The Dale is beautiful all year round, but these two photographs show what we enjoy in Spring, when every living thing is waking up after a long winter.

On a frosty morning it’s always nice to remember what the fields are like in summertime…

Christmas Time in Brystone cottage.

Black Cock in the fields around West Stonesdale 30/12/2014

The farming year goes through the same stages every year, and one of the most exhausting is haymaking.   These days we have tractors and balers to help, but I remember when it was all done by hand, and we needed lots of help to cut and gather in the hay so that our sheep and cows could be fed over the winter.

The poet John Clare describes haymaking beautifully in his sonnet – but for us it means long days and lots of work!

Tis haytime & the red complexioned sun
Was scarcely up ere blackbirds had begun
Along the meadow hedges here & there
To sing loud songs to the sweet smelling air
Where breath of flowers & grass & happy cow
Fling oer ones senses streams of fragrance now
While in some pleasant nook the swain & maid
Lean oer their rakes & loiter in the shade
Or bend a minute oer the bridge & throw
Crumbs in their leisure to the fish below
---Hark at that happy shout---& song between
Tis pleasures birthday in her meadow scene
What joy seems half so rich from pleasure won
As the loud laugh of maidens in the sun.

John Clare (1793-1864).

After a busy time haymaking, it’s time to clip – or shear – our flocks, and if you visit Brystone you’ll find lots of shorn sheep in the fields and on the moors.  Here are some in the field right next to the cottage.

We haven’t had as much snow in Stonesdale this year as we did in 2013 – at least not yet – but Brystone looks lovely on a snowy day in early February

It’s almost December but we’re still having some gorgeous days with beautiful blue skies – though it won’t be long until the first snows.