a spring walk, with pictures.

today, i went for a walk. 

the original plan for today was to go climbing.  that didn't happen.

dear reader, if you are female, i'm sure you are aware of what an exhausting experience it can be to ride the menstrual cycle (emotionally and physically).  friday and saturday were particularly bad, but i thought i'd be ok today.  i wasn't.  my emotions had more-or-less settled, but physically, i was still tired and bleary.  definitely not up to sport climbing. 

btw, there are several different types of climbing, which i may explain in another post, if i ever get around to it...

aaaanyway. 

the weather was absolutely beautiful, today, and i wanted to be out in it, but not climbing.  so i suggested to hubby that we take a walk, instead.  he wasn't keen on the idea since, as he pointed out, he spends 8 hours a day walking when he's at work (he works in a warehouse).  so he got the bike going for me (yay!!!! riding to work tomorrow for the first time since october!), and i went for a walk in the beautiful breezy sunshine.  frankly, i'm still knackered, though recovering, from my hormones' assault on my body and mind, but i wanted to share the fields around the town i grew up in with you.

so...

in pictures...

this is the view just ten minutes' walk from my front door.  how lucky am i?

check out the curious little guy at the base of te tree... sweeeet! ^_^

this is Street Lane, not far from where i live.  i am told its name used to be Straight Lane, and that it is a remnant of a roman road.  the A38 continues along the same line, a little further on...

this bough was at the perfect height to lay my cheek against.  so i did. 

i am not ashamed to admit to hugging trees.  it was a small moment of bliss.

i came across this willow tree in bloom.  it made me cry, with the palpable proof of spring.  when i got closer, i cried a little more when i saw the small battallion of large black bumblebees, busily collecting nectar and pollinating the tree.  sadly, i got no pictures of them.  they were too quick for me, and too busy to pose for photos.  i did ask, but they ignored me.  apart from one that hummed up to check me out.  but she was too fast for me, too.

i sat by this dyke for quite some time, the sun warm on my face and my back, just...being. 

it was beautiful.  and peaceful.  and blissful.

it occurred to me, as i walked along, that what i was actually walking through was the remains of an opencast mine, that had been here when i was a child.  all of the trees were small and new, and the terrain was flattish, and easy to walk along.  and all around me, i could feel the earth waking up and vibrating with new life.

and the sky was...just...huge.

bliss.

it was time to turn back, by now, as i was reaching the boundary of how far i wanted to walk (there was a main road not too far ahead).  on the way, though, i made some new friends...

who just loooved having their ears scratched...

and, were, well...

...kinda nosey...

i hope you enjoyed our walk through the fields around my home town, dear reader.

i certainly did.  it made my soul feel good.