Snow...for Josh & Natalia

Nat SO wanted snow during the month that they were over in England....wouldn't you just know that it would arrive a week after they flew back!! Just so that you don't miss out, here are some snowy pictures of the village to cool you as you swelter in 45 degrees in Sydney (gotta be honest guys..the thought of that sort of temperature makes me feel sick..what on earth do you do??) Ethan has snow down in Bournemouth too:-)
I took these pictures at 8 o'clock this morning when it hadn't been snowing for long. By the look of all of the cars still parked most people had seen the weather report forcasting more snow and if they had any option, decided not to venture out.  It has now been snowing all day so we have 5 or 6 inches. Chickens decided to stay in, and so did Baldrick...Queenie couldn't care less about the weather and went out murdering hunting as usual ( no chance of rescueing todays victim - Queenie spotted me and shot back out of the catflap with her prize...perhaps she still remember last weeks episode) Anyhoo...here are the pix from this mornings' walk...maybe I'll make a snowman tomorrow:-)

 

Greetings from Soggy valley

The river running through the valley is usually a rather pretty chalk stream, with water so crystal clear that you can see the trout swimming....

 

It threads through the village like a lazy ribbon...you can just make it out in the centre of this picture..

..but the 2nd wettest year on record (and more to the point, the last couple of weeks worth of rain) has really made a difference to the landscape...the scene below isn't the river...it's the little lane that the 4 houses at the end use (thankfully the water hasn't reached their houses yet)

 

and this is the usually placid river..

and that lil ribbon of water has definately gotten fat!

 

Hope you're keeping your feet dry :-)

Weekend Walkabout

When it's not peeing down with rain, I like to go for a walk at the weekend. Here are some pictures of my walk into Hungerford at the weekend...it's about 6 miles there ( and of course 6 miles back) so any shopping needs to be of the super - light variety cos martyr I ain't! I had already walked about 2 miles before I thought to get the camera out - silly me... it's a fairly easy going , flat walk along the river valley, with only the one proper hill to get over...

Here is Littlecote House...now a hotel..http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Littlecote_House

One day I think I'll stop in for tea and cakes...

As usual (for me anyway) I like to stop and chat to the creatures on the way.. these 3 must be used to tourists at the hotel as they stood and posed, and wouldn't move until I had photographed them LOL.

These ladies weren't afraid to come right on in for a close up - yeah baby the camera lurves you!

Now , I can manage photos of the tame ones, but the wild ones are just too quick for me....there were a pair of deer boinging through a barley field in a manner that made me laugh out loud, but I wasn't quick enough or a good enough photographer to catch them.

This one wasn't fast enough though...poor wee thing...I guess adders don't know their green cross code :-(

Here's a picture from halfway up the hill looking back...somehow the camera lens always seems to flatten out the view though...

Through the copse...

and out onto the other side of the hill where I can see Hungerford..

I took this photo of poppies as I loved the way they stood out against the barley...didn't see

many poppies in the field...I guess they spray the crops to avoid this

There was a sign at the bottom of the hill saying that this barley will be going to the Ramsbury Brewery for beer...I heartily approve!  (Ramsbury Ales are delish...try some if you get the chance)

Ahhh Hungerford, there you are , I'm nearly there...


Here are some of the flowers I saw on the way...I've marked them with what I think they are...but feel free to put me straight if I'm wrong

                                                               Agrimony???

                                                           White Campion

                                                       Bladder Campion

                                             Common Spotted Orchid?

And finally...a couple of gratuitous chicken pictures simply because they were on the camera and I like them:-)

Mother Clucker on a "good hair day"

Yolko Ono looking particularly sleek with her 50s teddy-boy 'do!


bye for now....beddybyes time for me...
KKWF ^..^

Cow whisperer?

Today, when I went out for my walk, the creatures ignored me as usual.

A few stared for a moment ...

but mostly, they just ignored me.

That was , until I spotted these guys hiding behind a hedge..."Oh hello, I didn't see you hiding there"

My milkshake brings all the boys cows to the yard ?? Here they come...

Oh Hello Mrs!

 And the full chorus line!!! They all lined up to see me and posed to have their photos taken. I stood and talked to them for 5 minutes ( shamelessly flattering them and telling them how pretty they were) and they seemed a little disappointed when I had to leave. How bizarre I thought. Maybe not...maybe cows really like humans, as the same thing happend half a mile further on...

 Hello little belties!

I'm ready for my close-up!

And here they all are.....am I the Cow Whisperer or can they just not resist a grey haired lady with the whiff of Dove about her?? Anyway...it kind of made my day...I've had a bit of a soft spot for cows since my Aunt took me to the cattle market in Thame when I was 6. Here's hoping that something made your day too! Take care  - KKWF