Woodcray Manor and Sand Martins walk

Another really nice day with clear blue sky and sunshine. The thermometer showed -5.3 degrees this morning. After wrapping up myself and the children, off we went, leaving Rainer to lick his wounds. As walking is something that my children do reluctantly and it was cold, I decided to choose a walk a shorter walk - only 4.5 miles. It's only about 10 minute drive from our house, so very convenient. I had walked it with my sister 3 years ago in February and I remember that we had snow and we got lost and ended up walking almost in the darkness. So this time I had to do better for my children's sake. Unfortunately it seems that the book is old, cause so many things don't apply to what is written. Very shortly it told me to take second opening which is a large gravel path, but I never found a gravel path. So we took the second opening. It was supposed to end up on a golf course, but actually it looked more like an old quarry. That was where we wondered around three years ago too. At least then you could follow the footsteps on the snow and hope it takes you where needed, but today there were no footsteps. Eventually we were supposed to reach to Woodcray Manor and take a path that starts from it's drive. As we approached to the corner of Woodcray Manor's fence, we realised that we can't take the shorter way around the corner, but have to go all the way around the property to end up on the drive. It must have looked like a papparazzi, who had to take children to work with her, walking around the house:)

We are approaching the golf course that looked more like a quarry to me. Maurice is like: " Do we need to walk up there!?!" Although it looked abandoned, it was really nice in a way - blue sky, rabbits running around, the sun is shining and little ponds are vovered in ice. Although it is winter, everything is still green. You may take it granted, but after a numerous gray-muddy winters I've had in my life, it's a definite blessing.

Summer was trying to break ice on the ponds and then as her paws felt the cold, had a mad moment, running around like torpeedo.

As Labradors are prone to get overweight, I watch very carefully what or how much she eats. Unless of course she is running around and find something and I can't get it back from her cause she just gobbles it down in a split second. But one thing she can almost always have, is an apple core. Here she is waiting for Victoria's apple core:) I guess the only time Summer has patience, is when the food is involved.  You can also see the background of that golfcourse/quarry a bit.

After walking through the forest, where Maurice found a birch log that he decided to take with him and passing a housing estate we turned onto Sand Martins golf course. This time it was a real golf course. It has little sandy hills or walls, where during the summer Sand Martins are nesting. Since it is winter, my blog would have to do with a picture of just a weathervane in shape of a Sand Martin

This is the picture of Sand Martin golf course. You can see the greenness I talked about earlier and on the left is that sandy wall, where in summer you could see Sand Martins. If you look really carefully, you could still see the frost in the shady area.

Today I want to finish with words of Raymond Inmon: "Angels whisper to a man when he goes for a walk." It is so true. You get better thoughts and bury the bad ones. It helps to clear your head and take away all the everyday stress. If you have a stroppy teenager or hyperactive child or dog - take them for a walk. I guarantee you will see the results very quickly. But until you do or inbetween I hope you keep reading my little blog. God Bless!