Yesterday there was warmth. For the first time this year, I thought about taking off my coat during our afternoon walk around the forest. Didn't. Max made long speedy detours into all the deepest, muddiest puddles; a woolly bear cooling off. Must get him clipped again soon.

( I record a dream )

A cold, cold day for riding out yesterday. No ice on the puddles, and water still running down the lanes, but the north wind and the damp air making the day all windchill and ache. The fields empty save for flocks of fieldfares, and the hedgerows all twigs and melancholy. Last week's storms have left their mark - a shock to ride past the fields at ( Read more... )

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Cold wind, warm sun. Mid-morning down at the stableyard, and the terriers all sunbathing outside the office. Swallows chattering by, swooping in and out the barns ( Read more... )

Rode out this morning, for the first time in a few weeks. And it was nice to be back in the saddle, freezing my extremities, in a state of not-quite-suppressed anxiety ( Read more... )

Down at the stableyard for half ten. The sky very dark and threatening. But the rain held off as we led the horses out of the stables, adjusted stirrups, tightened girths, led horses over to the mounting block to climb on board - and only once we were all in the saddle and setting off did the rain begin to fall quite heavily ( Read more... )

Blue sky. No ice on the puddles. A biting north wind ( Read more... )

Mid-morning down at the riding stables on another cool grey summer day. No terriers to greet me with a cheerful bark - they were all curled up on the chairs in the office ( Read more... )

Glorious sunshine this morning. Down at the riding stables, the mixed pack of hairy terriers were all stretched out next to the sun-warmed brick of the office wall, too blissful to even bother barking at my arrival ( Read more... )

Another Monday morning hack down at the riding stables. A day of cold east wind versus warm sunshine; but the sunshine beginning to win - two hairy terriers and an elderly pointer sunbathing on the concrete outside the office ( Read more... )