First snows of winter

In the last few days we have experienced such a variety of meteorological conditions. We had just retired to bed when I was sure that one of our cows was bellowing near our house. D thought I was imagining it, but I couldn’t rest, got dressed to go and check. Outside it was so foggy that my torch cut through the darkness, it was like being on the set of Star Wars. Eventually I found the cows, counted them – yes they were all there, cudding under the oak trees at the bottom of the field as if they hadn’t a care in the world. Then I heard the bellowing again; it was coming from a neighbour’s farm, so I could retire to my bed without worrying. On my return D asked, “ well, were they alright”. “Yes they’re all fine” was my reluctant reply. D says that she can be talking to me and suddenly I’m aslee………. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
This weekend, apart from the farm work taking some of the Hereford heifers to their winter quarters, D and I have been visiting family on Saturday and a gathering of people researching the same surname as D on Sunday. We went to see Aunt P on Saturday night, not only to see her but also to collect the tickets for the‘Blindeye’ gig next weekend. I’m never sure at what point you should ask a lady her age, but there come a time when the information is volunteered, “I’m 87 you know, 88 in the Spring” she imparted with glee on more than one occasion. It’s always good fun to visit her and after a short while she produces a little light supper. Sandwiches, raspberry tart, cake and copious amounts of tea to wash it all down. It was more a meal really, after we left D and I were quite full, but we slept very well almost like cats in front of the fire.
On Sunday we gave a lift to a distant cousin of D’s to this researchers day at Cleobury Mortimer. Going over Clee Hill it was so foggy D thought we were in the clouds. Twelve people were there from different parts of the West Midlands – Tamworth, Birmingham, Ledbury, etc. Bren from C M was the hostess, providing places for those attending to put files of their research for the rest of us to pore through. She also provided a soup and sandwich lunch and, rather fittingly, mince pies as it had started snowing. We left in the early afternoon, the snow on Clee Hill was quite bad by now and the roads very slippery coming down to Ludlow at little more than 5 mph.
Later on The North Shropshire Methodist Youth Choir was at our church in Pontesbury – they were very good. Everyone stayed for a cup of tea afterwards. Then it was home to revive the fire in the grate then to sit and watch ‘Cranford’. D was enthralled by it and I was thinking – back to work tomorrow for a rest!