Thursday 21 November 2013

A Walk at Sunset



Geese in the fields at sunset




Brrrr........winter is not my favourite time of year. And I think that winter really has arrived this week, too. Last week there were some warm, golden, autumnal days, but now it's much colder and damper with a bitter north wind and the first frosts. So I've got the thick jumpers ready - and also my gloves - and my very unflattering woollen hat that I wouldn't have been seen dead in twenty years ago...

If I was to think about anything that makes winter bearable, it would be, first of all, a log fire every evening. And then it would be the vivid colours in the skies at sunrise and sunset. When I take Harry for a walk, I see the sun coming up over the fields.  And then, later in the day (work and weather permitting) we walk again as the sun goes down.

Here is a typical walk through the woods and fields at sunset - where the changes in the light and the sky are beautiful.

We set off - and our first sight is of the Greylag and Canada Geese that come into the fields to feed. Harry has a healthy respect for geese (after a few encounters with our own), so he always gives them a wide berth (and I would never allow him to go anywhere near them anyway). But these wild geese don't know this and still watch him warily.

Then, we walk around the edge of the field where I keep my beehives...






I won't be looking at my bees now until the spring. They've sealed the frames in the hive with propolis and I wouldn't want to break this and expose them to the cold - although I will just quickly lift the roof in the New Year to put some food (fondant or candy) on top of the frames.

The bees will fly on warm, winter days, but if it's cold they'll all cluster around the queen. I've put some homemade insulation on the top of the hive, made of our sheeps' wool sandwiched between two pieces of wood. This will help keep the cold off. I've also surrounded the hive with some protection against Green Woodpeckers.  Green Woodpeckers will attack a hive when the ground is frozen and they can't get to the grubs. A beehive then becomes an easy target for them and they'll drill a hole right through the wood. Luckily, my homemade protection (of chicken wire held fast by a bit of old pipe) has always proved a good deterrent.



Leaving the beehives, we take the path through the wood - but it's already quite dark. Where the landscape catches the last rays of the sun, it's still light but in the wood it's becoming difficult to see. It's silent there, too - except for roosting birds and the trees creaking in the wind. I'm more than a little relieved to get out into the sun again...

And then we're back in the fields - to see that a rainbow is arcing right over us.  I love the sight of this, until I wonder why I'm seeing a rainbow at this moment.....and then, I realise why, just as we get soaked by a sudden, heavy shower...







Harry's not impressed at all by this and so we're now picking up speed (his pace). We finish the walk as the sun is going down. There are too many trees blocking the view for a really stunning sunset, but the sky is full of colour...

First pink...






...and then a blend of fiery colours
Back on the smallholding, it's time to put the chickens and geese away - and the geese are already waiting impatiently for their food.  Poor George, the older gander, is waiting at the back and has to be fed separately because Cador, the dominant gander (and his son) would chase him away if they were all fed together...









The wild ducks come in for food, too - but it's too dark now to take a photo of them.

And then it's time to go inside, where my next job today is to start the Christmas cake.  This is my Grandmother's recipe, and I'm always moved when I see her writing. I miss her lots and she's on my mind when I make it. And it's a delicious cake, too, full of spices and alcohol.

Before I start the cake, I turn the wireless on. We sent this away recently to a specialist, who has repaired the valves and added a digital receiver to the back. So although it's old, it can now receive a digital signal. And it still has that sound of an old-fashioned wireless...



It's late afternoon, but it already feels like evening and it's definitely getting a lot colder outside.

So it's time to light the log fire at last...

Wonderful!

56 comments:

  1. A beautifull sunset and I just love your wireless. There aren`t too many of those sets left around now.

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    1. Thanks Tony. We didn't want the wireless to be an antique that couldn't be used, so this specialist was a real find. He's brought it right into the 21st century for us, while keeping that early wireless tone that we love.

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  2. Oh, I so enjoyed the tour Wendy. The sunset was magnificent. And the geese, of course, so beautiful. I remember from living with geese that autumn was when they started to get very territorial again, setting the stage for spring I suppose. Many a time I had to feed one or more of the ganders separately from the rest. Look after poor George.

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    1. Thanks Jessica. Yes, you're right that the geese are starting to think about the breeding season in the New Year. All the signs are there. They usually start laying at the end of January.
      George is my favourite - so gentle.

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  3. I have never seen a sunset so vivid and full of color, Wendy! It must be such a joy to walk around your property and take in the sights and sounds. I am not sure I could ever own a goose... they do get pretty snippy! Your geese must be nicer than the wild geese. Your grandma's Christmas cake sounds delicious. My mom makes a rum cake that I hope we'll enjoy this holiday season. I hope you have a great day!

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    1. Thanks Stacy. It's the female geese, not the ganders, that might nip me, but only when I'm trying to steal their eggs from under them. I can kind of understand that!
      I love the sound of your rum cake - delicious.
      Have a lovely day, too!

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  4. What a glorious walk. The sky looks like it's on fire! The temperature's definitely dropped in the last few days but putting the fire on is always good compensation. :)

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    1. Thanks Debbie. For a few brief moments, the sky can often look on fire, can't it? Truly beautiful.
      I agree, the fire makes being out in the cold worthwhile!

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  5. What a lovely post Wendy with great pictures - oh those skies, beautiful.

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    1. Thanks Elaine. This is when I wish I could paint. I'd love to be able to paint skies like that.

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  6. Dear Wendy - travelling with you and your camera is always such a treat.
    I much prefer the warmer, longer days of summer too, but there things about the winter that I enjoy also. I love being cosy in the house on dark nights with the blinds firmly secure and having more time to read.
    Your evening sky is wonderful.

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    1. Thanks Rosemary. Although I miss summer, reading by the fire on a winter evening as to be one of the pleasures of life! Even better when it's a cold, wet, wild night outside.
      While I was taking photographs, the colours in the sky changed so quickly - so wonderful.

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  7. What a beautiful post. I too love the sunset at this time of year, it's wonderful to hurry home to the lighted windows and the warmth of a fire. How lovely to have a recipe written by your grandmother. Something to treasure I think. Your radio is wonderful, a thing of beauty!

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    1. Thanks CJ. The paper with Gran's recipe on is deteriorating a bit, but I'll always keep it, even if it ends up in several pieces!
      I wish modern gadgets for the home were as stylish as something like an old wireless, but I suppose the priority is to produce lots as quickly and as cheaply as possible.

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  8. What a beautiful post. I loved your walk and that sunset has to be one of the most spectacular I've seen- great photo.
    Good old Harry behaving himself with the geese- perhaps I could send Poppy down for some training? We lost Rennie (our hen who used to teach the puppies chicken respect) this year and I fear all the other girls will just run away squawking, which won't help matters at all!

    I was also very fond of my grannie and miss her a lot- how lovely to have the recipe and think of yours when you are baking.

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    1. Thanks CT. Poppy would be very welcome! Harry quickly discovered that the geese can outnumber him and they're not afraid. I've seen them frighten off a fox (during the day). So a gentle border terrier is no problem for them.
      It's lovely having something something, however small and ordinary, which is a reminder of a much-loved grandmother, isn't it?

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  9. That sky is amazing. Dayglow almost.Lovely walk with you - thank you. Love the wireless. I had one of those enormous radiogram things for years but never managed to get it working.

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    1. Thanks Em. That's a shame about your radiogram. We're grateful to our specialist for getting ours going again, although we did have to package it up, send it off and wait quite a while for it to return (fixing a wireless is a hobby business of his).

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  10. Thank you so much for taking us along with you on your walk, I never knew that woodpeckers attacked beehives, amazing! The woodland is beautiful but the skies are absolutely fantastic.

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    1. Thanks Pauline. Apparently, only the Green Woodpeckers attack beehives - not the Spotted kind. And they are a real danger, too, during a cold spell. A hive can be lost because of them.
      The sunsets are lovely but they're so early now, aren't they? The days are really shortening.

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  11. What a lovely evening walk! I never thought about woodpeckers attacking beehives. The pink sky is lovely we have had some glorious sunsets this week and yes, winter is on its way - we had our first snow fall on Tuesday morning, gone by early afternoon but definitely a warning of colder weather to come:)

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    1. Thanks Rosie. If you've had snow then it's definitely winter! It does feel like this week the seasons have changed.
      Woodpeckers have attacked my hives in the past, fortunately I discovered it before they did too much damage. I know now that protection against them is always going to be necessary - even if it was a mild winter I wouldn't take the risk.

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  12. Oh, Wendy, I love, love, LOVE your radio!!! How WONDERFUL!!!
    I also can't help but cast a greedy eye on those rosehips behind your beehive... mmmmmm just ripe for picking, methinks!! ;)
    That is an incredible sunset! The sky is aflame - glorious.

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    1. Thanks Richard. I hadn't spotted the rosehips! I never do anything with them and I should think about it. There are plenty in the fields this year.
      The wireless fits in well here. We've collected lots of old items for the house over the years. We're not entirely in the 21st century!!

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  13. Lovely to hear about and see your geese -they look amazingly clean, did they know they were going to have their photo taken? Great to see what you have done with the bee hives and to learn about the green woodpecker.
    The skies are a fabulous colour-they almost look false, but you are right it is a beautiful time for watching the skies. I remember when we first moved here how 'big' the sky seemed simply because we can see so much of it and the clouds change rapidly.
    I can still remember the valve TV's and radiograms, you had to wait for them to warm up. Your idea of getting the innards modern but keeping that beautiful item as a working radio is brilliant. Lovely post Wendy, thanks so much for the walk around.

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    1. Thanks Suzie. The geese do keep their feathers snow-white. They don't pose well for photos, though!
      I made a visit to the Fens last week - I'll write about it in a future post - but I was amazed by the sunsets there. Because the landscape is so flat and the skies are so large, the sunsets are incredible. I imagine where you are the skies are beautiful because of the water and the light.
      Our wireless doesn't take long to warm up, but it isn't instant sound, either!

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  14. Amazing colours in those pics - I love the path through the trees one, I've been taking masses like this recently! I don't mind the winter months - I like the cold crispness, but then I don't have to spend masses of time outside in it unless I want to, so that makes a difference I'm guessing!

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    1. Thanks Robyn. So many of the trees are beautiful at the moment, aren't they? Especially the beeches. With their autumn colours, they look stunning in sunlight.
      I don't mind frosty mornings so much (except having to deal with frozen water for the animals - always a problem), but I'm dreading any snow.

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  15. What a gorgeous walk and post. The woods look so lovely and those skies are to die for. I've seen a few rainbows lately while dog walking and like you have ended up soaked, still, they are always so stunning to see, especially in a big sky.
    I feel really mellow at the thought of you making Christmas cake from your Nan's recipe, and that old wireless is PRICELESS. I feel like a glass of mulled wine now....xxx

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    1. Thanks Dina. The rainbow was quite a surprise because the sun had been out, and we did get soaked by the heavy shower. I thought the sunset at the end of the walk was worth it - but I don't think Harry felt the same!
      A glass of mulled wine sounds lovely. I make mulled cider every winter, but I haven't tried mulled wine and must give it a go. Just perfect for warming up!

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  16. Thank you Wendy, that perfectly captures all that is good - and bad - about winter. Poor gander, the cruelty of the young! I love your radio, wonderful to have renewed its life by adding the digital receiver, so much better than a new plastic thing.

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    1. Thanks Janet. The geese have forgotten all their parent/young relationships now, of course, but it does seem so unfair on George after he protected his goslings so carefully!
      Old items often have that real sense of craftsmanship, don't they? That's why we like to have as many as we can in our home. Plastic items just look so mass produced and charmless.

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  17. A lovely post Wendy - the colours of the sunset are amazing and I love all the autumnal colours especially the photo with the rainbow.

    I love your old radio - absolutely superb :)

    I'm making my Christmas Puddings this weekend and the cake the following week. I love Christmas baking and the way it fills the house with spicy Christmassy aromas :) Wonderful to hear of you using your grandmother's recipe too :) I've got some of my mother's recipes which have been handed down and love using them :)

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    1. Thanks Caroline. I agree about the delicious smell of spices that comes with Christmas baking. It's a sort of nostaglia smell, too. How lovely that you also have recipes from your mother that are special. I have lots of scraps of paper with old recipes on - I suppose I should write them out again but I like them as they are!
      Have fun with your own Christmas baking!

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  18. Astounding colours. Thanks for sharing them with us.

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    1. Thanks Emily. I wasn't sure if I was going to see a sunset or not on that walk - given the heavy shower, but I was lucky the rain clouds cleared.

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  19. Yes winter has definitely arrived. I've got my thermals out for when I'm gardening!
    Love those sunset photos, there was a gorgeous sunset when I was driving home on friday but wasn't able to get a photo, so pleased to see yours.

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    1. Thanks Annie. Yes - it's time for the warmest clothes isn't it? And layers of them!
      I think seeing the spectular sunsets are something to look forward to at this time of year - it's a sort of compensation for putting the clocks back.

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  20. Certainly a lot colder up here now, though it hasn't been as bad as the forecasts keep making out and as it is I do kind of like the cold anyway (a bit strange I know). Fantastic photos and I think it is great that that old wireless set has been given a new lease of life and hasn't just been consigned to gather dust in some neglected corner :-)

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    1. Thanks David. It's been such a strange year weather-wise, I can't imagine what this winter will be like. At least, from a selfish point of view, the cold brings the birds into the gardens and to the feeders.
      We've a few old things here that we use - like a bakelite phone. It is good to see these things still lasting.

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  21. We have had hard early frosts too. I wasn't prepared and some root crops I had left in the ground to over winter may suffer for it. I love walking in the woods at this time of year, not least because the bears should have gone into the back country for their winter nap and I don't have to be so vigilant.

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  22. Thanks Susan. My goodness - bears! As you know we don't have anything like that in East Anglia anymore - so it does sound amazing that you have these creatures living wild with you. I never think of dangers from wild animals when I go out walking, because there won't be any here although, having said that - rumours of an escaped large cat persist. My friend and I did see a half eaten deer carcass the other week and she believes that a large cat was the cause. She believes she has seen it in the distance, too although I've never seen any tracks etc

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  23. The sky certainly looks ablaze! Wonderful post indeed. I love that old fashioned radio - how brilliant that you can receive digital signals now. The things people specialise in are quite eccentric! We made our Christmas cake yesterday and had our stirring wishes! I always think about my Granny around Christmas too - she was a marvellous cook!

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    1. Thanks Lou. I agree about people and eccentric hobbies - but thanks to the internet we can find them when we need them!
      It's lovely to hear you have those memories of your Grandmother.

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  24. Hello Wendy. Just wanted to say thank you for your lovely comment on my post last week. I couldn't link up to you straight away but now I've found your blog (blogger does do some funny things sometimes). Your walk looked amazing and I love the sunset pictures. I've looked at a few of your posts and I do recognise a few local places in Essex. Your small holding sounds wonderful.

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    1. Hello Patricia. Thank you for visiting and for your kind comments.
      I imagine you do recognise a few places! The smallholding is a bit under mud at the moment - it already seems a long time since those dry days of summer!

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  25. I didn't know about woodpeckers and beehives, but I guess if we were woodpeckers, we would do the same. There is something very special about following recipes which were used by our parents and grandparents - it brings back lovely memories. I enjoyed the walk with you, although I am very glad it was a virtual walk, given the rain.

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    1. Thanks GS. I agree - I can't really blame the woodpeckers either. Given the hard work of trying to find food in frozen ground, who wouldn't go for an easier option?!
      And yes, we did get soaked - it was typical that the rain came down right when we were in the middle of a large field.

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  26. Wow, what a sunset! After reading this post I feel as though I've been on a very enjoyable walk with you and Harry.

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    1. Thanks Helen. It is a favourite walk of mine, close to home.

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  27. Thank you for leaving a lovely comment on my blog "The quiet walker" had a look through your blog and it is so nice to find some one else that is interested in nature as well and also has Border....great dog.
    Have put you on my list and will be following you... Have a good weekend

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    1. Hello Amanda. Thanks for visiting and for your comment. I also look forward to following what you do - have a good weekend too!

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  28. thank you for your lovely comment on my blog, it's always nice to find someone else blogging from lovely Essex! what a gorgeous walk you have there, those sunset photographs are wonderful, such vivid light! x

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    1. Hello Charmaine. Thanks for the visit and for your comment. We have had some lovely sunsets here recently, haven't we? Something very special in the middle of all the dark and short days.

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  29. Sorry I'm so late catching up Wendy. What a lovely and informative post! I like the way you have protected and insulated your hives, I'm sure the bees are snuggled and safe for Winter now.
    Rose H
    xx

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    1. Thanks Rose. There has been no sign of the bees recently, so they must be all clustered in the centre of the hive. They are very good at surviving the cold (and insulation helps here) but if the hive gets damp, then they aren't likely to make it to the spring.

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