Saturday 9 April 2016

A Walk

It is a long time since I ventured out into our fields.   I dare not go alone as I am just no longer sure-footed and am afraid of falling over on the uneven ground.   But today the farmer offered to accompany me as he is still lacking in any energy and is tired of sitting around.  So come round the fields with me and enjoy the walk on what is a beautiful Spring day here with warm sunshine and barely a breath of wind.

Out into the pasture with a beautiful blue sky overhead and full sunshine on our backs.   The grass in beginning to grow at last and there are tiny buds on the hawthorn.   The cam across the middle of the pasture - mostly hawthorn but with an ash tree and a wild plum amongst it - and plenty of ivy too - is beginning to green and the picture is altogether Spring-like. 

Going through a gap in the cam we see that there are still berries on the holly from last year.   The farmer says this is probably because the ground was so wet all winter that it was easy for the birds to get at the worms and grubs - both of which they would rather eat than holly berries.   Here and there the field is dotted with the tiny 'suns' of celandine and when we reach the barn in the bottom corner I am please to see the pair of stock doves flying in and out of the 'window' carry bits of sticks.   Never very good house builders (two sticks across and a little bit of moss) they always choose this barn with its 'shelf' in the eaves.

At the beck the marsh marigold is just beginning to flower - plenty of buds but only one or two small flowers so far.   On the edge of the beck with wild gooseberry is in full leaf and already has small fruits.   When they are 'ripe' they are always too sour to eat.

The beck flows through our little plantain which is still very bare and wintry.   We walk up the side of the big pasture, and past all that remains of what was once a barn - long before the farmer's time but enough for the field to still be called 'the barn field'.  Then up past the myriad rabbit holes and up to the top and the lane.
Both the farmer and I have gone far enough, but we feel better for our walk and it is lovely to see Spring emerging again - as it does each year even when we think it is never going to happen.


21 comments:

Mac n' Janet said...

Getting out in the fresh air always feels so good. I sometimes moan and groan about our morning walk, but I always feel better afterwards.

Minigranny said...

Lovely post! I enjoyed your walk too.

Derek Faulkner said...

A beautiful and scenic walk with you Pat, lovely stuff. It was like that here yesterday but today we're back in winter.

SandyExpat said...

"I dare not go alone as I am just no longer sure-footed and am afraid of falling over on the uneven ground" I so appreciate that the Farmer went with you and you shared your walk with us. I am somewhat restricted in what I can do now due to a problem with balance as a result of BPPV and think back how I took such things as walking in the fields or where ever for granted. We all need to be thankful for the simple things that it is so easy to take for granted until you can no longer do them.

Mary said...

I so enjoyed 'walking' with you and the farmer. Love your fields, trees, and that beautiful stone barn which is almost mysterious.

Glad the doves are nest building - I was looking at my birdhouse yesterday when a nuthatch stuck it's tiny head out the hole and just stared at me as if to say, "Get going, this is my home."

Mary -

donna baker said...

Such beauty there. So different from where I live, but we do have wild plums growing everywhere. The don't always fruit so I am hoping for a crop to make juice and jam this year.

Doc said...

Great post. So enjoy seeing a little of what you enjoy every day.

Share my Garden said...

What a lovely description of spring arriving in the Dales - makes me quite homesick! I'm pleased that you and the farmer were able to be outside to enjoy it.

Elizabeth said...

I hope Tess was with you?
I'm envious - still horrid cold here.
Loved your photos.

Joanne Noragon said...

This walk was wonderful. I cannot walk without watching the ground. But I can stand still and look around and then move on. Your spring is wonderful. Can ours be far behind?

angryparsnip said...

What a lovely walk. I have always said you live in a beautiful place.
Love the barn.
I have to look where I walk also even with my walker.

cheers, parsnip

Coppa's girl said...

Lovely photos, Spring has indeed arrived at last.

Heather said...

What a lovely walk. I feel as if I came with you. The signs of spring are everywhere now and the air smells wonderful on a lovely day.

Simon Douglas Thompson said...

I love "live" little brooks, there was one near my grannies auntie in Machyntlleth, years and years ago. It was stuffed full of trout parr

Gwil W said...

A stroll round the estate is good for the constitution.

Midmarsh John said...

Your turn for Sunshine and ours for rain today. You have some lovely countryside there.

Barbara said...

What a lovely place to take a walk! And, how nice the farmer could go along with you.
I'm so glad you shared it.
Thank you!

Rachel Phillips said...

We had rain all day.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Oh dear you poor East Anglians. The day when we have perfect weather (until after tea when it poured with rain and hail). Thanks to you all. Glad you enjoyed the walk.

Librarian said...

Thank you for taking us along on your walk and showing us some more of the beautiful part of the world where you live.
Been out running and walking yesterday and today and feel now pleasantly tired.

Fairtrader said...

I loved that walk and could almost feel both the sun and the faint smell of life awakening. And that is a barn you say? Most beautiful. Barns like that are mostly found on the islands, the oldest ones in our neighbourhood are very much larger and sometimes with strawroof and large stones to carry the base of it all. I love houses and ruins , that is probably why I started to watch Property Ladder while I was on sickleave. My friends used to yawn unpolitely at my pictures of rocks, old houses and ruins, but I like the scenery and try to imagine who used to live in those houses. Thank you for the walk!