staffordshire) It got us a blow of fresh air and a good helping of sunshine (bright but not warm!)

They say snow's on the way this week. So we made the most of today.

We have some yummy rump steak for tonight's dinner. And we found a nice evergreen plant to go next to Fluffy's grave. It's been a good day.

Maureen @ Josephina Ballerina said...

My best friend, Judy, has a bunch of hens and a rooster named Bob. They are for laying, not eating, but the coyotes don't know that. Like yours, they have a perfectly safe, warm hen house. Bob and one hen called Mother Superior (black and white feathers) have been around for quite a while. The others, obviously with smaller peas for brains, wear neon signs that advertise HOT WINGS.

jinxxxygirl said...

55F degrees to day and cloudy. We are missing our rain. Rainy season should have started months ago and we have had not a drop. This looks to be a very, very dry year. Great weather for walking though and i have been trying to take advantage of that.

Hubby is downstairs making us some omlets for breakfast. Love it when that man cooks. Then i hope to spend a good part of the day working on my crafts. Stay warm! Hugs! deb

Dartford Warbler said...

Don`t worry about the photographs Pat. Your descriptions are so clear and vivid that I can imagine your walk around the farm on this cold, blue Saturday.

The green crab apples on the Forest heath are gradually being eaten, but the red ones are more of a magnet for the fruit eating birds.

I hope the lovely weather stays with you for a while longer.

Pondside said...

It's thundering down rain here, Pat, and the ponds are overflowing. A walk in a field under sunny skies was just what I needed. No photos needed - your words were enough to transport me.

Terry and Linda said...

We are nice today also. 40*. The false spring of January...I'll take it!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com

Willow said...

I was looking forward to the photos but I very much enjoyed the narrative . The sour apple description made my lips pucker .lol

Heather said...

I enjoyed that walk even though I couldn't see where I was going! It's been a glorious day here also but the garden is still saturated so no chance of any work being done.

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

We are having rain rain rain and rain - wind wind wind - it is quite the blustery day. Good day to stay indoors and make little baskets for American Girl dolls - and maybe some flip flops to match - fun day.

Arija said...

The psychology of chickens is an unsolved mystery.Why will they fiercely fight off other hens while stomping on their one and only chick? Why will they go up to roost and leave said chick to freeze on the ground? For 5 days I have to go out at dusk and hand-propel the chick up into the roosting/laying mezzanine. Last night it managed the chock ladder on it's own.
Some expletives come to mind regarding blogger . . .

So glad you managed that lovely winter walk and that you already have some shy, peeping snowdrops.

Cro Magnon said...

Lovely weather here too. Do any of your fields have strange names? I'm always fascinated by the weird-n-wonderful names that get attached to bits of land! Looking forward to seeing the pix.

Mary said...

Glorious post - your pics are awesome and I hope the lovely sunshine continues for you.

Mary