Over the hills and far away.

To clear heads and exercise legs, we took the boys for a walk a few days ago. We picked up Eldest's friend along the way and set off for the hills. There was a brisk breeze which slapped at our cheeks as we piled out of the car and layered our walking gear on. Giddy dog was excited, squeaking and pulling on her lead as we strode  along the lane to the gated access to the moorland.

We were the only ones out. Youngest and the friend chatted  incessantly about anything and everything related to boy-favoured subjects. Ranging from harpoons to ground to air missiles, from fireworks to fast cars and everything else in between. Eldest added a word or two but seemed content to allow his brother to monopolise his friend.

Despite a definite autumnal chill to the air and the waning warmth of the sun, grasshoppers sang their last songs of the summer. Eldest managed to catch one too busy singing to notice him stalking up. A quick photo, then it binging off his finger and disappeared into the grasslands.

We chanced upon this handsome fellow. He obligingly let me burrow my face into his neck and inhale deeply. I know there is always a risk when snorting sweaty horse scent that the sweaty horse in question will object and bite, but, it is a risk I am prepared to take. I guessed he was a Percheron and was probably  quite used to being petted as we were not too far from a horse trekking centre. The boys too thought he was beautiful and made plans how they could keep a horse in the back garden (yeah right) I suspect they don't realise that a horse this size would eat the entire contents of the garden in a day. (I was able to stand beneath the crook of his jaw bone without having to bend my neck....) 

The weather constantly changed from brooding rained filled clouds to light whispy clouds that filtered the sun, making it feel cooler. We found a sunny spot and hunkered down for lunch. The boys wolfed their food and cheerfully slurped their tea. Within moments of finishing, they were ready for more walking, while I, with tea half drunk and feet resting was quite comfortable and not quite prepared to yomp off just yet!

I love the relics of old time farming. The gentle rusting over years and years of abandonment adds to their charm. In the brief flashes of the sun, these degenerating lumps of retired metal glowed with a warm russet hue.

We came off the hills as the sun began to sink a bit low and the air definitely became chilly. Our walk took us through the village of Kettlewell. Today it gave off the air of quiet rural contentment but during summer it is heaving with walkers and tea-room hoggers. Day trippers clad in brightly coloured walking clothes that have only ever walked from the car to the shops fill the narrow streets. Gaudy tourist attracting clapper boards jostle for pavement space, all trying to entice the wallets inside. But, as we walked through, it was just us.

We reached the car as the sun sunk completely, leaving a brilliant orange glow. Three hungry boys, still nattering, muddy dog and a feeling of release. Himself and I exchanged a look and smiled. A good walk.

hot cake and hot hens, err no - hot walk, hot dog, hens and carrot cake !

Himself has just left for work, the boys are still asleep upstairs and I am sitting quietly nursing a mug of coffee while I pick out the interesting bits of news that Radio 4 relentlessly churns out.

It sort of goes like this...

.........rumble...rumble...cricket, a decisive win.......rumble....waffle.......weather, there will be light showers in the north, brightening up later.......rumble...waffle...waffle.....So I said this to the prime minister - but you are not answering my question minister! - If you would give me time to reply!......................rumble rumble.... GOOO-O-A-L.!............

Any hoo -

Yesterday the boys and I had a really lovely 'us' day - all that was missing was our dear Himself :(

As planned we trundled off to the local tea rooms (plus giddy dog, walking boots and camera) where we sat outside in the heavy warm air and slurped cups of tea and scoffed rather large portions of cake (sorry - too busy scoffing and slurping to remember to take a photo!). Fully laden with our morning munchies we sort of struggled up the first hill, I never really fully appreciated the immense gravitational pull of tea and cake before - oof.....

Once up the hill (I make it sound HUGE - but it wasn't!) there was a wonderful cool breeze and a welcome seat - Lee's Bench.

Complete with fresh flowers and music festival tags. Regular notes and single blooms are left here by this young man's friends and family - he is still greatly missed.

We wandered through thigh high grasses and wild flowers as we headed towards the next village. There we dropped down a narrow stone-walled cobbled-path directly into the centre.

Giddy dog knows where the village's original water source is and she trotted off panting and hot. In the cool of the village green we found the 4ish metre wide stone trough with the bubbling spring. Pond weed waved gently in the slow current. There is a small plaque on the wall gently giving the history of the well - I must get a picture and post it, but it was so warm there that my brain had melted to a soft porridge and I forgot.

Once Giddy dog's thirst and hot feet were soothed, we continued down through the village back to the valley bottom, crossed the road and back up the other side.

One of our favourite stops is near the goose green allotments where there are hundreds of hens, geese, ornamental pigeons, turkeys, ducks and other strange and delightful water fowl and they are all free range in rather large pens - happy birds! Youngest had his camera and took one or two (hundred) pictures.  

We L-O-V-E chickens!!

Having torn ourselves away from the allotments we wandered through narrow pathways flanked by sweet peas and fading honeysuckle - in the hazy humid heat the scent was heady and indulgent - delicious.

Down the path to the lane, crossing over towards the school. Walking through the back lanes, seeing houses and folk we know. Despite it being the holidays - the village seems very quiet - may be the world financial difficulties hasn't prevented many of the families from going away.

Round the corner, cross the road and then we are home. Boots off, feet sizzling, dog flat out on the lawn cooling down - lovely lovely..

Later, feeling a bit less lethargic and bit guilty at our cake scoffing while Himself languished at work, I made him a cake - carrot and almond.  Now, I am well known for my inability to master the carrot cake with any degree of success and although this one was one of my better efforts it was still not quite right!

Still it was well appreciated and all my boys sat outside in the garden surrounded by the trappings of woodwork and power tools (big boy toys now) and ate cake as they batted off  our rather curious hens.

I chose to leave off the usual cream cheese topping as Himself had found some double cream on special offer and it just had to be eaten............

Well, been nice chatting to you, the boys are up, eaten their breakfast and are now getting restless - they need exercising! So today's 'big-boy-toys' will be a power hose, brooms and wellies - we're off to get wet and hopefully do a bit of cleaning. 

Have a lovely day coz we certainly plan on having (soggy) fun :)  xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

July - in a montage (or 2 or 3!)

I've been gardening today and apart from feeling absolutely shattered I am happy happy happy (can you tell?!!). 

Years ago, Himself and I were watching some  mindless American sitcom (the name and story line have deservedly faded into history) but we do  remember one sentence the main protagonist said and it was..... 

I am very tired - but it is a good tired! 

Any way, in the spirit being on hols, I shall do a July round up in a trio of montages!!

Firstly - a mix-up of garden and garden festival pictures, the garden - despite my work-induced neglect - looked good but not good enough to win anything, but the boys did well both winning a second place in their catagories. 

Our knit and natter group took over a huge area in the local church and we displayed both flowers and our work and received loads of lovely lovely comments.

We managed to squeeze in a lot of family and friends time in between work and sleep - Youngest finished junior school (a mixture of sadness and glee) and won the Technical Cup which took us all by surprise and delight!!  

Our blondies (young hens) are growing both in size and friendliness - they don't get much choice with the friendliness as they are regularly seen firmly tucked under a boy's armpit (poor chooks). 

A tree house has been built and now is the centre of many a boy-game or just gentle contemplating of life as they lie on their backs and watch the sky. 

My Dad celebrated his birthday (from last year!!) with a helicopter flight and we went along to watch and share, we also took a picnic and spent a lovely day enjoying the sunshine and family. 

Poor old giddy dog has had more than her fair share (as she thinks) of baths recently as the boys have discovered the 'delights' of washing her in the wheelbarrow.....they fill it up with tepid water and she hops in (well she is instructed to jump in and she so well trained she does, despite really really not wanting to!) then she is lathered up until she looks like a meringue, rinsed and dried and then all three of them play up and down the lane until she is dry. 

Youngest has rediscovered his camera (strangely it 'appeared' in the greenhouse....) and has been taking photos of EVERYTHING! 

Our veg garden is doing us proud, we are harvesting a goodly amount for such a small space. Yesterday I lifted all the garlic and they are now drying. 

The black kale and the Chinese mustard have been featuring heavily in our 'garden soups' and the onions are excellent and won't be long before I have to lift those too. 

Our peas, although only a few plants - gamely gave us just enough to have as mange tout initially then peas in salads latterly while the butter beans have been delish raw as well as being chucked in soups. 

The potatoes are still quietly growing and I haven't had an investigation yet but the tomatoes and courgettes in the greenhouse are the best we have had so far. We've picked tomatoes every second day and have them in lunch boxes, in salads and on picnics.  The beetroot have been a bit of an experiment - usually I plant them individually and allow to swell, but this year somebody on television (for the life of me I can't remember if it was a chef who gardened or a gardener who cooked) said to leave them in little bunches and lift a whole bunch at a time and they are sweeter and cook quicker. They do cook quicker, but they are definitely fiddly to deal with - so the jury is still out. 

Leeks are growing nicely and the rhubarb is now resting after providing it's first good crop - it is still a young plant and I didn't want to frighten it too much!

Eldest's wheel barrow entry to the garden festival is providing us with salad and herbs on a daily basis - it has been so so successful that I will encourage him to do it again as it has turned out to be so productive!

Well, that's just a little taster of our July - not a lot was done, but so much happened! 

Tomorrow is the 1st of August - can you believe it?? This year has flown by - it will be Youngest birthday at the end of the month - it doesn't seem so long ago he was just a tot :).

Tomorrow we are celebrating our day by going off to the local tea rooms for the obligatory carrot cake and tea then for a walk to return for the boys to wallow indulgently in the huge paddling pool Himself bought for them today - we may have to crack the ice of the top first and beat back a polar bear or two....!

Right I am off to bed! G'night!!! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

ooh it's lovely to be back :)

Walkies by Giddy Dog and her Girly Friends

A few snap shots and dog thoughts from last Tuesday............................

Three enthusiastic walkers trying to shimmy through a very narrow stile

Impatiently waiting at the gate

at the end of the footpath

bustling through, ready for the next part of the walk

This all supposing that the three girls actually think like this, they may not, they may actually be discussing serious matters such as climate change, or whether walking is actually to the detriment of the countryside, or they could just be thinking huff, wuff, woof, ruff, grrrrrrr, huh huh huh, pant, slobber, huff?

Time for bed me thinks - I seem to be rambling on a bit :)  Here's looking forward to a fantastic Friday and an equally wonderful weekend xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Operation Duck Watch - update

It is amazing how the sight of a mongrel duck** on a nest of eggs reduce people to a state of 'aaww' and 'aaah' with a lot of 'bless her' and 'that's lovely' but the most often repeated question is..............

'Have you given her a name yet?
Err - no.

Suggestions to date have been:

• Bill (strangely by more than one person)
• Daffy
• Ducky

Do you have any suggestions? I throw it open to you!

Nine beautifully 'duck egg' blue....errr......duck eggs 

(erhem - so that's where that particular shade of blue comes from ooOOoooh!!!)

doh

And, just a final sharing of a moment from yesterday. 

In between the showers and before having to go into work ,  the boys and I took giddy dog for a walk. When I took this picture, it really brought it home how lucky we are to live in a village with fields and farms immediately out our doorstep. 

Then my  blissfully smug feeling at our surroundings was rudely shattered when we were 'Oiyed' at by a grumpy farmer who thought we were a bunch of oikes off to terrorise his sheep and then moments later another dog decided to mug giddy dog with ensuring vicious growls and flying fur lumps - well really!! 

Ah, village life - love it....................


** Mongrel duck  is a mallard x 'something' with a white bib, our village seems to have a fair few of this particular 'unique' variety.

In which a tree eats my children, giddy dog spreads her toes and Eldest carries a heavy heart.......and I make biscuits! (14/52)

A brisk spring breeze cuts my cheek as I pull my hat down hard to just above my eyelashes. High above our heads a curlew screams a courting song while his mate whirls and wheels around echoing his every cry. The hump back hills beckon as we follow a centuries old grass-gentle path through the field. Each step takes us further into the view as we leave the car behind - it is Saturday and we are breathing - after the week I have just had, I need to breathe.

I can feel the earth beneath my feet and hear the giggles of my boys as they, like me, experience the release that only walking can bring. The dog, ball in mouth and wag on tail, trots around us, her eyes full of expectation and excitement as she invites the boys to play.

We reach our chosen spot and shelter out of the breeze while we eat sandwiches and cradle cups of tea in cold fingers. The still weak spring sunshine gently teasing us with shafts of light between the wind blown clouds. In the far far distance, almost too far to be clear, we can just make out the main road. Full of cars. Full of cars going somewhere, no where, any where.

Sheep bleat reassuring replies to their lambs as they call out incessantly. Small cat sized lambs on wobbly knobbly kneed legs. Still bearing umbilical cords, still placenta stained they lean against their mother's legs as they warily watch us as we stride by.

We reach a field we last visited several years ago. A sentinel tree stands tall and inviting. And, like they did last time we were passing through, the boys listened to the invitation - this time, it was a bit of a squeeze as they pushed into the open mouth. The last time, they both fitted into the cavity. How they have grown........

The tree had regurgitates the boys and we walk down into the valley,  slipping quietly in then out of a sleepy hamlet where we are escorted by what appeared to be the only living creatures. A rather handsome cockerel and his henny harem watch us with intense beady eyes. 





We leave the village and it's feathered bouncer and find ourselves alongside the River Wharfe. Although, today it meanders lazily over water worn stone slabs, the evidence of winter storms is everywhere. Our gritty pathway continues riverside where our previously delicious solitude is now interrupted by other walkers. Old dodderers to fleece-clad yompers, family groups nattering to serious booted and suited walkers striding self-importantly as they clutch walking poles and water proof maps. We retreat from the massing humanity and find ourselves a quiet shore edge where we eagerly drink  tea and munch on much needed chocolate biscuits.






Ahead is a narrow wooden suspension foot bridge that will swing and bounce with every step we take. We laugh as we anticipate giddy dog's approach to crossing this strange moving bridge. She lowers her head, spreads her toes and shuffles wide legged across.
















We chat, the boys play, giddy dog gets tired, she is getting older, as we all are, and her muzzle bears the tell-tail (sic) signs of greying. We stop so the boys can skim stones on a stretch of almost mirror calm water when after a while, Eldest who is now sitting on the river's edge finds a stone he wants to take home. He calls me over - it is more akin to a fossil filled boulder than the 'stone' he hints about and I am suitably impressed with his find and take a picture in lieu of taking the boulder as it seems far too large and heavy.

We set off, Eldest lags behind as Youngest skips ahead full of energy and chatter. I look behind and see Eldest is still lagging, I call. He smiles a reply and speeds up a little. Our walk continues away from the river, back into fields and farms. Back up hills and towards the car. Eldest is now struggling to keep up. We investigate.............the 'stone' now nestles happily in his haversack. We carry on up the rutted track, Eldest doing his best to seem unaffected by the huge lump on his back. I can not bear it any more and swap my pack for his and instantly wish I hadn't.

I now trudge.

As we walk through the final fields and farms, I feel relief as I can see in the not too far distance the car parked patiently waiting for us.

Later, now the boys have gone to bed, the house has taken on that  satisfied semi-sleep state, Himself takes the heart stone upstairs to weigh for me. It is 6kg (over 13lbs) ...........an awfully heavy stone heart for a slight 13 year old to carry.

It now sits on my dining room table...............



It is time for me to go to bed and I see it is no longer Saturday and is now Sunday - Don't forget that we change to British Summer time this weekend - Summer is on its way!

walking weekend, 9/52 and 10/52

Right.

You are about to go on a walk and you have been asked to get together all the stuff you will need. Bearing in mind that there is about a 20 minute car drive first

  and  you are a 10 year old boy. 

Ok? Ready? well off you go............

• Did you remember to take your toy car? 
• And that large TransFormer and his mini-me side kick? 
• Oh yes don't forget you need to take your camera (sans batteries) 
• And your GPS (plus flat batteries and then ask mid way to walk if any one has any spare batteries..)
• And for good measure - would you have remembered to take....(wait for it....) your guitar?... I thought not.
• You would have, I suspect, not taken your gloves, or found your hat, or collected your scarf or even begun to look for your walking boots or coat.  For which, as your mother, I would have said a thing or two about your choice of equipment.

Having addressed the balance we would have got in the car, you would have a cross face and a restricted toy collection and I would have a furrowed brow. Then on the journey to our walk, our collective grumpy demeanour would have evaporated with the miles and by the time Himself had parked the car, we would be ready for our walk :)

******************************

While we were out, I took some photos, and I thought I'd share them with you...............

The oh-so cute fisherman's cottage with it's snowdrops and daffodils. 

The happy giddy dog smiling for the camera as we walked towards Elbolton Hill (where we stopped and had lunch)

The wonderful view were we lapped up the sunshine. 

The nip in the air just about bearable as we sat eating our sandwiches 

minus our usual layers of fleeces.

Meandering drover's tracks gently falling away from the hills

leading us to quaint little villages, 

where time appears to have stood still - 

the only hint of modernity are the expensive looking shiny 4x4s littering the driveways.

A strange earth working machinery rusting quietly next to a rickety shelter, 

the vehicle reminded me of Scoop from BoB the Builder

The sunshine bright enough to gift us strong shadows which kept us company all day

Two lovely days of walking.

************************

We have a book club at work, where a company comes in and drops off a selection of books for us to look at and potentially buy.  I flipped through a cook book idly on Friday evening as I waited for the last patient to leave, when I spotted a couple of recipes that looked quick and easy. After further reading I found several more that really interested me, so I have put my name down for a copy. The first two recipes that caught my attention I wrote down on a scrap of paper to try this weekend and both got the thumbs up from Himself.

One was leek fritters and the other was a very quick lentil dhal - which initially tasted rather dull but with a bit of tweaking, soon improved. I will make them again I am sure, but until then I now have numbers 9 and 10 to add to my 52 recipes I've not tried before. 

Quick, easy and cheap = excellent in my book!

***************************

Time for me to finish waffling, I am sure I could say so much more but it's getting late. So I wish you a good night and hope the spring-like sun shone for you this weekend :)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Oh - and before I forget, I have been doing some crochet but I can't show you just yet - no, it's not a surprise, it's blogger stopping me downloading any more photos until I pay them some money!!

Ha!

What a statement!

Today's heart

is brought to you

by a wrought iron artist

Isn't it lovely - with all the scrolls and beautifully 'joined-up-writing'

I wonder how long that took to make,

each letter fired then thumped and hammered to make

the delightful school-boy writing.

Every time I see it, it makes me smile

and what a wonderful sign

proclaiming the names

of the  farms and cottage

just down the lane.

*********************

I went for a walk today with a friend and a combined pack of three dilly border collies

Talk about blowing away the cobwebs!

Suffice to say, dog and I needed to be hosed down

we were that muddy!!

Now, two mugs of tea, two hot cross buns and a handful of dog biscuits later, **

I am ready (well -readyish) to go to work!

**tea and hot cross buns for me, and dog biscuits for umm - the dog, 

in case I didn't make it that clear!!

********************

Now, must fly, you have yourselves a lovely day, 

I'm looking forward to this evening as I am off to knit and natter - whoopee - I do love going :)

Walkies on Sunday seen through the eyes of giddy dog

Would you like a dog biscuit? 

Would you...wouldyouwouldyouwouldyouwouldyou.....

ooooh what a good girl, 

would you like a dog biscuit??

who-sa good girrl, smile for the camera.... go on, smile for the camera

yum biscuit yumyumyumyumyumyum

good girrrrll

Ready for your biscuit? Here it is - smile 

Good girl good girl

whatta good girl!

If a successful walk is measured by the amount of mud on the dog,
the amount of chickens/ducks/rabbits seen,
or the times a stream was wallowed in
then yesterday was a brilliant doggy day
however all this brilliance was sharply countered
by the bath she had when we came home....