The Sunday Stroll

Watch sheep grazing in a field and they look such contented creatures.

They‘re not.

Sheep always think the grass is greener elsewhere. And, given half a chance, they’ll set out to prove it.

I came upon these three today. Obviously bored with the same old field, they’d decided to take a Sunday afternoon stroll to see if a different patch of grass took their fancy.

They were in no hurry. Leisurely ambled their way along the road until they found a spot more to their liking.

No matter if they held up the traffic (me). No matter if they had a muttering farmer searching up and down the valley for them.

Nope, as long as they could satisfy themselves that greener grass was indeed greener, that’s all that mattered.

That’s sheep for you.

Summer Buzz

A couple of days ago, I was looking through some pictures I’d taken of a fat, industrious bee, when a message popped into my inbox. It was from my friend, Ab. Lots of friendly chatter, then she concluded: ‘I hope this e-mail finds you well and full of summer buzz’.

Precisely! It does. Whatever problems are besetting bees at large, the Dixon Hill population seems - happily - to be thriving. For which we’re truly thankful.

Summer Wellies

It may be raining (torrentially) and hailing (bizarrely) but I have a secret weapon. Pink wellies!

On just a few, select summer days, I abandon my habitual green rubber boots for a brighter pair. They’re my Sunday best wellies. And they cheer up rainy July days no end. J

P.S.  Clearly this picture wasn’t taken today! It was snapped last week on another - and sunnier - pink welly day. A day so warm and dry I threw off my wellies altogether to wriggle my toes in the heather…

The Same View: July

We're only three days into the forty, but so far folklore has held true.  The weather's been positively wintry this weekend: wet and blustery and cold.  I had to fight the wind to take this photo - wrapped up in my fleece coat and hat.

Such are the joys of a British summer!  And so I give you July...

January                                                  February                                                             March

April                                                                    May                                                        June

Summer Rain

It’s St. Swithin’s Day.

Folklore has it that rain today means 40 days of bad weather to follow.

Looks like we’re in for it, then. Because, boy, did it rain today!