Wednesday, November 01, 2006

The welcome signs of Winter

What a wonderful phrase from The Englishman in his castle! Another lucky soul who doesn't face the onset of this season with the dread that so many seem too. It's all to do with our country sports of course. Opening Meet this Saturday (which I'll miss as I'll be on our second shoot day) is a wonderful re-establishement of connections neglected since the season ended in March. It's also when our social convention of moving Sunday lunch to 5pm kicks in so that everyone can make best use of the daylight hours to do the stuff that needs it and then down tools and gather for traditional roasts and stodgy puddings.

Shoot days that start in the dark with heating of soup for flasks and loading of coats, hats, gloves, gunslip, cartridges and other paraphanalia and stretch on to post-shoot drinks in pubs with log fires or hot baths and whisky at home. When arriving at the office on a Monday morning with tanned face I've often been asked where I've been. I reply "Outdoors".

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I managed to get in a long mountain bike ride on Tuesday and could really feel winter coming on. Like you say, one gets as nice rouge glow on those sorts of days.

I nearly bagged a cock pheasant myself over near East Dean. In my front wheel. He was a bit slow off the mark. They've not got a lot of brain in those wee heads have they. Further along, on the South Downs Way climb up to Bignor there was hundreds of the birds parting like a Red Sea before me.

Anonymous said...

Well done Bretters . Just found you - very erudite. Keep writing and don't lose the faith. We love it & spot on! Sal the Pal

Bretters said...

Thanks Sal - makes a big difference when you know someone's out there. Shouting at the car radio's ok but it's more fun when you might be heard!