What a good day.
It started well. I slept until 1pm, after two killer gym sessions in the previous three days. I obviously needed the sleep, but I woke feeling refreshed and rested.
My wife had already gone out and done her shopping and come back, so I had the use of the car. I went to a charity shop that I remembered (I don't go there much) and got a nice pair of outdoor trousers (unbranded, but highly serviceable) and a pedometer/radio thing for just a couple of quid. They also said that they get wool blankets in regularly but they usually pass them on to the animal sanctuary that they support. I will be going back there.
Then I pootled off to a site I know and collected huge quantities of windfall apples and pears from an old abandoned orchard, and generally had a wander around, watching wildlife. Lots of winter thrushes and flocks of goldfinches. Left as the sun started to set. Drove up into the hills, parked up at a viewpoint and watched the sunset. Then back home for a bite to eat and drop off the apples.
At that point my phone rang, and it was a mate of mine who runs a pheasant farming business (he raises birds for shooting) offering me two and a half brace of pheasant on the basis that he was fed up of plucking birds and couldn't be bothered to do any more today. Mine if I come to collect them, which I duly did. 1 hen and 4 cock birds, now hanging in my shed to be dealt with tomorrow. He also gave me a jar of home made quince jelly, which went very well on some wholegrain fruitbread that I picked up for 10p on the Asda reduced shelf.
Finally out with the dog for a stroll in the moonlight along the canal, listening to owls calling as we went.
I love being outdoors. I hope everyone had as pleasant a day as I did today.
It started well. I slept until 1pm, after two killer gym sessions in the previous three days. I obviously needed the sleep, but I woke feeling refreshed and rested.
My wife had already gone out and done her shopping and come back, so I had the use of the car. I went to a charity shop that I remembered (I don't go there much) and got a nice pair of outdoor trousers (unbranded, but highly serviceable) and a pedometer/radio thing for just a couple of quid. They also said that they get wool blankets in regularly but they usually pass them on to the animal sanctuary that they support. I will be going back there.
Then I pootled off to a site I know and collected huge quantities of windfall apples and pears from an old abandoned orchard, and generally had a wander around, watching wildlife. Lots of winter thrushes and flocks of goldfinches. Left as the sun started to set. Drove up into the hills, parked up at a viewpoint and watched the sunset. Then back home for a bite to eat and drop off the apples.
At that point my phone rang, and it was a mate of mine who runs a pheasant farming business (he raises birds for shooting) offering me two and a half brace of pheasant on the basis that he was fed up of plucking birds and couldn't be bothered to do any more today. Mine if I come to collect them, which I duly did. 1 hen and 4 cock birds, now hanging in my shed to be dealt with tomorrow. He also gave me a jar of home made quince jelly, which went very well on some wholegrain fruitbread that I picked up for 10p on the Asda reduced shelf.
Finally out with the dog for a stroll in the moonlight along the canal, listening to owls calling as we went.
I love being outdoors. I hope everyone had as pleasant a day as I did today.
