Wednesday 31 July 2013

Where's a machete when you need one?



Some of the public footpaths round here are getting a bit overgrown and I could have done with a machete when I was confronted with this one



This is across a field of oil seed rape and it's higher than my shoulders.  I was past the point of no return when I reached this so had to go through, but remembering the advice I got about making noise to scare away snakes, I sang at the top of my voice (I normally do sing but a bit quieter)

My song of choice when walking through crops is 'Fox on the run' by Manfred Mann. - although I only know the first few lines so these get repeated over and over 
At one time I reserved it for wheat fields like this (you can just see the footpath through the middle here) but now I include anything that's quite high and if the sun's shining




This path is nice and open at the side of a maize field

and this one's just been mown.  The local council sometimes cut them down in summer 



Here's a bee and butterfly sharing thistle flowers.  Did you know that thistles have a very nice perfume?  I didn't, until a few years ago when I kept getting a waft of perfume in our garden and couldn't think where it was coming from.  I eventually tracked it down to a big patch of thistles in the field next door

These wild flowers were along a path

When you enlarge this seed head the unfluffy bits look metallic.


and a couple of nice skies






11 comments:

  1. Hi, love the photos from your walk. I think we must be lucky around here as the farmers are good at leaving a wide clearing on the footpaths. I would never think about snakes, but maybe I will now. I have little walking songs too, usually on a nice spring day it's " here comes the sun"
    Oh and I still do the " tree in summer" rhyme you taught us, with the boys :0)
    Jacquie x

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  2. I'm going to now try and find a thistle to smell, lovely photos of your walk, great sunset.

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  3. That's reminded me of many years ago when a sudden fog descended as I was walking across some moorland - I kept myself going in the right direction by singing 'It's wise it's wise to have slim thighs!' Got strange looks from the sheep but managed to get back to the car park! Never knew about thistles - can't wait to go and give one a sniff! Jane x

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  4. Lovely pictures, I especially love the skies. Summer skies produce some beautiful cloud formations.
    I love pink bindweed flowers, they are such a pretty colour, but why oh why do they need to have such annoying foliage that strangles everything else and grows so prolifically!
    You have some lovely walks there. Its been far too hot to do much walking here, but I am looking forward to some cooler days to walk the footpaths again x

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  5. Well, ya learn something new everyday. I also didn't know that thistles have perfume. I will have to have a sniff before I mow them down!

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  6. What a beautiful walk there. Love the path and I would sing out the snakes, too!;>) xo Diana

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  7. I loved the sky photos LBM! I have to worry about rattlers here in Colorado! I usually tramp through vegetation only in the very cool hours. Summer is just the best!

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  8. If I were to sing it would start to rain so I stay quiet and hope the snakes aren't hungry! :) x

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  9. What amazing places you have to walk, through those fields, amazing. Perhaps you'll charm the snakes with your singing. Imagine the headlines "U.K. woman charms local snakes with her singing!" :) Love the sunset photo.
    Anne xx

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  10. A lovely walk with pretty pics! Of course I"m always treading quietly because I want to attract snakes. ;)

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  11. Lovely photos Georgia and there are going to be people smelling thistles all over the country side now!!.......

    Claire x

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