Curlew Wood

I mention the wood we live in often, and from time to time I blip the part of the wood that our new gate theoretically* opens onto.
Really we're lucky that whilst surrounded by the wood no significant trees are on our land, and those that could threaten the house are well looked after by the Hall and the Farm.
Most of our windows look South and East and for a long time this was the wildest and most neglected part of the wood. But since I&P moved in next door they've begun to manage it. At first I thought the constant drone of the chainsaw was a shame, but it's hard to argue with the results. Allowing more light through to the ground has revealed a blanket of wild flowers (helped no doubt by the effective excavation the flooding did in 2015), and the pollarding of dead trees and stacking of fallen branches has seen a marked increase in wildlife.

Yesterday's exertions were fine; but there's a movement I do, I've not pinned it down yet, some sort of weighted turn or extension, and it opens the joint (I think) in a flash if pain. When it happens it's day over. Today it happened as I put the coffee on for breakfast, the day gone before the sun crested the Pennines.
I managed to amble round the wood with I&P's crazy setter Milo, giving us both some fresh air whilst they were doing Christmas things, and yes, they've done a grand job in keeping it wild but now more accessible.

*the land drain / path / retaining walls / gate project started in March. Would be great get it finished this year!