Spring Day

It has been a glorious Spring day, we’d not be hasty enough to say the worst of the weather is over, oh no, snow as late as April is entirely possible.

But we enjoyed the beauty of the moment,  listening to croaking frogs in the pond, watching  bees feasting in pussy willow.

Sad news recently reached us, that Tim Green of Village Farm, East Portlemouth South Devon (a village with a special place in the hearts of clan Uphilldowndale) has tragically died in an accident on the farm; we send our condolences to Rebecca, Tim’s family, all at Village Farm and the community of East Portlemouth; sad and difficult times. There is a beautiful tribute to Tim on the Village Farm website. I’m sure his memory and passion will live on at Village Farm.

I suspect few of us give a second thought when we sit down to our meals of the risks faced on a daily basis by the farming community. Working with machinery and livestock will always present dangers, sadly this February has been particularly harrowing

January, the longest month.

Or so it seems.

just as well February is just around the corner.

It’s unlikely to be any warmer but it will be lighter; for that I am thankful.  For the last few days its seemed as if the sky has discharged its greyness into the landscape. It’s difficult to decide where one stops and the other begins.

Did someone mention Spring?

Well, it came and went

Cold winds blew

Then the sun shone, but it seemed no warmer, although the sight of a curlew always warms the heart.

Then clouds blew by again, I’m fascinated by how different fields ‘hold’ the snow longer than others.

Strangely the life force that is spring growth, has kept moving despite the chill of winds from the artic , you know I’m a sucker for larch trees

The icy jewels were a very pretty adornment, that kept my rapt attention, for quite some time. 

Then it was drawn to my attention to the fact,

that I did promise I’d play ball….

Under the fleece

I’m a bit late into the field on this one, but I hear there is a rather splendid film on BBC 4 at 9pm tonight,  Addicted to Sheep . 

by all accounts it is beautifully shot in stunning landscape. It repeated on Wednesday at 11pm if you miss it tonight.

Theories Welcome.

In a bit of a dash between dental appointments and a Macmillan Cancer Support coffee morning, I squeezed in a couple of photo stops.

Well who could resist? It’s near Wildboarclough, Macclesfield Forest.

There is a lovely little holiday cottage, just around the corner and a cosy pub.  what could be nicer?  (Doug’s Dad should take note… )

Then, chasing the light, I zipped  off down towards Derbyshire Bridge, the light was too fast for me. But this caught my eye.

I’m not sure how best to explain, the terrain is rough moorland, peat and heather, as you look at the next photo, you can perhaps see (or imagine) how there is a clough, or gully, running from the  ‘10 o’clock’ position towards the centre of the image, where it opens out into a boggy area, full of rushes, I’d expect the rushes to look like the swath of bright green in the centre of the image, 

but something has laid them flat, like a thatch, a surge of  water maybe? Or a vortex of wind? its a very exposed place.  It did make me think of crop circles.  Maybe at a certain point in the year, the rushes need a lie down?

Come along dear reader, what do you make of it?

Other Routes are Available

I’m not a fan of the A515, if I can find an alternative route I will.  Especially if it is as photogenic as this,

It’s taken near High Wheeldon 

I was returning from Hartington Wakes Show, which had a lovely atmosphere, and is set in a beautiful location. I even bumped into my geography teacher from secondary school, he was fresh out of university back then, and now he is retired…  don’t know how that happened, it doesn’t seem so long ago that I left school.

Vintage tractors, horses a plenty.

A sheepdog herding ducks, and ladders for every occasion, not sure how you are supposed to get them home.

Prize livestock

Of all sizes

A glowing produce tent (my Chinese lanterns, never even flowered, only just surviving the slugs). 

I wonder what the farms of the future will look like for these young competitors

Taddington Moor High Mere

Taddington Moor High Mere looked nothing like this when I stumbled upon it today. I was on one of my pre work diversions again, I thought I might be in with a chance of mist mantled hills, punctuated by field barns or piercing church spires. But I simply couldn’t get above the cloud that has superimposed the inversion mist I’d hoped for.

Never mind, the beauty was in the detail.

Scabious seed head

Rosebay willow herb

There were so many beautiful flowers, but it was the cobwebs that stole the show.

Here soggy  thistledown has caught in the web

I’ll go back another day in search of the view

It only took until lunch time for my trousers to dry out….