A Lovely day for a Survey

Its a good job we did the Plantlife survey yesterday because today part of my wildflower path has been managed . That is, Colin says, the roadside verge so rich in convolvulus  and lesser knapweed has now been mown by NRCC.

Someone once told me that living in Filey was like living in a village where every one knows about every one else. I grew up in a village (Sutton in Holderness) and remember every time I was sent to the shops my mother saying 'Now don't tell all the village our business!'  I have had three conversations today which started 'I saw you and Colin going along the Scarborough Road...............' .  So I proceeded to tell them all about the Wildflower count, just to emphasise that I don't spend all my time on QWERTY , can still walk miles with ease with a rucksack, am still married to Colin, have some striped socks, and am interested in more than detective novels and the price of fish.  Maybe if I walked along the main road out of Filey every so often the mile to the roundabout-I could vary the reasons-I  was going on a prayer walk, I was going to pray for people in every car going past on the A165, I was going to meditate on the wonder of Gods creation at the side of the road. When it comes to talking to people it is much easier to talk about my passion for flora than it is for my love affair with God.

Leaving the main road to count the plants on the public footpath seaward  to the Cliff across Filey Field was not so rich botanically, but a treasure find  emotionally . 

GOLD-It reminded me of all the miles I walked before I was married, with  friends and or my sister Susan and her friends . I youth Hostelled enthusiastically-Lake District mostly , but also Isle of Arran and west of Scotland. I remember baths where you had to pay for the plug, Fleas, cooking damper bread , tin after tin of baked beans, pouring rain and not be allowed in until 4pm, picking and eating chanterelles, lots of laughs with total strangers, Black Sail Hut and walking across fells in thick mist from cairn to cairn. Colin has never been 'a walker' but our 5 miles yesterday started a new chapter in our 38 years together. He says he will come again. The trick is to have an end worth reaching. Yesterday it was the promise of lunch with chips at the Country Park Cafe.

SILVER-The weather was hot but perfect, after rain ,so clear and  clean, with the views at maximum spendour.(millions of little flies-hence the Ag not Au). Every time we stopped we were beseiged. Still they did not bite.

GOLD- It reminded us both of a long ago walk on the Berkshire Ridgeway,

looking for Waylands Smithy. Perfect Path, no other People but 3 dog walkers, and the fascination of being up close and personal with a field of Oil seed Rape which edged the public footpath.

GOLD- Lots of insect life for Colin,his favourite Moth -the 6 Spot Burnet, lots of butterflies, too quick for me to digitalize.I hoped for a blue butterfly and saw several, but am not able to say which one it was other than it was small and sky blue matching the day.

BRONZE   I was glad that I found one species I had not found before, but I Should have known it as it turned out to be the Common Fleabane (Pulicaria dysenterica). Its name suggests that it has all sort of efficacious uses.

GOLD The views when I finished the  survey  Km were at their North Yorkshire Best, and so were the Chips!