Fresh air and sustenance

There were lots of walkers out on the moor this morning, many representative of our younger generation pursuing their DofE ambitions. Back home it is good news on the climate front, the chill having been downgraded to a mere four-layer threat. Our concrete-like ground has already returned to its normal sodden consistency and the moles have resumed their tunnelling. Whilst we’ve lost our ponies to superior grazing at lower altitudes, the air is thick with insects, and in amongst the snowdrops and slugs the resident robins, blackbirds and thrushes are joined by an assortment of tits and a green woodpecker (along with the neighbourhood cats). Roe deer saunter past my window, only to be halted in their tracks by the sight of a large dog fox enthusiastically disembowelling a dead sheep in the neighbour’s paddock (before you know it we’ll be into the barbeque season). For now it’s a braised oxtail and large portions of root vegetables, together with the last of my stock of Titanic’s chestnut beer.