Monday 20 January 2014

Two outings.

Now that I can no longer drive, any little outing is good for me as it stops me getting cabin fever.   Various friends are really good at ferrying me from A to B and also going with me to various places - particularly friend W, without whom life would often be very dull - so thank you W.   W had another miraculous cataract operation on Friday and is seeing much more clearly.   Isn't it wonderful what modern medicine can do these days?

Yesterday the farmer and I took Tess for a new smells walk - not far away from home but just a new walk.   By the time we got there it was raining on one side of the Dale and bright sunshine on the other.   The farmer walked at his pace with Tess and I walked behind at my pace - and when I spotted them in the distance on their way back I turned and retraced my footsteps.

We went into Swaledale and the little town of Reeth lay in that halfway house between the sun and the showers which served to intensify the colours.   Driving back along the moor after our walk, the farmer spotted two grouse standing on top of the heather on the skyline - I hope you can spot them too in the photograph.   Finally we came out into the village of Redmire with its lovely old tree on the village green - and then home again.

This morning we had to go into Hawes, which means a drive through Wensleydale on the most beautiful morning.   Penn Hill stood out through the mist against a blue sky but by the time we got to Lady Hill and the pines on top of the mound the sun was clearly
out and the Dale had put on its best bib and tucker.   Aren't we lucky to live in such a beautiful place?






 

21 comments:

Sue in Suffolk said...

Love you photos of your part of the world, so different to flat Suffolk.

angryparsnip said...

You do live in the most beautiful place.
I loved it when I was able to visit many years ago.
So different from the Sonora Desert I live in.

cheers, parsnip

Optimistic Existentialist said...

Oh my gosh these are some breathtaking photos. Wow...

Midlife Roadtripper said...

Indeed beautiful.

Gwil W said...

Another wonderful batch of photos. The dales are beautiful.

Heather said...

So kind of the weather to allow you to get those beautiful shots Pat. That's a wonderful tree in no3 and I love the little tree topped hill in no5. The scenery in Yorkshire is so varied - from charming, right through to majestic.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing these wonderful photos Pat - brings back wonderful memories for this Australian, of travelling in England, always excited about what may be around the next bend.

Dartford Warbler said...

Absolutely beautiful! The winter skies this year are making landscapes even more spectacular.

Pat- Please could you edit out the following when you have read it. Thank you.x

In answer to your question, my maternal grandparents lived in Howsham, a little village near Brigg. My mother grew up there. Her younger sister went to live in Washingborough ( your home village?) with her family, back in the mid 1960s. Another sister lived in Broughton, on the other side of Brigg.

Although I grew up on the south coast, I spent several weeks each year up in Lincolnshire. A county very dear to me.

When my boys were very young, we spent four years in Adel, just north of Leeds. My OH is a Yorkshireman. We came to know the Dales during those years and also on family holidays after our move south. You certainly do live in one of England`s loveliest areas!

Pondside said...

You certainly live in a beautiful place. I like to read about your walks.
I smiled at the term 'cabin fever'. It's something we warned about when we planned to move to the Island - people said we'd get 'shack wacky'.
We haven't!

Cro Magnon said...

The last Grouse I saw was on top of my roof. No doubt someone had released them for shooting, and one had become a bit confused.

Hildred said...

Beautiful photos, Pat, - such a lovely country side. Not being able to drive right now and can empathize with you, and so glad you have had these two little outings and that you have such good friends to ferry you around, - of course it 'takes a friend to have a friend', and that speaks well for you! My daughter-in-law from Summerland is coming to get me tomorrow morning and we are to have a day out in Penticton when I hope to buy a bedside CD player and a small omelet pan - and some flowers from the flower shop, of course, - and some bulbs.....

Em Parkinson said...

You and me both, regarding beauty around us. In case you don't go back to see my reply, Absolutely NOT....they were a present. x

Barbara said...

I love the photos...beautiful light!

Bovey Belle said...

What lovely views - cheered me up here, so many thanks. We stayed near Reeth on holiday when my girls were very small. Seems such a long time ago now, but my husband was reminding me that I can't say he never takes me out for a meal - what about the chips he bought me in Richmond that time?!!

I think views like that are so spiritually uplifting.

Linda Metcalf said...

You are so lucky! The photos show how lucky....just beautiful!

Lulu said...

Your photographs are beautiful. You do live in a lovely place. When I had my cataract surgery, the doctor said it was the greatest miracle of modern medicine. I would be blind by now if I hadn't had it. I had two ten years apart. The results of the second was better than the first. Doctor said it was because of what they had learned from the Hubble Telescope.

Lulu said...

Your photographs are beautiful. You do live in a lovely place. When I had my cataract surgery, the doctor said it was the greatest miracle of modern medicine. I would be blind by now if I hadn't had it. I had two ten years apart. The results of the second was better than the first. Doctor said it was because of what they learned from the Hubble Telescope.

thousandflower said...

You live in one of my favorite places I've ever been to. I love seeing your pictures.

Reader Wil said...

This is my last day in Australia , which I have enjoyed in spite of the oppressive heat and mozzies, which made my arms and legs itch all over(grr), but tomorrow morning my daughter will take me to the airport in Cairns. We have been watching old James Herriot DVD's during my stay, and I have been thinking of you at your farm in Yorkshire all the time. I hope you are okay. Why is it that you cannot drive? I am sorry to read this. You are so lucky to have good friends.

mrsnesbitt said...

Lovely photos Pat - paid our hotel and ferry balance yesterday and a hefty amount too - skint but happy - we'll be tootling along these roads very shortly - get the kettle on!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks for the compliments about the photographs - the thing is one has only to point the camera as everywhere is beautiful around here.
Thanks for calling.