With my daily internet stuff dealt with, it was time to depart the library and make my way into the wilds of the countryside. It was a warm day,. A very warm day, despite the plentiful cloud, and walking up the road toward Hodson I was sweating mightily. If I were honest, my own fitness was not helping, largely because I'm not as fit as I was last year. Without intending to I was finding any excuse to sit down and just chill out.

Sometimes you just notice something. It grabs your attention. I remember a friend of mine, TB, a singer songwriter, who was for no apparent reason captivated by the sound of the wind rushing through the leaves of the trees. I know what he means. It can be such a relaxing noise, but in his case, his attention was drawn to it completely. So much so that he forgot he was in a well-to-do area, and a passing police car decided he should take his attention elsewhere. His embarrasement probably saved him from arrest.

In my case, it was a field near the motorway. In past years I've wandered that field. At the time I thought it was left fallow, but later I realised the farmer had turned it into a tree plantation. Somewhere I have a photograph of it. A field coloured russet brown by the tightly packed stems.

Yesterday that field caught my attention. In a moment of amazement I realised those trees were now twice my height, and so closely packed that it was seriously dark in there. What a wonderful haven of wildlife it must be inside that gloomy wood. On balance, I'll leave them in peace. Getting inside that thicket of trees is more trouble than it's worth. But what a difference a few years make.

More Vegetation

The rear gate of the old college site was open when I passed by the other day. You should see it now. Nature is well on the way to reclaiming the abandoned buildings and grounds. Tall weeds and small trees sprouting from every crevice. Funny thing is I think it looks great. It really does. Much nicer than the bare asphalt or the characterless concrete and brick walls. Like something out of a cheesey 70's sci-fi film. And I note Charlton Heston visited Swindon once in 1968. I wonder where they got the inspiration for "Planet of the Apes" from?

Cutting Back The Undergrowth

Talking about chilling out, I bumped into an old guy sat by a footpath enjoying the good weather. His dog, a black spaniel named Daisy growled at me. Naughty girl.

"It's your backpack" The old man suggested knowingly, "The dogs don't like it."

What? Nonsense. Can't a dog recognise a human being when it sees it? But after being growled at by a small terrier as I passed by I have to wonder if I need a haircut after all.