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| Deer watching me |
Around midday the brother who lives in France telephoned. It was just as I was about to toddle off into Derbyshire for a three mile circular walk. Phone conversations with Robin can take an hour or more as we relate news, remember and grumble. I have to remind myself to avoid mentioning Trump. Robin admires his cavalier style while I despise it.
Anyway, consequently I was late setting off into Derbyshire. It was a bright but overcast afternoon. I parked near Curbar Edge and proceeded along on the moorland track that leads to Wellington's Monument. Not the best of days for photography but even so I gathered a few images and five of them accompany this blogpost.
Down to Over End on the edge of Baslow village. There were some grand stone houses here with flashy cars parked in the driveways. There was the aroma of money in the air. Perhaps this is where Michael Vaughan - the ex-England cricket captain resides with his wife and family. I know he lives in Baslow.
Along Gorsebank Lane to Gorsebank Farm where an old collie sheepdog came out to bark at me. On the concrete in the farmyard the date 1970 was imprinted - a year I remember well when I was sweet sixteen. The dog slinked away. His muzzle was half black and half white. I would have called him Chess.
Then onwards. I met a woman who was picking brambles. She said she had not seen a soul before me and I said that I don't have a soul and she said that I must have if I had chosen to walk below Baslow Edge. We laughed. Her green supermarket bag was bursting with sweet berries and when I left her I picked brambles for my own mouth. The sweet taste of summer.
Back home I made tea (dinner to southerners). Shirley came in from her shift at the health centre. The tea was chicken steak with a creamy mushroom sauce I had made from scratch, new buttered potatoes and runner beans from our garden.
At six we set off for the nearby town of Rotherham. I had tickets to see Rotherham United v Hull City. The game kicked off at 7.45pm and I am happy to report that we won our first game of the season by three goals to two! Two of our goals were scored by our long-haired Australian player, Jackson Irvine. Someone has created a new chant for him - to the tune of Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline":-
Jackson Irvine!
Long hair never looked so good!
So good! So good! SO GOOD! (repeat)
We drove back to Sheffield, lifted by the victory and Shirley dropped me off at the local pub for three celebratory pints of the brown nectar - "Tetley's Bitter". Beverage of the gods.
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| The Eagle Stone above Baslow Edge |
You've had what I call a very, very English day including a phone call from the brother who lives in France, since it seems to me that every English family has one ex-pat member who is soaking up the warmth and sunshine of the South of France. Congratulations to you and Hull City for an auspicious beginning to another season of heroics.
ReplyDeleteI once knew of a pure bred border collie names Chess who wrote a garden blog from his xeriscape in Colorado. Border collies are brilliant dogs. (See? Even the dog on this most English day is ever so British.)
I neglected to tell you that Hull City had already played three matches but this was their first victory of the season. Sorry for any confusion.
DeleteI don't know Derbyshire at all so I always find your walks here interesting. Spectacular scenery.
ReplyDeleteI am delighted that you have found my Derbyshire images appealing. If you and your man servant do secure the Lincolnshire mansion, you'll have to spend a weekend in The Peak District when there is a favourable weather forecast.
DeleteI hope Shirley knows what a gem of a husband she has, I'm sure she does. The walk looks lovely and the views in the second photo are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteBriony
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Gem? I am more of a clod of Yorkshire earth Briony!
DeleteI enjoyed your walk and photos. It is funny, 1970 almost seems like yesterday to me. I graduated from high school in that year. Time sure does pass us by quickly.
ReplyDelete1970? It's almost fifty years ago. Crazy - isn't it Bonnie!
DeleteThat deer has such a long neck; is it part llama? :)
ReplyDeleteThe Eagle Stone is quite impressive. And you had a rich day.
Do you know. It did cross my mind that it might not be a deer at all Jenny but I could not find a suitable South American alternative. If you saw that creature from sideways on you would be far more convinced that it is indeed a deer.
DeleteThat Eagle Stone is interesting. What a bizarre bit of geology that is. Sounds like you had a great day! It's interesting you mention the woman picking "brambles." I think of brambles being the vines, but not the berries themselves. In the states we don't even use the word brambles -- we just call them blackberries! Love the Neil Diamond spoof. And WHAT ON EARTH is your brother thinking?!?!
ReplyDeleteI guess he's like many of those blind Trump supporters who value what they see as fierce independence. Even the rule breaking is attractive and in their ignorance they see the institutes of government as a "swamp" to be drained. Trump the Anti-Hero.
DeleteAstonishing pictures !
ReplyDeleteWhy have I never been to Yorkshire..?
Where I live - Sheffield - is close to Yorkshire's boundary with Derbyshire and these pictures on an overcast day were from Derbyshire and not Yorkshire. Thank you for calling by.
DeleteHmmmmmm....why didn't you make your creamy mushroom sauce from mushrooms and not scratch? ;)
ReplyDeleteJoking aside...I love creamy mushroom sauce. I love mushrooms any which way. They play a regular role in my daily fare. I often used to grow my own once upon a time.
What is it that animals find so interesting about you, Yorkie? Now the deer have their eyes on you! Word has gotten around!
Did you ever see "The Elephant Man"?
DeleteYes, I have seen the movie, starring John Hurt, Yorkie.
DeleteI always wished, however, that I had seen David Bowie perform the play on Broadway. His portrayal of John Merrick drew high acclaim, and rightly so.
"I am not an elephant! I am not an animal! I am a human being! I am a man!"
DeleteThat was a very active Tuesday. Okay, brambles? I assume they're good to eat. I'm wondering if it's the same as the rose hip here which is fruit from the rose?
ReplyDeleteIn East Yorkshire we always call blackberries brambles.
DeleteAh ha! We don't have black berries here.
DeleteI'm just wondering how you got home after three pints of Tetley's Bitter?
ReplyDeleteI walked or floated. It's only two hundred yards away Mr C.
DeleteThey are great pictures (as always)! Congratulations on your team having won the match. Good of you to steer clear of certain subjects when talking to your brother. I am just the same with my mother-in-law in Yorkshire. She is a regular Daily Mail reader and you can imagine what most of her opinions about current affairs are. Oh, and don't get her started on the topic of "men"...
ReplyDeleteYou should have been in the diplomatic service Meike! Oh, I forgot - you already are. The Swabian Ambassador to Yorkshire.
DeleteThank you for the good and useful information that is shared to everyone. It's a great place to be and a great photo.
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