The Longest Day

Much of today was spent catching up with all the things I didn't get done last weekend while staying with Mum and Dad. At about half past five, realising that there was still plenty of daylight left on this long midsummer's day, I set off on one of my walks where I take nothing except the camera, a spare battery and my house keys. I find this very liberating, and become completely absorbed in Nature - it's a chance to shrug off the strains of commuting and working in London.

I walked down the side of the hill into the valley, having decided to head for the farms that can be seen on the horizon from my lounge. I found this small wild flower growing in the woods next to my road. It was so delicate and perfect, with the dappled sunlight shining onto it through a canopy of trees.

At Hazeldene Farm I stopped to watch a couple of magpies hopping all over one of the cows, just as they were in the photo I blipped of the deer at the end of May. The farmer, Steve Bateman, drove up and stopped his pickup truck for a chat, and said I was welcome any time to look around at all the animals. He told me that the cow was called, predictably, Daisy and that she was 17 and used to belong to an old lady who could no longer manage to look after her. I said I would come along to the Sheep Shearing on 6th July if I could, as it looks like it will be an interesting day. I continued on past the farmyard to climb up the side of the valley back into the woods, and sauntered through the cool shade towards home and some supper.