ALL WEATHERS

We really have had everything this week. Sun, wind, frost (only a tiny bit), hail, rain and snow. Yesterday had a bit of everything, including a very inconvenient snowy blizzard as I stood holding Trigger while he had his hooves trimmed. I was inappropriately dressed in a jacket with no hood and a hat that channeled the snow and following giant hail stones down the back of my neck. 

The dreaded Renault Megane has been taking in water for the last few months, resulting in a kind of cold sauna effect every time you get in it. The carpet is sodden and every window is pretty well constantly steamed up. I drive along with a window cleaning thing in one hand, wiping the windscreen on the inside until the heater blasts enough to clear it. Anyway, my point is that, with sub-zero temperatures, I now have to scrape ice off the whole of the inside of the car as well as the outside. An executive decision has been made that we HAVE to get a new (second hand) one as soon as possible. The boot keeps locking itself and refusing to open. The wind screen wipers keep malfunctioning......in the rain. At night, nothing on the dashboard lights up. The left hand wing mirror flew off at sixty miles an hour on the A30 with no warning. I could go on but it's just too depressing. We've been saving for over a year and my mum has very kindly given us a bit to help, so we should be able to get something of a similar mileage but with a better body that isn't heading for the scrap heap. Enough mutterings about that blasted car. There is actually a plant growing in the carpet in the back. Here are some pictures from the last few turbulent days. None of it actually raining  - just the clouds that hold it looming on the horizon.

I found the Golden Plover flock again. I haven't put many pictures in as they were pretty similar to the last lot, but I loved these two. First them trying to hide from me and secondly flying off:

I managed to order some of the photo cards yesterday but the drawings are still a problem. I had a reply from the printing company I contacted but they clearly hadn't understood the question and I've had to email them again. I wouldn't have believed how difficult it could be.

Thanks for all your good wishes regarding my back. I stopped taking the pain killers yesterday and regretted it - sorely. Back on them today and an appointment made with my lovely GP next week. Also, welcome to some more new followers. Lovely to have you.

Jack needs to have the snip soon.....arguments are raging in this house as to when. I think VERY soon. Partner doesn't. Hmmm - I think there may be a male/female split on this issue! So, until next time, here are those boys, one in the snow, which has now melted I'm glad to say.

AUTUMN COLOUR

I kind of feel like autumn has passed me by. We seemed to go straight from summer to incessant rain to winter. Only in the relatively short spells of sunshine of the last few days, have I noticed the colour in the trees and in the land. The moor just goes pale brown with green patches, but the fringes have a little more colour. These red leaves are from the small Acer in the garden but the rest has been looking pretty sad for weeks now.

Colour outside the garden.........

I'm beginning to wonder if Gorse is ever NOT in flower:

I find the light at this time of year, if there's even a hint of sunshine, just magical. 

This fungi has almost covered a discarded log in a corner of the garden:

The river is running very high after all the rain:

Trigger is definitely blue now unless the sun shines:

I'm finding it very difficult to find anyone to print the cards of my drawings. No one seems to ring back if you leave a message, despite the fact that they're potentially going to make money out of you. Photos aren't so much of a problem, but fine line drawings are not easy. They won't be going on sale any time soon. 

Am writing this sitting in front of the fire eating chestnuts that we collected from a woodland walk last weekend and roasted in the ash can. They're delicious and remind me of an urban childhood, walking down Oxford Street in London with my Grandmother at Christmas time and the smell of them coming from the street vendors' stalls. My Grandmother was a terrible snob, who thought eating in the street very uncouth, so I never got to eat them then; I did so when I was old enough to go on my own though. Until next time, have a lovely weekend and here are Snippet and Jack today. 

STALKING GOLDEN PLOVER

I spotted this flock of Golden Plover a few weeks ago and have been looking for them ever since. Today my persistence, tiptoeing round the saturated fringe of the bog, was rewarded. The presence of two potential canine assassins doesn't help the stealthy approach. Me shouting "WAIT!" at Jack doesn't exactly help either, so these pictures are on full zoom, taken through persistent drizzle. They were surprisingly obliging for a minute or so.

The weather forecast for the rest of the week is for high pressure meaning no rain but I'll believe it when I see it. The rain here can get you down sometimes. I'm suffering with my back at the moment which is probably the real problem. Two years and three months since my accident and resulting spinal surgery, and I'm still in chronic and constantly changing pain. This, I think, is the last of the big numb areas stuttering back into life like very sore pins and needles. I'm sorry to moan - I know I should be grateful to be alive but it does get me down a little sometimes. I've just put my very expensive and lovely Musto riding coat on ebay which I've been putting off as it reinforces the reality of never riding again. Right - moan over...I have some bloody strong pain killers for a week and I'm going to make the most of them. Here are a few pictures from the weekend:

I like this for a card but I wonder if anyone else will

Is it a calf? No it's a very furry foal

What an amazing little Chantarelle-like fungi

Strange jelly that appears at this time of year. Not sure if anyone knows what it is yet but there was a lot of discussion about it in the media a few years ago. Does anyone know?

Lonely cow

I found this mini lichen garden lying on the ground. I assume something had knocked it off its rock. I took it home and stuffed it into our little dry stone wall; I hope it survives.

Thank you SO much for all your opinions on the card options last week. The results are in and I'll be getting the top six printed very soon. I really appreciate all the effort you put in. So, until next time, here are the dogs, Jack in Meerkat position.