Pallie, Badger and I went out for a run to Lyme yesterday. When we got to West Gate we found that the gate was padlocked and a notice saying that because of fallen trees and the danger of falling branches, Lyme was closed for the time being. That didn't stop us as we sneaked in one of the back ways.
It was really wonderful having the whole park to ourselves. Badger just ran and ran enjoying the freedom. Pallie had bad vibes about going through Knight's Low Wood, so we kept away from trees and ran up to the Cage. Knight's Low is a lovely little wood, mostly fir, built on a peak. It has a little disused stone quarry at the top. The word 'low' means a buriel site, and it is thought that medieval Knights were buried there. I don't think any have been dug up during the quarrying though.
There were a few fallen trees, although not as many as we feared. There was one large one that had fallen over on Darcy's Avenue. We left Lyme through another little used back path, and ran down through farm land back to the Macclesfield Canal. Going along one track we came across a large flock of sheep so Badger had to succumb to the indignity of going on her lead. She stared long and hard at the sheep, and then suddenly they all scattered. A large grey dog appeared and chased them. Eventually he was called back and the owner put him on his lead. Two farmers appeared on little motor bikes, and asked us what we knew about the sheep worrying. We gleefully pointed down the track to the guilty party and they rode off to reprimand them. Later they caught us up and they were very interested in Badger, wanting to know her age, where we got her from etc. I thought they were going to make an offer to buy her, but disappointingly they didn't, which meant I had to take her for a walk again today in pouring rain.
We just kept to the canal and the disused railway track today, but even here there were trees fallen across the tow path and we had to scramble over.
I feel quite dispondent about this strange weather. On Friday, the day after the storms, I went out to the fields just wearing jeans, a jumper and my wellies. It was so mild, and January 20th too. The fields are so wet it is really hard to walk through them without losing your boots. The water is just not draining away and even the canal seems about to overflow. Snowdrops have been flowering for ages, the daffodils were through in December, I've had forsythia flowering my cyclimen are still going strong and the celendines are up.
I was reading about Prince Charles cancelling his trip to Klosters because he wanted to reduce his carbon footprint. What a plonker. He's just flown to New York to collect an award for ecology.
25 comments:
Quite a few trees down in Cumbria too. Me and Ken narrowly missed (by a couple of minutes) being caught by a small-leaved lime coming down in our wood. Seen snowdrops and hazel catkins and some amazing rainbows in showers over the estuary.
It's horrible when trees come down. I remember Mum telling me that when the big elm in the Parrish's garden caught Dutch Elm Ddisease and had to be felled, sap rushed up through the cut trunk and she said it was almost as though the tree was crying. I thought that was really sad. Does sap always rush up when trees are cut down, as I have never seen it myself?
Trees coming down is part of the natural cycle of life. A tree (even a healthy one) brought down in a gale creates a hole in the canopy through which sunlight can penetrate allowing all sorts of dormant seed and insects to germinate. Indeed, that's what me'n'Ken have been doing (as wardens), actually clearing trees and scrub to promote a habitat for butterflies and dormice.
That's all very well, but some of these trees are in the open and make a big gap in the landscape and I can't think of one good reason for them to go. I do understand what you are saying as I talk to the local rangers about coppicing, and although it looks drastic at the time, a couple of years later, there are loads of bluebells, primroses etc. because of the extra light.
I had a mouse in the house the other day, but couldn't catch it, so left all the doors open and shut the cat and dog away. Haven't seen it since. Is it true that the rat and mice population are exploding because of the warm winters?
Mice? Oh how horrible, get the Nutcracker Prince and his army, quick!
I'm very sorry I accidentally deleted your comment on my blog (no idea how, I clicked the wrong thing I suppose) but have tried to answer your question.
I don't mind mice. It's spiders that really freak me out.
P.S. it was Nanny who divulged your weakness for bacon sarnies...
Oh she was such a little bugger at times! She used to wear me down by offers of bacon sarnies, because she knew I loved them, and when I succumbed, she used to say 'funny sort of vegetarian you are' in that smug little voice she used to put on when she had scored one over you! Oh, I miss her so much. She was so naughty!
lorenzo - do you mind anonymous comments on your blog site? I left a comment on Estelles blog and have been told off and banned - so I will ask for permision first, this time!
Yes, she was a rascal! She belonged to that generation in which the importance of vitamins, proteins etc. in the diet were just becoming understood, and it was believed that "first class" protein was found only in meat, fish, etc. I remember many a Sunday dinner as a kid being allowed to leave the vegetables, so long as we ate the meat! How times have changed :-)
I also remember as a schoolboy, day after day, cooking my own breakfast, frying bread in half an inch of dripping from the Sunday roast! Yummee!
Hello Anon. Permission granted to Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms/Dr/Lord/Lady/Rev Anonymous whoever you are to put comments on my blog. You are only the second anonymous one I have had and find it a bit of a thrill to have a mystery reader.
Maalie: Yes I remember those breakfasts well and always loved bacon. I have now found a very acceptable quorn pseudo bacon which is very nearly as good as the real thing and certainly serves its purpose as far as I am concerned. I was never much of a meat fan, but also didn't like veggies too much either. I think my favourite food was marmelade sandwiches. Goodness how we change. I must have had nine or ten different fruit and veg today, as well as Linda McCartney soya sossies.
Thank you Lorenzo. I only wanted to apologise, most humbly, to Estelle for doubting (by my comment on her blog) her existence. I am not totally anonymous, Lorenzo knows very well who I am - but is sworn to secrecy. I am a regular reader and avid fan of Lorenzo's Blog, and am asked regularly by L for comment - so you see I am not 'eavesdropping'. Estelle, you ask 'what is it to me'. So now you can see it is only idle curiosity. In answer to your other questions, I do not have a blog and do not know what a 'convention' is.
Of course you are real - who could think otherwise? How silly of me, am I forgiven?
Estelle -
Actually, being anonymous is a bit creepy isn't it? So here I am. My name is Ann, I am a close friend of Lorenzo, we drink gallons of coffee together in the deli. I am a housewife with no 'academic background' whatsoever and the I.Q. of one of Maalie's lugworms. Even finding a 'blogspot', let alone commenting on one, is an intellectual stretch for me.
As I said, huge fan of L's. I confess that I did think your character may have been invented to add humour - but realised my mistake after the posting of the ducks and the bubble bath (which I enjoyed enormously)! This is what prompted me to ask if you are real.
Estelle - you are great fun, please don't be put off by my brainless impertinence.
Fancy that, it was you Ann all along. I was fantasising about all sorts of mysterious people who it could be and I had just about made up my mind it was Cheeky Norman the greengrocer, you know, the one who won't let you fondle his avacados.
Sorry you don't like Mornington Crescent Estelle. I thought the new amended Phase IV Golders Green rule was particularly relevant.
So it wasn't Pyongyang, as I had earlier feared!!! It's PyongyANN!!! Hi Ann, nice to meet you in the blogosphere. I'm quite proud of having helped Lorenzo's blog onto its feet over the festive season.
Lorenzo, I plan to skirt through your county over the weekend - but not likely to see you.
Instead, am hoping to find the "Cheshire Oaks Travelbug Hotel" - more or less on the Wirral, on route from doing a harp workshop in north Wales.
Up to 20 caches on my list (weather, time and tiredness permitting) After dropping K off in Swansea, the caching will start on Gower and working my way up and round and back down thro the midlands, finishing up in the "Cardiff event cache" on Sunday...
Tortoiseshell
No, I'm afraid that was not me. My first appearance was on Estelle's blog, and after that, I wont be anonymous again! I was asked all sorts of questions about 'espousing' and 'conventions' HELP!
L. explained that you had helped set up the blog - thrilled she was! Hardly ever comes up for air between postings.
Hi Ann.
Lorenzo the Llama, that deli place sounds a den of iniquity. I must call in sometime.
Estelle
Oooh yes, do! Is that a promise? Berkant (the owner) loves new customers. Poynton is a bit of a one-horse town, so a visit from an x-ballet dancer with continental ancestry would be a talking point for months to come!
p.s. Estelle - Just a friendly hint; If you do come to the Deli, I would definately hold back a bit on all that hilarious 'sexy inuendo'. I'm afraid generations of breathing in coaldust has left the male species of our in-bred population, a tad weak hearted.
Tortoiseshell: Any chance at all of seeing you at the weekend, however remote? It would be lovely if you could.
Hope to see you in our deli soon Estelle. We would treat you to a large frothy one.
Ann's comments on the male population of our village cannot go unchallenged! Ann - think Cheeky Norman, Big Dick, Chipshop Cyril, Wayne the Cobbler, the Man from Maddocks .. oh the list goes endlessly on. These fine specimens are the cream of British manhood.
Lorenzo - you are right, I completely retract my previous comment.
Estelle - do your worst, our men can take it!
Big Dick? Interesting.
Did you ever see The Life of Brian, Estelle?
Then again - maybe not
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