What I learnt/saw on my dog walk today

Posted by Rosie

I took the dogs for a nice long walk today.  So what did I learn/see as we rambled round our local footpaths?

1.  It was warm, verging on hot so:

• Despite the walk being mostly in shade, the dogs got hotter and hotter and slower and slower!
• Despite the walk being mostly in shade (!) it felt very hot to me and I was quite glad the dogs got slower and slower!

2.  Wildlife was enjoying the warmth - There was lots of butterflies flitting between all the lovely wild flowers and the cuckoo was shouting it's presence to the world.  Said wild flowers covered my trousers, shirt and arms in pollen - good job I am not a hay fever sufferer.

3.   I searched high and low on lots of blackthorn bushes but there were very few young sloes to be found.  Note to self - search further afield for sloes or else there will be no hedgerow jelly this year :(

4.  There may be a lack of sloes but the elderflowers are just coming into bloom so it's not too late to make Elderflower Champagne.  Note to self No2 - buy fizzy water so I have bottles to store the champagne in.

5.  Having dog leads of 2 very different lengths is a pain in the whatsit.  Note to self No 3 - find the missing dog lead or buy a new one.

6.  Our neighbouring farmer will stop for a long chat even when he is late to pick up his son.  Note to self No 4 - avoid farmer if I am late!

7.  Hawthorn also goes by the name of May ... but this year it is blossoming in June.  Maybe therefore there will be a good crop of haws and I might be tempted to try again to make Hawberry Ketchup - it failed last time but apparently I was too late picking the haws.

8.  I forgot the camera.  Note to self No 5 - remember camera next time!