MUD BEAUTIFUL MUD. (29/12/13)

Yesterday I wandered the foreshore with Bertha. I did see a buzzard and a few Oystercatchers. I never pressed the shutter button. I tell a fib, on the way back I found two of the numerous wrens here and pressed it three times. A stunning result; two twigs sharp as sharp can be and a ball of blurry feathers. Anyone fancy a cheap, fast 400mm lens that weighs the best part of a hundredweight? I forget it’s real weight but it feels like a hundredweight after an hour or so. I’ll never make a birder, I enjoy having birds around, I enjoy seeing them but can’t ever get a good shot of one. It wasn’t a wasted day, I took the Bronica, I took six frames, then ran out of film, I could have sworn there was a spare loaded camera back in the bag….it was back in the van was the back; could still be a wasted day. I have two rolls ready to post off, I need one more to get my moneys worth from the postman.

Today was windless so we had a wander round the village and let the dogs enjoy the beach and sea. They had a wonderful time, the storms have piled seaweed knee deep. Rotting kelp is a source of entertainment to dogs. They roll in it, grab the stalks, run off, then bark as the foliage bit chases them… seems they could play in it all day.     ANARCHY.

    MORE ANARCHY.  This is Rusty working on the Sabbath. He’s using a Tirfor to pull out the tops of trees that got muddled together in the storm. It’s a very technical business. Every heave on the wire rope winch is followed by a pause and a listen and then a.

“ Oh God…..Shit….What the Fuck…..Bastard….Run!”

Just like reading the Old Testaments and far more entertaining than going to church.

I love staying in places that keep animals.

    This is another Bertha, she is a Large Black sow. Rusty has seven Large Blacks. Two boars and three sows. They aren’t a pretty pig but they are big at seven to eight hundred pounds. They are friendly and even like the dogs. Moll suspects they would like to eat her but Alf is happy to stop for a chat; the pigs grunt and sniff him and he stands still. I have taken a dozen pictures of them but failed to get a good one. Their lop ears don’t help nor does their inquisitive nature.

    Smile for the Birdy Bertha. At last I got a bit of eye. The next second she has hit the lens and had I not been quick I’d have had a 5D in my eye. Silly Pig. Anyone got a Canon ET-78II lens hood they don’t want? These like most pigs or animals that are left to look after themselves are perfect. I could do with steel capped boots as they don’t watch where they are putting their feet. I wear over trousers as they love ripping at tree roots and ploughing the land, they love mud. Tomorrow they are moving to pastures new. It’s a bit of field full of swedes, They are little purple skinned turnips. Not the Scandinavian people. I’ll try for some video. Wonderful beasts. Guess what my Sunday roast is?

  A bit of Large Black. I’ll Score the skin and rub sea salt into it, leave it for a couple of hours then cook it at 180 for an hour. The flavour is in the fat. These are very slow growing pigs so the meat is moist and delectable. Don’t tell Bertha. She thinks I love her for her looks, charm and repartee.

Grunt, grunt. Have a good week.

Don’t anybody say I don’t  listen to my readers. I fancy your lass and you took a shine to my food.

  This is a perfect roast Mersad. The crispy skin we call crackling. In the north of England we have a similar saying for your partner. Best not go there though I would love to. Happy New Year.