Tuesday 4 March 2014

Getting Fit

Another nice day here today - not quite as warm as yesterday, a sharper wind blowing and a hazier sun, but still dry and a pleasant day for a walk.

It is the over sixties exercise class this morning - an hour of concentrated exercise, which covers just about every muscle in the body.   Friend W and I go together and feel it is doing us good although we come out of the hour's class pretty shattered.

Also Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday) today, so lemon juice pancakes for lunch.   A great tradition in the UK and not one to be missed.   The maker of the pancakes has to be strong minded otherwise he or she gets hardly any because of making them for others.   As there are only the two of us we take it in turns to make them - I make the farmer's and he makes mine.   All very civilised.

In spite of being tired I still needed to take Tess for her afternoon walk and we did the same one as yesterday, down the pasture, through the muddy gateway and up past where the farmer is cutting back the holly hedge.   We like to leave holly where possible as the birds (particularly the blackbirds) love to nest in it.  But the farmer measured and the holly had come out almost three metres in to the field.  This is a field he only bought a few months ago and it has been badly neglected.   Imagine three metres each side of the field, that means six metres of unproductive grass land.   It won't do, so I am afraid it has to be cut back and put on the bonfire.

Astonishingly the ground had dried up tremendously since yesterday lunch time.   Our pastures are mostly medieval and still show the rigs and furrows of that system of farming.   Today the rigs are quite dry although there is still a lot of wet in the furrows.    Also I was able to take a short cut coming back by crossing what was a stream yesterday and today is just a trickle.

A frustrating walk - one because my ankle is really not up to walking (but if I don't walk on it, however painful, it will just sieze up in time), but also because Blackie, the farm cat, insisted on accompanying us and on walking about six inches in front of me and weaving back and forth.

Home again now, slippers on, blog on shortly, then wood burner lit and feet up is the order of the day.

Lovely thought for the day, a quote from Roger Deakin's 'Notes from Walnut Tree Farm' which I am re-reading at the moment.   He is talking about friends:  "I want all my friends to come up like weeds and I want to be a weed myself, spontaneous and unstoppable.  I don't want the kind of friends one has to cultivate".   Amen to that!

18 comments:

George said...

Glad to see you're staying fit, Pat, notwithstanding that troublesome ankle. Love that Deakins quote on friendship, and I couldn't agree more.

Acornmoon said...

Lovely flowers in your photo. I am very impressed that you do an exercise class, if I lived nearer I would ask to join in.

Cro Magnon said...

I think I get enough exercise by just existing. Days are too short for any more, it's relaxation I require.

Willow said...

You'd like me I am definitely in the weed category of peeps .lol

rachel said...

Oh, thank you so much for reminding me that it's pancake day......

What a lovely quote about friendship!

Dartford Warbler said...

A shame you don`t have New Forest ponies on the other side of your holly hedge. They would love to eat the hedge clippings!

That sounds a lovely walk. I hope the painful ankle didn`t take away too much of the pleasure.

Loren said...

I expect it's that exercise that makes dog owners live longer than those who don't have dogs, though it can't hurt to have someone who's so happy to see you when you've been gone.

Maureen @ Josephina Ballerina said...

Hi Pat,
Like the Deakin quote. Have to see if book is in our library.
Just read your blog after having made gluten free/wheat free pancakes from a mix. I know...sounds awful, but they were delightful. Nice and fluffy with no odd taste or grit that the other mix I tried had. Have never heard of lemon pancakes!
Your soldiering on with the ankle and all is inspiring. Truly.

Maureen @ Josephina Ballerina said...

Hi again. All they had at local library by Deakin was Wildwood: A Journey Through Trees. So I requested that. Have you read it?

Em Parkinson said...

I'd love to see a picture of those rings and furrows Pat....when you can!

Heather said...

That's a lovely quote from Roger Deakin. My personal trainer is coming to stay for the weekend - she is Poppy, our daughter's dog! Lots of games to be played and two walks each day - that will be good for both of us. Sixty years ago I had the energy to dance every dance on the programme at our local square dance club. How times have changed!

Cloudia said...

Oh Blackie enjoys your company!

Shrive, yes, pancakes....here we celebrate with Malasadas - Portuguese sweets!



ALOHA from Honolulu
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Gerry Snape said...

oh what a great thought Pat...I think I'm the weed type...in and out but always the same and I seem to have chosen my friends unknowingly thus! ...also what a stunning photo you have put up!!

Elizabeth said...

Wonderful comment on weeds and friends !
Yes, I always liked 'volunteers' when gardening - things that popped up when they wanted to be there.

I like the sort of friends I can be natural with!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks for calling in.

MorningAJ said...

Is there some sort of support sock you could wear? K broke his ankle some years ago and it was weak for about three years, but he found thick socks and boots helped.

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

A lovely thought - may we all be that kind of weed. Keep up the walking when you can, love your reports of the walking adventures.

thousandflower said...

Just those few hours at your farm lets me visualize what you are talking about. I have such vivid memories of that afternoon and evening.