Therefore all seasons shall be sweet to thee,
Whether summer clothe the general earth
With greeness, or the redbreast sit and sing
Betwixt the tufts of snow on the bare branch
Of mossy apple-tree, while the nigh thatch
Smokes in the sun-thaw; whether the eave-drops fall
Heard only in the trances of the blast,
Or if the secret ministry of frost
Shall hang them up in silent icicles,
Quietly shining to the quiet Moon.



Friday, November 14, 2008

A Walk in the Woods



B Baggins Esq has been enjoying his walks in the woods lately and wanted to show you some of the lovely autumn scenes that he passes as he goes round. The colours of the beech leaves are especially lovely with their patchwork of greens and golds.


We walk by the river on a beautiful rustly brown carpet of beech leaves.



There are already a lot of bare branches but even in midwinter there is still some green from the holly, yew and Scots Pine trees that grow among the beech, oak and sweet chestnut trees.



Monarch of the Glen!


There are many large stones along the river bank many of them thickly covered in moss like these, this also adds some green to the landscape even on the darkest winter day.



We've climbed up the hill from river and are back on one of the official paths walking along by the bird sanctuary now. B Baggins and I spend as little time as possible on these paths, we prefer to be off the beaten track. On this section the official path is the only way because of the sanctuary. It's a poor photo as the light levels were so low when I took it.


We walk a triangular route and this is the start of the final leg, back to the quieter tracks again.



Is it time to go home already?



Waiting for my lead to be put on again - don't know why we can't stay here all day. I'll definitely catch that squirrel next time we come though!

Sunday, November 09, 2008

Remembrance





IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.


By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army




Remembering all those who have given their lives for their country, but especially
Pte Harry Hindley Simpson, 1st Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers killed in action August 1916

and

AC2 Harold Harrison RAF buried in Jakarta War Cemetery, Indonesia 1942 - far from home but never forgotten.


"When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say,
For Their Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today"