26 March 2020

Details

Eye of a horse at Totley Bents
Once again, I undertook my familiar circular walk on the edge of the city. It involves parking Clint  at the end of  Shorts Lane, Normally, the circuit takes an hour. I have blogged about this walk before. Go here and here.

With boots on, I slammed the tailgate.

"Ouch!" snarled Clint. "That bloody hurt! Why can't you shut it more gently?"

"Go to hell!" I retorted. "You're only a car! And besides how come you talk in English when you were born and raised in South Korea?"

"꺼져 " said my charming silver machine.

And so I set off on another diamond day. For some reason, I  decided that any photographs taken would show small details of what was observed along the way. After a hundred yards I was wishing I had left my fleece jacket inside the obstreperous vehicle. Pleasantly warm.
I talked to a woman with three English pointer dogs and another woman I have spoken with before at Totley Bents. She was gardening and I said, "I'm sorry I haven't got a handbell!"

"What do you mean?"

"Then I could ring it and shout Unclean! Unclean!"

She laughed and made a cross with her hands.
Because I was dithering about with the camera, procrastinating like a donkey, it took me longer than usual to get back to The Clintotron. He was snoozing under the sycamores. I made sure that I closed his tailgate gently. He is booked in for his annual service and Ministry of Transport roadworthiness test tomorrow morning. Poor thing! He hates having his oil drained. Wouldn't you if you were a car?
At the weir on Redcar Brook
Bumble bee on gorse

34 comments:

  1. Just a useless bit of information for you. Gorse is called Genet in France. One of the plantagenets wore a sprig in his hat. He became known as plante a genet. Hence our English pronunciation of the name.
    Thanks for these pics, I feel like I've been on a lovely walk.
    Stay safe. X

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  2. Mr Google informs me that it was Geoffrey, duke of Anjou and father of Henry the second who started it....

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    1. Most interesting. Thank you for that Christina. "Plantagenet" is an odd word. I hadn't really considered it before.

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    2. Fascinating. I shall log the information for future use when I get back to France. Which I hope to, eventually.

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  3. It lifts the spirits, walking in the sunshine and seeing nature close up. Thanks for the great photos, again.

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  4. Thanks for that breath of fresh air YP. As always, excellent photos and some I'm sure you will use as the subject of future paintings.
    I have just come back from the usual dog walk in beautiful sunshine - such a pleasure to be outdoors. Not, sadly, in such rustic surroundings as yours. Though I have been much further than the permitted 50 metres from home. No walks purely for exercise allowed here. Today there were people in their gardens, and all of them waved and shouted a greeting. It felt as though we were acknowledging a solidarity against these terrible times.

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    1. Please don't worry CG. I will not be reporting you to the Spanish police for going beyond the fifty metres. I suspect that Great Britain will soon be catching up with Spain with regard to coronavirus deaths. Keep looking after yourself! I am waving at you from my Sheffield garden and I can see you waving back.

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    2. If people stuck to the rules we may escape the number of deaths in Spain but unfortunately self distancing seems to mean different things to different people, whether due to ignorance, denial or belligerence. We will all pay the price for it, either in losing someone close to us or simply by having to endure this situation for weeks or months longer.
      I read somewhere that the virus does not move itself, it passes from person to person. Cut out the human contact and it will disappear, which seems obvious really.

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    3. You are right Jean but over in Spain does it really matter if Coppa's Girl walks a hundred and fifty metres with her dog rather than the permitted fifty?

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    4. I'm sure it doesn't. Keeping away from other people is what matters but I sense that too many still don't get that over here.

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  5. I'm thankful for the lovely pics as well:)

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  6. I love that bit about Plantagenet! Exactly the kind of quirky knowledge that sticks to my mind when more useful information slips through like water in a sieve.
    It is rather chilly here, but sunny. I plan to go running with my friend tonight after work. Being out for exercise and with no more than 2 people together is still allowed here.

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    1. It's funny how different countries have different rules and different timescales. I note that another 23 have died from The Virus in Germany in the last 24 hours.

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  7. I love the beautiful eye of the horse. I want to reach out and stroke his (her?) head.
    Well, keep walking as long as you can! Why have neither you nor Steve commented on the diagnosis of Prince Charles?

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    1. I haven't commented on the heir to the throne because his contraction of The Virus is no more important than anyone else's contraction. He is just a guy. I guess that as far as heirs apparent go he is a pretty good guy. I am not offended by him but I care more about my family, friends and neighbours. He is way down the line.

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  8. We're taking daily walks around the little half mile circle that is our neighborhood with the dogs. Lots of people have been out working in their flower beds. It feels good to be outside in the sunshine even though I still feel lousy from this cold/flu/allergies/coronavirus (god forbid) that I've caught.

    Your walks always look so beautiful. I enjoy the pictures you share from them.

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    1. See the first picture. The Horse God will protect you. Is there any other kind of god? Thanks as always for calling by Jennifer.

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    2. The Horse God is as good as any! Protect us, oh Equine Savior!

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  9. Just a beautiful walk, brother. Oh, the daffodils! And the horse! There is life and love and joyous revelry at the end of the tunnel. Stay well and let's keep walking and enjoying the out of doors for as long and as far as the virus authorities allow.

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    1. Just today the British police have been stopping cars and asking drivers what they are doing. I will still risk it and if they stop me I will say I am about to take the permitted day's exercise and I did not understand the guidance.

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  10. I like the drystone wall YP. Very north country.

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    1. Drystone walls can be like art but are usually taken for granted.

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  11. Now you should be treating Clint with a bit more kindness. He may not be feeling well and is probably nervous about his upcoming checkup.

    Very nice close up photos today. I love the flow of water at the weir!

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    1. Clint needs to man up! Thanks for calling by again Bonnie.

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  12. MOT's have been extended by 6 months from Monday....

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    1. Just a bit too late for Clint I'm afraid.

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  13. Uplifting photos, I like the intimacy of details rather than a general view. And what a joy to have sunshine!

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    1. Ironically these past five days have been beautiful. It is such a shame that The Virus now reigns.

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  14. One of the best things about walking is meeting people.

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    1. If I met you on one of my walks I would happily chat about ice skating and birds and Inuits but I might not be able to understand your weird Canadian accent.

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    2. And I wouldn't be able to hear yours!

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  15. I really enjoy close-up photos so these have gone down well, YP.

    And I did notice your reference to donkeys being procrastinators, which seems like a rash generalization to me but then again I've contributed to that narrative I suppose - lol

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