Return to nature

Okay so here’s the deal. I could open up this blog so you can write entries too. I’d have to figure it out but I believe it’s quite simple. That might also refresh the debates a bit. Let me know what you think and I’ll try to organise.

No prizes for guessing that work is really getting me down. Apart from anything else my eyes hurt, my back hurts, I can’t sleep properly and I’m putting on the weight I lost during my career break. Unrewarding. Feel like a herd animal.

Anyway, I decided to use my day off to some purpose today so I went for a very long walk in the countryside. (It would have been merely a long walk but…ahem…I made a schoolboy error with the navigation).

If you’re reading this Mort, I parked the car at Ewelme and wandered off towards our magical medieval field near Swyncombe by way of Down Farm. On the Chiltern Hills West map, grid ref 664906, I missed the bridleway at the end of the copse where I should have turned left to go along Swan’s Way. But I went way too far up the hill and ended up somewhere in Colliers Hill wood (still believeing myself to be at 667917 just east of the Icknield plantation) and wondering why the hell I hadn’t crossed that bloody road. I was about 1.5km off course desperately trying to marry the topography with the map. Disorientated and frustrated I was of course cursing the map makers for being such idiots.

It’s amazing how you can convince yourself you are right even though you know you must be wrong. After wandering around lost, I came to a path where the Ridgeway crossed and recognised it from our trip. It was at the Jacob’s Tent wood but I still thought I was at the crossing at North Farm (even though I remembered that farm quite well and knew I couldn’t possibly be there) There was only one thing for it – I retraced my steps, found the right trail and did a bit of the Chiltern Way (er, via Britwell Salome). I suppose I ended up going about 10 miles. I had actually stopped at the junction of my mistake to don my waterproof and (get this) put the map away – what a dork. And it’s no good taking a map without a compass. The path made a short 90-degree step left turn at the place marked Pit (dis) about 0.5K from Down Farm even though its only a slight deviation on the map – it was that step which convinced me I had turned left on to the bridleway (espsecially as there was a sign saying so).

But it was beautifully peaceful – just how I remembered it. And even though I got wet in the occasional storms I absolutely loved it. Saw red kites, linnets, quail, pheasant chicks and even a few swallows that have lingered a while longer. And see those really ripe fruits in the blackberry photo – I had them! Delicious.

Nature just never fails to cheer me up.

Had a minor catastrophe with the pictures though. I pulled the lead out before the import function had finished and lost some corkers of the storms and what I believe would have been a nice shot of a kite. Oh well, that’s life.

I’ve got two more shifts and then I’m on leave so I really will motor up to Hereford this time and get some more walking in. If anyone is up for a seaside trip, count me in.

Thanks for dropping by. Take care all.

PS. Can anyone else see the wee snowy dog?

All gone

The swifts, swallows and house martins have disappeared. They didn’t stop to say farewell they just quietly headed south, leaving the skies silent around these parts of Headington.

The blackbird too quit singing some weeks back along with all the other birds who were busy marking their territories.

And you have gone as well. Now that I’m back at work I just don’t have the time, energy or imagination to write much in here and it shows in the stats.

Ah well, fun while it lasted.

Fresh thought

What a difference a new coach and captain make. All the things armchair supporters wanted to happen were put into place and England actually looked like a team again. Use the players to their strengths, keep the ball when you’ve got it, hustle when you haven’t, play for each other and without fear. It’s not rocket science so why did we pay Mr Ericsson a huge amount of dosh to pick players he had never seen play?

There’s just no substitute (sic) for a bit of fresh thinking and imagination. Matt and myself collect great company names. David’s ‘Castanet’ web design business in Spain is inspired and should go on the roll of honour. Matt spotted Megabite sandwiches and a garden cleareance company in Hereford called Capability Bramble. I was driving through Acton yesterday and saw a chap hauling a mobile refreshements wagon – the aptly-named and beautifully-painted Tea Junction.

Yet again, I can’t get away to the Shire this weekend but I have some leave in a fortnight so look forward to seeing some of you then. I really want to go to the folk festival so if I can drag any of you kicking and screaming to hear a bit of fiddly-skiddly-da then I will. And I insist that you enjoy it.

John rang me to say the Tour de Purbeck is on Saturday 30 Sep. In the unlikely event that you’ve managed to switch on your computer and navigate to this site John – I’m game. If you’re interested give the boy a bell.

Take care all.

Has the world gone mad?

Sure seems like it to me.

I would be quite happy, minding my own business, walking in the country and look after my garden.

Didn’t manage to get over to Hereford last weekend but I shall hope to have a third attempt on Friday week.

I’ve posted one picture of the pot plants just for a change. Feel free to mail your own or a link to a flickr page and I’ll flag them up for you.

Anyone know when Bromyard folk festival is this year? Wouldn’t mind going.

Still thinking about this end-of-summer party. Should have some dates shortly.

Who you calling a hwitars?

Sorry about the radio silence but work has been all-consuming.

I grow ever more disillusioned about sport, the drugs and it’s sad cynicism but I wonder if it’s just a reflection of the shabby age we live in.

It makes it even better to hear good news like that from And who is shooting a new movie next week. He tells me it is black and white….and it sounds like Nige has been perfectly cast. It’s gonna be a classic and I’m really looking forward to seeing the end result. I am hoping to be in the Shire this weekend and can’t wait to catch up with the boys I haven’t seen for months. Shall we see if we can get out Friday night – maybe to a country pub. What about the boozer at Allensmore? (Help me out here, my decrepit brain has forgotten the name of it).

It’s also really heartening to know that the people I was at school with are still “doing things”. And is setting out on a new film project, Matt must be in the closing stages of a new album and I’ve finally got round to writing the book I always threatened I would. My literary agent, aka Roisin, has read the first chapter. I’m doing it all without performance-enhancing drugs, and will sue anyone who repeats allegations that traces of Typhoo have been found in my blood. It’s pure ink

The best part of it has been the research. I’ve been reading up on Anglo-Saxon words. I’ve delighted in their poetic descriptions. They called a goldfinch a thisteltwige (a thistle tweaker) and wheater (the bird) is a corruption of the word hwitars – literally, a white arse.

I know we are still stranded on Tuesday but the weekend beckons. Looking forward to catching up with a few of you.

Over and out.