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Sue Woodcock: Job hunting – but never a dull moment
Having been made redundant, I have been job hunting. I need some sort of regular income to make ends meet. I was asked to take what holiday I was owed, so I have had a bit of time.
There is always plenty to do either with the house, or with the stock, or even helping friends, so I have also been frantically trying to clip some of my sheep, the ones I can catch, that is. I went over to friends at Keasden, who have some of my sheep and a few of their own and clipped them.
Then I went to see another friend at Ingleton and on the way passed the most glorious stand of yellow flags, or wild irises. They are sitting in a dip in the moor and are quite magnificent.
All the dogs came with me for the day and roamed round the field while I was clipping, until they got tired and then came and tried to intimidate the sheep from the other side of the hurdles, until we released the sheep and Brillo and Bentley made a hasty retreat. They slept soundly for the rest of the evening, as glaring at sheep is profoundly tiring, or so it would seem.
The wind and rain arrived, and on my way back down the dale, the swallows were hunting insects under the trees in a chaotic aerial display of impressive skill.
I saw one swallow get it wrong and crash into the road side. As quick as a flash, a stoat pounced and carried the bird off, for a fortuitous meal. Obviously, the stoat had been watching too.
The roadsides and the gardens are a mass of colour and variety. There are young animals around, everywhere. Often I have to slow down for a duck and ducklings crossing the road, or a mother pheasant with her brood. I even spotted a leveret darting into a field.
My friend with her four-year-old son came up for a cup of tea and a chat, and the boy very politely asked to go and play outside with the assortment of animals. When we checked him, he was standing with his arms around the neck of Gwendolyn, my goat and kissing her. I think it was a two-way affection because wherever he went she followed him and he didn't even have any food with him. When he came inside, she waited hopefully by the door and bleated pathetically for another cuddle!
The Buckden Singers' practice was held at the venue for the concert, St Michael and All Angels at Hubberholme. I have only visited this wonderful church in winter. My friend and I drove up on a tranquil summer's evening, and the dale was showing itself off in fine style. The meadows were full of grass and flowers, the sun was shining, the hills looked warm and welcoming, and the air was filled with birdsong.
On the way back the sun was tinting the hill tops and moors a delicate rose pink.
In the shadow of the valley, the sheep were lying contentedly chewing the cud.
It was one of those special windows of perfection. It makes me understand why I came to this part of Yorkshire in the first place, and cannot envisage ever leaving willingly.
Last year a very pleasant young man came up from London to interview me as research for a book. His name is Henry Hemming. He sent me a copy last week, and it is called In Search of the English Eccentric and I am included, together with some pretty impressive well-known characters.
One of the London papers picked up on it and sent a photographer to take a few pictures. My dogs behaved almost impeccably, as if this is a daily occurrence. They posed on cue and even drove the geese towards us when required. I began to wonder if it was their idea of a joke. I just wish they would behave as well without an audience!
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Weather for Yorkshire
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -1 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 1 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North west
