Gone away ...

When Amy left us the summer seemed to fly away too.  Ben took to moping on his bed and I missed terribly the round warm weight that used to settle heavily against my feet when I sat upon the sofa with my knitting or embroidery. 

But .. after all .. Amy would not have wanted us to be sad forever.  She had a tremendous zest for life, grasping every opportunity (especially if it involved food!) that came her way, and fortunately she slipped away so peacefully at the end.

So Ben and I decided to pick ourselves up and take ourselves out - on one of our favourite walks - around Snapes Point just across from Salcombe.  We set off from the carpark across fields that had already been cut ..

 

Close to where earlier in the year we watched the spring lambs at play. 

The day was overcast, but warm

and there was plenty of activity on the water.  Sounds of gulls crying, and outboard motors chugging along floated across to us from the Salcombe side of the creek .. the sound of the motor is so ubiquitous on the water now, I wonder how Salcombe sounded before the outboard became so widespread..

The long walk was clearly doing Ben a lot of good - he cheered up and began to act much more like his usual impatient self.  Doesn't the lane look autumnal? Check out the wind-sculpted trees - it can be very wild up here in the winter months.

Signs of autumn in the hedgerows - jewel-like haws and beautiful star-shaped ivy fruits.

And fruits in our garden too.  I am not at all fond of apples and always worry that, even after giving as many away as possible, as well making some chutney and also jellies,  a large quantity from our ancient trees either go to the birds or for composting - seems such a waste.  But this year ...

... the surplus are going for juicing courtesy of GreenJane - and we'll have some lovely juice to enjoy at Christmas.    It's the end of one season ... but the beginning of another... autumn leaves, bonfires and fireworks, choir and lunch-club, soups, casseroles and hearty warming puddings.... frosty mornings and toasted toes in front of the fire ... life goes on and though, like the summer, Amy has gone away now, she'll  never be forgotten by her family here in Devon. 

Bluebells and the beach!!

Amy has been put on stronger medication and as a consequence is feeling much more like her old self again. Her operation wound has now fully healed and so we decided to go to the beach. It was just like old times .... the excitement barely contained... the anxious lookings out of the car windows ..... the exuberance when the road to Mill Bay was recognised ... and then .. the rolling on the sand in sheer joy at being alive and on the BEACH!!!

Then of course there had to be swimming .....

But soon the old lady was tired .... she can only manage about 20 minutes or so now ... so she was told to wait in the car, parked in some lovely cool shade, while Ben and I went off to look at the bluebells. After all, she couldn't manage this walk last year, so I know it's impossible for her now.
She watched us go ...

You can't tell how steep the path is here - but it is VERY steep indeed.

It's worth it when you reach the top .... the bluebells were lovely ... but we were only just in time I think, another week and they'll be over.

But so, so beautiful .. these are the true English bluebells, much more delicate than the cultivated Spanish bluebells, and a much deeper, richer blue.. carpets stretching away up the hill ...

And the view back along the beach where we walked with Amy earlier.....

A truly glorious afternoon. And so nice to be out with Amy again. The vet is very pleased with her, he's talking about the possibility of her being with us for the summer ... that would be wonderful ... keep your fingers crossed for her.

No snow at Salcombe!

Snow, what snow? No snow here!! Sorry the rest of the UK is cut off from us, but we're enjoying some (relatively) warm sunshine here today.

The car's thermometer told me it was 11 deg C in the sunshine as I drew up in the car park at Snape Point, just above Batson Creek. We set off down the track ...

The hedges had been trimmed and below us in the valley a bonfire smouldered, but we didn't go down to investigate. I love this walk, normally we trek right around the point, but it's been so wet lately that I decided to stay on the track. The views across Batson Creek to Salcombe are beautiful and so I kept stopping to take photographs ....

Which made Ben very impatient. He doesn't see the point at all.

You can just see the bottom car park at Salcombe on the left in this picture, with all the masts of the boats that have been put into winter storage. The pontoons you can see are crammed with boats during the summer season.


Salcombe was bustling though, we could hear traffic and the sound of hammering from one of the workshops. I didn't take Ben down to the creek as I knew the path would be pure liquid mud. Here in Devon we do very special extra-slidey mud and I've ended up on my bum more than once in the past. With a drive home and a visit to Morrisons en-route I didn't want to be walking around covered in mud, so I refused to go down through the gate.


Instead I took this very artistic (I think) photo looking out to sea. Looks like a holiday brochure!

"Ha!" says Ben, "I'll take my revenge. If Mum won't take me down to the creek then I'll wallow in this muddy puddle instead."

And he did! The end.

Tiptoe through the bluebells .....

Last week Ben and I walked through the woods above Mill Bay where there are masses of bluebells in the springtime. I'd been meaning to go there for a little while, but there was always something needed doing, and Amy cries most pitifully if we leave her behind although as an old lady she simply can't manage the more energetic walks these days. But ... the butchers found us a most beautiful bone to console her ladyship, and time was running short if I wanted to see the the woods carpeted in blue this year ... so I hardened my heart, loaded Ben into the newf-mobile (aka my car!) and set off on the short drive.

The narrow Devon lanes are at their most beautiful I think at this time of year - Ragged Robin, Cow Parsley, Lords and Ladies, Pennywort, Toadflax - and of course Bluebells - I love the old-fashioned names for our wild flowers.

Up the hill and into the bluebell woods ..... we were only just in time - although the bluebells were past their best, they were still very beautiful.

Hurry up Mum! Lots more to see!

Down towards the lower path. Last time I walked this way was in February. The slope was a sea of mud and I had to hold onto the fence posts to keep from falling. Now they are invisible behind the new young spring growth.

The views open out as we turn onto the lower path, heading back towards Mill Bay in a circle around the edge of the woods. Opposite is North Sands, South Sands and then Salcombe. Deserted now ... but once the school holidays are here it will be quite otherwise!

Ohhhh Mum, my paws are tired and I'm hot!

Now that's more like it!

Let's swim!

It was lovely to have the beach to ourselves - no young children to worry about. Although Ben adores children, those who aren't used to him can (understandably) find him rather alarming as -10 stone of floppily lolloping newf charges happily towards them.

Then home for a nice cup of tea - and for Ben to tell Amy his adventures of the afternoon!

Ben's Birthday Post

Here I am. My name is Ben Dickson and I am an exceptionally good-looking Newfie as I'm sure you will agree.

Mum said that I could write this post for a special treat as next week I will be one whole year old. Yes, one year and 10 1/2 stone. That's 147 lbs or 64.5 kg. Wow!! I'm all grown up. Bigger than Amy (not that she likes to admit she's just a shortie).

Over the last year there have been a lot of firsts for me and I wanted to show you some of them ... but before we begin, if you visit Middle England Newfs

you'll be able to see some photos of me when I was only a few days old. UNBELIEVABLY small!!

One of my first journeys in the back of the newfie-mobile. Here I am only 3 months old. (There's not so much room now!)

First showing Uncle Richard how to undo his shoe laces!

First trip to the beach with Dad

First time getting wet all over and making like an otter

First game of beach football with the BOYS!! (Look at Amy getting in the way. Trust a girl not to understand the RULES)

First time captain of boat

First water training lesson with Joe

first time WINNING at beach frisbee!!

First time Amy ADMITTED I was as big as her. See how fed up she looks!! Ha!!

First visit from Kelly the grooming lady. She NEARLY CUT MY EAR OFF!!

(note from mum, no she didn't he's just being silly)

First Christmas. Don't I look handsome? Amy thinks she looks best, but I know the truth ..

First time galloping so fast I thought I would FLY!! (Amy isn't even watching)

First time cooking Spot's golden cheese dreams. Watch out all you celebrity chefs. "Canine Cookery with Ben Dickson" has a certain ring to it! I want to do some more cooking, but Amy is back on her diet.

First time trying to EAT the bluebells. Mum said "No! they're for looking at silly." Girls stuff is what I say.

This is not a first time although I hoped it would be. This is me (the tall handsome one) trying to get the best bit of doughnut FOR THE FIRST TIME. But our friend Mike always gives tiny little Amy the nicest bit. Life is soooooo unfair .....

Love from Ben xx