On a frosty walk through the woods, a momentary stop to appreciate the clarity of the day drew my eye to the south-facing trunk of a struggling ash tree. It was covered from top to toe in what I thought was some sort of fungus but on closer inspection it turned out to be clusters… Continue reading Ladybirds in hibernation…
I spent the morning eagerly perched on the edge of a field. I was utterly immersed in the hum of harvest. As a child my brother would spend weeks – probably most of his summer holiday – stood on the side of the fields surrounding our house. He would watch the coming and going of… Continue reading A scene of biblical proportions…
…footpaths. Yep, I’ve officially hit middle age and I’ve a new love for footpaths. Having spent my formative years in the Sea Scouts I’d forgotten how satisfying it is to open a paper Ordnance Survey map and trundle across the countryside. It offers up a whole new world to anyone wishing to dive right in. It… Continue reading I have a new love and I don’t mind shouting about it…
The hum of harvest isn’t something that pleases everyone but, for me, the sound of harvest filling the air really does bring me great happiness. I haven’t ever really sat down to think why – maybe it’s because the beautiful drone of the harvesters and the rumble of the tractors scurrying across the fields signifies… Continue reading The hum of harvest…
As February gathers momentum we’ve had some wet and windy mornings but we’ve also had some frosty, misty and bright mornings. These are the mornings when going outside isn’t a chore. The air is still, the sky is full of optimism and the ground is crispy and crunchy underfoot. And, it’s not just me that… Continue reading A February morning on the farm…
I honestly don’t think there’s a better month than September for sunsets in Norfolk. Throughout the month we have been treated to some spectacular scenes and with the nights pulling in, the sun has been drifting out of sight at about 7.20pm. As it begins setting even earlier, my eyes (and camera) are now firmly pinned to the west each… Continue reading Autumn sunsets…
There are particular points in the farming year that bring me a real sense of joy – from the first cut of grass to the first bale of hay, to seeing and hearing the roar of combine harvesters on the fields. When harvest is in full swing there is a real sense of urgency in the… Continue reading Harvest is go…
I’ve managed to make it to the age of 35 without ever stepping foot inside a hot air balloon basket – it’s probably been a case of not being in the right place at the right time. But now I can claim to have taken flight through the skies of Norfolk in a 16-man balloon. A few weeks… Continue reading Hot air ballooning over Norfolk…
For years I lived in the same jacket – a beloved Barbour Beaufort that I first slipped on in 2007. I had always wanted one, ever since I saw my dad in one – it just looked so warm, comfy and reliable. Day in and day out it hung loyally in the boot room until… Continue reading A new trusty stalwart…
This morning it was blustery, and I mean b-lustery – it has been for days. The summer has seemingly disappeared to be replaced with more autumnal-like weather here in south Norfolk. Today I’d resigned myself to a day of indoor tasks, when mid-afternoon the clouds parted and the sun shone. Simultaneously I could hear the combine… Continue reading What a glorious day…
