THE RAMBLINGS OF A STRUGGLING ARTIST ON LIFE WITH TWO TERRIERS, A PONY WITH ISSUES AND OTHER WILDLIFE AND BIRDS THAT CROSS OUR PATH

27 July 2012

SUNSHINE AND SOCIALISING



What a week! Much taxiing around of my son and picking up of his friends. A birthday party today and another tomorrow with lots of late nights and related grumpiness the next day! He’s usually asleep soon after eight and would kill me if he knew I was saying that. I’m writing this with the Olympic build up on the telly in the background. I feel obliged to watch it and am hoping that my bah-humbug feelings will be blown away by the extravaganza. I’m really looking forward to the sport though, particularly the gymnastics; Nadia Comaneci was my absolute heroine as a little girl. I spent a lot of time during the summer holidays of 1976 twirling around on and doing handstand dismounts off a fallen tree in the grounds of a beautiful house in Surrey where my mum was teaching a course. I was Nadia Comaneci competing against my friends who were Olga Korbut and Lyudmila Turishcheva. Those days at that fabulous house called The Hallams, Norman Shaw’s last project, are some of my happiest childhood memories. So, apologies for not posting or visiting other blogs very much. I’ve barely had time to check my email. 

Last Sunday, my half sister and her husband came to visit. It was lovely to see them and we went for a lovely long walk in the baking heat. There is a shepherd’s hut that I rarely make it to on my walks but is a reference point we refer to as ‘the tin hut’.




After actually having a look inside we walked on to another landmark I’ve always wanted to get to. A little oasis of trees next to the river that eventually becomes the Teign. It was utterly beautiful. We then got very wet picking our way across what would normally be ground dry enough to walk over at this time of year but was actually pretty boggy thanks to the incessant  rain of the last months. Not enough sun cream to avoid pink upper arms all round!






Over this week of beautiful weather, most mornings have produced a strange meteorological  phenomenon. This picture shows clearly what appears to be a belt of mist over most of mid Devon. It looks like it stretches from around Crediton all the way up northwards to where Exmoor rises up and then again beyond. It was stunning but burnt off pretty quickly. This was taken at about 7.30am.


Yesterday when I went to see Trig in the morning, I noticed something was wrong with his eye. It appeared ragged but not bleeding in the lower lid. The vet came to see him and said he’d probably caught it on some barbed wire and that, luckily there was no damage to the eye itself. He has some antibiotics and bute to bring down the swelling and should be okay but I need to try and keep the flies off it. It’s the only reason I’m glad the weather looks like it’s turning. The flies have been unbelievable here in the sun. This attractive picture was taken this morning after the swelling had gone down a bit. Look away if you’re squeamish!



Here are some other pictures from this week:


A swallow ground feeding outside the back door


Kestor in the sunshine


Foals trying to get some shade at Middle Tor


Snippet in the morning sun



Cows relaxing this morning


A dead shrew - sorry about this one but I just thought it was so interesting to see its little body and beautiful tiny claws!

Posting is proving as difficult as I had thought but I’ll really try to do so as often as I can. I miss it and I miss reading your comments and your own blogs. I’ll have to try and stay up a bit later as I’m usually off upstairs by 10.00pm. Hope you’ve enjoyed the weather if you’re in Britain and that the Olympics prove enjoyable if you’ll be watching and not too intrusive if you’re not. Till next time…..







15 comments:

  1. Trigger had a narrow escape there - could have been very nasty indeed.

    What a lovely walk - bet you were scorching.

    K and T climbed Pen-y-Fan today whilst I sat in the car with a good book. I couldn't have climbed it when I was younger and fitter, and I certainly can't with a chest infection and no oomph!

    Just been watching the Olympic Opening Ceremony - very well done, far better than I thought it would be.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was definite;y better than I was expecting. I liked the chimneys best. I gave up at Cameroon but recorded the rest. I haven't had time to watch it yet though!

      Delete
  2. Poor Trigger! Like the pics (again) and now have no need to walk to the shed (as I know what's inside) ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Far better to look at the picture than do that particular bit of walk!

      Delete
  3. Glad to hear from you again! Summer holidays are a bit hit-and-miss aren't they. And ocialising comes first in the good weather! It looks like Trig's eye could have been a lot worse. It was good you spotted it in time to get medication quickly. I love seeing all your pictures - your countryside is so beautiful - even the shrew makes interesting reading. I suppose they eat birds' eggs as well as vegetation? Are they considered a pest?
    It's mid-winter here, but sunny and reasonably calm for the last few days, thank goodness, so it's been pleasant to walk and enjoy a coffee by the sea - unfortunately the wind comes straight off the South Pole and is f-r-e-e-z-i-n-g.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The wind this morning is feeling pretty freezing after a hot spell but probably not as cold as yours! I'm glad you like the pictures; I hope they do convey something of what it's like to live here. I'm looking forward to snowy and frosty ones in a few months. It's not easy living here in winter but it's very beautiful.

      Delete
  4. Lovely photos giving that 'sense of place' of Dartmoor and its rocks and ponies. I'm glad the eye injury to Trig is not too bad. And yes wasn't the Olympic's Opening Ceremony good, long yes but a whole storyboard of history and culture.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Unfortunately, our recording of the ceremony cut out just before the petals started rising to create the cauldron, so I still don't know what it looked like!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I hope Trigger's eye injury heals with no after effects. Always amazes me how much they can get into.

    Loved the opening ceremonies! Don't watch too often as I go to bed fairly early. 5:30 am comes quickly at my age!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They were fantastic weren't they. My cynicism floated out of the window as those chimneys rose up. I had to record it as I was in bed by 10.00!

      Delete
  7. Hey Em
    I have left you a comment on my blog, but also wanted to leave one here too!
    trigger is beautiful and I'm sorry to hear about his eye I hope it heals quickly. I really miss my pony and that horsey smell :) love the photos! You live in a place I long to live aswell. When we visit I feel that I have a deep conection with the area..a very magical place indeed! Hope to connect with you again soon...until then take care of yourself and all those who surround you. Blessings Julie xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you and I know what it's like to miss a horse. I lost my old horse to colic and I till miss him. Trigger will never replace him but is a fairly good substitute! Lovely to hear from you.

      Delete
  8. The first photo with your little black dog is so sweet. Up so high with the wind blowing. Looks like pure joy to me.
    My Square Ones would love to be able to run so free but that is not an option where we live. I have too many animals from Rattlesnakes, Javelina, Coyotes, Bobcats and Mountain Lions that could do so much damage.... not to mention all the cactus !

    cheers, parsnip

    ReplyDelete
  9. I think it's one of my favourite pictures of him. He is a VERY lucky dog although he has to go on his lead up the drive past our neighbour's cats who he would quite happily have as a snack!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks for the information... I really love your blog posts... specially those on Helping Organisations

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for leaving a comment. It's great to read them and I will always try to reply.