MIXED FEELINGS (05/09/11)

  We moved this morning from Barnard Castle to the Fox and Rabbit Farm which fortuitously lies a few hundred yards east of the pub of the same name.  Dalby Forest is a mile or two to the east and the North Yorkshire Moors Steam Railway a similar distance to the west.

I have mixed feelings coming here as my brother and I lunched in this pub on several occasions. He used to love the blast over the moor from Whitby. The food is good and far from expensive for the quality of it. It is sad returning but also time to remember the good times and build new experiences onto the old. It’s fifteen months since he died. It has got easier so the time is right……………I hope!

Hopefully during the next few days I’ll have some pleasant wanders and see some amazing sights, I don’t take much amazing or confusing. Yesterdays horse will take some beating though. I spent ten minutes this morning prior to departure trying to make him sit again. I took some apple, four pieces, whispered sit, piece of apple………Shouted sit, piece of apple, all to no avail……….it ate the apple. I’m a wimp I gave in he was knocking me about all over the place trying to get in my pocket for apple! Pity I didn’t realize what a hit he would be. Earlier on Sunday he was lying on his back with all four legs in the air, not rolling, perfectly still he was. It belongs to the daughter of the farmer so I will see if she can make him perform his whole repertoire. I suspect though she does her best to dissuade him from such foolishness.

I will go back to Pecknell Farm as I’m awake half the night there listening to Owls. There are several, definitely Tawny Owl………I suspect a couple of Barn Owls and one or two making a peculiar noise. I’ve been on the RSPB Site twice and clicked on the icon that makes them whistle, sing or call but it sounds nothing like anything they have recorded. There’s a daft horse so maybe a daft Owl. Keith will know but he’s got his Captain Ahab hat on…He’s Walesing. Fat lot of good he is when one wants him. Come back Ahab, Ishmael needs help!

The weather is cool and very damp. Extremely damp in patches. I’m on my second shower of the day. I had a problem with the grey water discharge valve. I solved it…..it discharged all over me. I could do with a Girl Friday for such revolting jobs………… it could have been worse it could have been black water. Were I not the proud possessor of a beer belly I could have wriggled out quicker, my corporation delayed my escape. I suspect only plumber or plumberess with the physique of a racing snake would have escaped that deluge. How dish wash and shower water can smell so revolting is a mystery.

I bet you are thinking…. He’s not got any pictures!…………I Have! I stopped on the way over the moor.

  Blooming Heather.

  Blooming Heather and a little watery sunshine. The village to the right is Goathland…………Heartbeat Country. That programme was never the same when Greengrass left.

  Finally a big panorama in HDR and stitched . As always this will enlarge with a click but will be humungous so either get a bigger monitor, scroll about or press CTRL- a few times till it fits.

Have fun, I’ll see what tomorrow brings my way.