30th December, 2012

Mr. Hillman's been busy with weddings so we haven't made it down here for a few days (no point in me taking photos as they are always SHOCKING!). Cold, damp and windy today, but very pleasant being blasted by fresh, country smelling air! There were lots of people down here too- families and dog walkers and visitors to Abbey Mill for their Sunday lunch!

We spotted some interesting bird life again today. We got much nearer to the kestrel, which seems to be nesting on one of the highest points of the actual abbey church ruin, and we also saw this grey and yellow bird feeding on insects in the grass of the abbey cloister. Is it a grey wagtail??

The little river that runs alongside the main Red River is completely still today- it's not flowing and looks quite unpleasant- it must be blocked somewhere along it's course, so I hope it doesn't flood again, or all the stuff in it will overspill onto the abbey cloister lawns.

We walked up into Abbots Wood today, and the wind was really howling through the trees. It reminded me of the bit in 'Wind in the Willows' where Mole goes off in search of Badger, followed by Ratty, and they get lost in the Wild Wood. It was like the Wild Wood in Abbots Wood today, with faces in the trees... all that was missing was a little snow!

The ground is still saturated, and the poor sheep are soaked and have very muddy hooves-this doesn't seem to stop them frantically grazing though!

Perhaps he's thinking...well, I'm wet anyway.....may as well go for a swim!

It was looking like twighlight, even though it was only 12.45pm-my mum insists that it is getting a bit lighter for longer every afternoon, since December 21st....... she will say this now until August!

'Soon be spring', said Frankie, leaving his coat behind in the car (but not for long!).