SUN & YES ... YET MORE MUD.

Today came as a surprise, full of sunshine. The tree surgeon was happy to be working in warm, dry conditions in the garden. In the grass there were primroses, primulas, snowdrop buds and the cherry tree was gloriously decked with delicate blooms ... the only problem was the clouds of midges and mosquitoes. He worked hard today and took away a van load of prunings and the trees he has dealt with look much better for their trim.

I know normally it's the wrong time of year to prune back but as he told me today, the weather in autumn left little opportunity to be working outside and then the list of customers just piled up.

Still as the saying goes ... "Better late than never." and the trees are looking much better.

Later in the day, I headed out with the dog to get him some specialist food and a magnetic collar. "A what?" you may be asking. Well, sadly last year he was diagnosed with crepitus of the two joints in his front legs and has been on daily anti-inflamatory tablets since. A very proffessional dog trainer reccomended I get a magnetic dog collar and it has made a difference. Guess who left it behind in Wales? Over the last two weeks he has been limping more noticeably, so he now has a new one and just this afternoon he seems more playful and less stiff. We shall see how the next few days go and monitor his improvement.
After getting his collar we went for a short walk along a road that runs between expansive fields of stubble and also the green shoots of spring wheat. The fields there seemed to be slightly higher and better drained than those nearer here, the dykes were high with water and not far from a sign that stated "No Fly Tipping." I saw this ...

a seemingly happy Henry hoover, despite being half submerged, with weed up his nose!
Up in the sky above there was a lot of military aircraft activity from the two local USAF bases and down on the single track road there were a lot of heavy transporter lorries travelling back and forth from the local vegetable packing plant, so it wasn't the most peaceful of walks we've taken recently, but without surround sound it was a pleasant amble in a different area of this flattened landscape where one can see for miles. As we got back to where the car was parked, the sun was beginning to sink into the west horizon.

That's when the single track road became really busy and despite the fact that there are regular "Passing Place." signs on either side of the road, many drivers just ignored them and instead of politely pulling in and being patient just drove on, forcing me to pull over into the soggy, muddy verges. Many of them were "Off Road" vehicles, designed to cope with muddy terrain, it's just such a pity that the drivers either are not trained to drive these 4x4's properly or just do not want to get the expensive paintwork splattered with mud. Luckily my plucky old Rover, despite her continuing immobiliser alarm problems, (poor old dear) coped admirably with the sodden, non tarmac pullovers and well ...  she may be mud splattered and looking countrified but there again, so were the driver and the dog. 

Happily so!