(no subject)

[essayel]

There's something about being up REALLY early at this time of year. Thanks to the dog, of course, who wanted to help the cat play with the mouse he had brought in. A very tiny mouse actually, smaller than my thumb.

To compensate the pooch for not being allowed to eat it, I took him for quite a long walk - or he took me - and we enjoyed making friends with a large lonely horse, gazing lovingly at sheep and spotting bunnies. I'm not sure whether he had previously made the aquaintance of bunnies but it was clear he would love to know them better.

Up on the top lane I started thinking, as one does, about the hedge. It is said that a new species of plant establishes itself in a hedgerow every thirty years so I counted over a paced off section and noticed:

Hawthorne
Elder
Ash
Oak
Field Maple
Hazel
Blackthorn
Holly
Something that looked like crab apple
Nettle - stinging
Nettle - yellow
Ground elder
Ivy
Campion
Cow Parsely
Trefoil
Herb Robert
and a few others I'd need to look up

This takes us back an easy 500 years, which might seem to be stretching it a bit except that that lane shows clearly on some of our oldest maps and nothing endures like a public right of way. The lane contours around above the town at just the right height to avoid the windy tops and the boggy bottoms, a route that heads for Hereford in one direction and west into Wales in the other and, personally, I reckon 500 years is the least of it.

The dog wasn't in the least interested in the hedge other than in getting wound up in it but on the way back we saw a little owl and a green woodpecker and more rabbits and startled someone's cat very much indeed. So it was quite a successful walk from both of our points of view.

Comments

[yakalskovich]

Wow - I keep blogging all sorts of stuff, down to reminders to myself that I send to my journal by SMS when I'm out and about - but when you put up one of your rare journal posts, it's so definitely worth reading and remembering.

*is impressed*

[essayel.livejournal.com]

We got back at about quarter to seven so I had a play with this then, just didn't post it til later. Got too interested in making a post for Charlie.

Since then, il poocho has disgraced himself by making a hole in the OTHER hedge. We need more wire!

[yakalskovich]

Dog's probably convinced he's got the right to go see the next door neighbours or thinks it's a competition - you try to keep him in, he tries to escape, and whoever gets what they want wins...

[metallumai.livejournal.com]

Hi Sally! Even when we don't really stay in touch, we're in touch. It's about 6:30 here and I'm going to take His Dogness for a walk in just a moment. Yesterday on our morning trek he CAUGHT A BIRD, right out of the air, as it flew up from the ground--- eep!

Wish I were coming back to the UK this year; hedges are part of that wish.

Next year.

[fuchsoid.livejournal.com]

If your'e interested in hedges, this (http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1905119046/qid=1147614314/sr=1-5/ref=sr_1_3_5/203-7092361-2675164) is really interesting. According to them, the dating by species number (which I heard as one tree species per century) is a bit of a myth, and its much more complicated, but a lot of hedges, especially in your area, are very old indeed. Any books by Oliver Rackham are good too, especially his History of the Countryside.

[gonzothegreat.livejournal.com]

There is just no keeping a dog over 50 lbs enclosed... You'd think it'd be the other way 'round, with the smaller dogs escaping easier, but no. The bigger the dog, the smaller the holes they can somehow get through. Law of nature.

[metallumai.livejournal.com]

yeah-- it's a scientific fact that dogs (and goats) are part snake. No hole too small.

[essayel.livejournal.com]

He's busily trying to force himself through the six inch squares of pigwire as I type.

Luuurve is such a motivating force - but when he gets round there all molly does is bite his ear and make him yip! Serve him right.

[essayel.livejournal.com]

Caught a bird!! Wow, fast reflexes. But then huskies are very much in touch with their inner-wolf from what I've heard. I hope you had nice weather for it.

I wish you were coming over as well. I'm a braver driver in a bigger car, we could go on a [short] road trip - so not to fall off the edge of the island.

[essayel.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the link. I'll see if I can get a copy for work. I'm always looking for things to do with the other halves of school groups when we have too many kids at a time.

The 30 year rule is just a very rough guide - in the hedge I mentioned there were lots of things - narcissi, berberis, cotoneaster - that had been planted rather than 'arrived'. But this road is in just the right place, goes right past the site of what we now know to have been a Roman farmstead[ this (http://www.walespast.com/article-print.shtml?id=30&image=1) was found there] and is quite probably mentioned in the piperolls. Having some horticultural substantiation, even if to be taken with a pinch of salt, is just the cherry.

[erised1810.livejournal.com]

wow. tis' godo to see youback.
adn blood yhell. i've been on holiday nearto where you seme to live. Thank you for bringing that-one back. adn thans kfor that hedge trivia. I'd never head of that-one.

[essayel.livejournal.com]

Trivia is fun! Though this one isn't to be relied upon because it doesn't take into account human interference.

I'm glad you enjoyed your holiday here. God smiled on the borderlands, which is why, I suppose, so many people have fought over who gets to have it.

[erised1810.livejournal.com]

this is al lheresay andword of mout hfolklore, jsut liek the hare and houdns restaurat that hasa stoen standing in front of its' doro of which it is said that if yo utouch it, yo ubecome very sick.

M ydadand I lso discoverd atiny cathedral in whch a very importat crossroads of ley lines is udnerneath a naltar and oncey orueach that point you beocme very cal mand still. adn that-oen istrue, even if tested arterreadign aboutheeffects etc. i eman m ydad keeps saygn that's wish ful thinking just liek he says amassage is relaxign because you've heard it is and so yo uwant itto be soothing. (adn ialso dont' believe that-one. because i'm sure as hell literal yfeelign m ybody sort of fall into some kind of state of letting go al lthe tension adnI can't do somethign against it.

yeah .the borderlands. the offadike's path (sp?) The cotswolts. arrundel castle 9fuckign hell. is thathhe castle you work in? if so you have tothink of me when o uclimb that windign starecase-without-something-to-hold-on-to.)
and it's thee were we discoverd the fne 'castle' 'ruins' i nsome cases it's a mere hil lwit afew cows grazign onthere. fine. we got wet feet tryig notclimb up in search of an old ruin and foudn some woodwork and well, mud? *grins*
adn i've bee nto sleep yhereford .adn abergavenny. and the wee kafter that we wentto devon. adn this year i'm hopignto go to the south of england. bath a nbrighto netc. i know ,very clechay places to visit but after liek three trips got cancleed (includign oen toyorkshire last year whichshoudl have taken place weeks after the tube bombings)well...i fialy watn a chance to visit king's cross (for that and for hp) and find the suposed spot wher the leak ycauldron shoudl be. :) adn virgi nstore. and this little place ofwhich i forgotthe name but oh never mind. ENGLAND! i think this time it's actualy ben confirmed for onceand i definitly am going. it's jsut been too long (not includign ireladn two years ago adn that wa to obrief also.)
vut i wantto go back to wales adn there abouts. adn thats' why i'm stupid and scavenge project gutenberg of al lplaces adn have loads o auld travelogues adn touristic boksabout england.