Sundown's noticeably later. Not that we've had much sun lately. Slightly longer evenings mean we go out for late afternoon dogstrolls a bit later. Used to go at about fiveish, now about sixish. Street lights come on at 6.40pm. Roll on spring. When do the clocks go forward? Must be soon.
Anyways..., I'm rabbiting.
Had a drive around a few days back. Went to look at a property for sale near St. Georges Nigremont. Curiosity. Saw it advertised on Leboncoin. Drove past it, didn't go in, still occupied. Lovely building but slightly hemmed in by a couple of neighbours. They're probably very friendly, but... nah, not for us. Too damned pricey for a start (€112000). And doesn't get the evening sun.
On the drive back home we passed an amazing old tree. Stopped and took a photo, not a particularly good one, bit dark, late afternoon.
Then stopped off for a dogwalk, down in the back valley, in a field with a stream which is usually occupied by cattle. Never been in that field before. Been past it dozens of times. Sort of faces east so doesn't get the evening sun, unlike our usual dogstroll fields up Sprocket Hill, which faces west so does get the evening sun, but no stream. Swings and roundabouts. Er, what evening sun? Haven't had much sun lately. Have I mentioned this already? Sign of getting old, saying things twice. And dandruff of the eyebrows. And it's said that oldies get more Tory and supportive of Brexit. Strange. I get more and more leftish, and European.
Anyways..., I'm rabbiting.
For the next day's dogstroll I was about to go up Sprocket Hill when Geo said why do we always go up there when there are loads of other places to go? So we went back down the back valley stream, again. Still no cattle there so into the field we waltzed. Dull weather again, but at least it wasn't raining. We're very lucky to be able to wander around such a pleasant beauty spot. Kept thinking of all those lockdown Brits (and Frenchies, and all other global city dwellers) cooped up in overcrowded urban rabbit hutch boxes. We may be poor peasants but we count our blessings. Then Hamish went knee deep into black streamside mud. And I trod in a cowpat.
Being hemmed in is one of the reasons we moved to where we are now (that and to get a bigger house), which is basically in the middle of a field. We looked at so many perfect houses that suffered from strange neighbours or barking outdoor dogs next door, both of which could turn your dream house into a nightmare. You can change many things about where you live but you're stuck with the neighbours.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I feel for those cooped up in city apartments, although I expect some of them wouldn't be dragged into a field of cow pats to save their lives!
Yes, it's pot luck with neighbours. Had some bad 'uns back in UK, but some good 'uns as well. We're currently quite lucky with neighbours out here in the backwoods. Always ready to help and check we're ok. And vice versa. But the chasse dogs can get a bit noisy.
DeleteLoved those photographs,...and brings back memories of our time in France.
ReplyDeleteWe can do dog walks here, but it is more over lanes and fields rather than the landscape you walk in. But it is still better than nothing....at least we can get outside!
Sorry about the cow pat!
Hope you're surviving being back in the UK. Tough times with this damned plague. Watch out for criminals stealing dogs. I gather it's on the increase. Terrible.
Delete