Dog walking in South Staffordshire

[Deleted]

Good afternoon, Bob, hope you enjoy this morning's walk with
only one allowed herself to be photographed though

Just reached the top of the old orchard onto farm-proper




Thistledown already, turn right off track into rape stubble



Walking towards Grandad's track, first horizonal line in pic. Ripening wheat ahead.



Look right to Grandad's yard, now housing - this track, not as weedy in those days, is where I learned to get the old brake-less pick-up up to 30mph and still manage to stop just before the yard ;D



Look and turn left to walk back to Dad's farm and the old water tank, used in the days when sprayers were small

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At the water tank and about to turn left onto home track, spuds ahead then a wood where I often see Mr Fox. Some brown leaved trees visible.




Past the wasp nest quietly! Built in a rabbit hole entrance.




Bessie trotting ahead, this track is only walked on these days, used to be the busy track between our home farmyard the Grandad's track/farmyard.



Lots of hazelnuts this year



Passing some ragwort on the corner before the next hedge - cinnabar caterpillars busy. There's no livestock nearby so no worries re poisoning them!




A few juicy blackberries make a nice snack These managed to find a damper patch on the edge of a ditch, most are shrivelling up before ripening



Lots of hawthorn berries and some autumn leaves



Next hedge - yum yum



Past some rather wilting poppies at the end of the very dry potato field. Well drained sandy loam is not so good in these conditions.



Arriving back at the thistles. To the left is the field which used to be our house-cow paddock and on t'other side of the hedge there used to be a riding school, which was sold for housing in the 60's.

[ploughman24]

thanks joyce

[jackladd]

Aug 3, 2011 13:56:56 GMT Joyce said:

Lots of hawthorn berries and some autumn leaves



Next hedge - yum yum

Your Hawthorn is a lot further out than ours! The berries are just starting to fill out, nevermind turning red!

What's your 'yum yum' hedge please?

[Deleted]

What's your 'yum yum' hedge please?

Blackthorn/sloes - they were so lovely last year that I wondered if they were what we used to call 'damosines' - don't know if that's an official name, but round-damson trees they were.
Not all the hawthorn is so forward.