Statue with Dolphins

After yesterday mornings excursion to the heights of the Pennine Hills, the snow came to us yesterday afternoon. Though for us it hasn't been anything like so dire as the forecasters/ news people were predicting. We probably have had about 10cm/4". It was probably a little tricky on the roads as it was coming down but by that time I was tucked up warm with the fire blazing away!

It's been a beautiful and warm day today in the sun. After collecting the paper we went for a short photo walk through Wortley Hall grounds and then back through the fields and very pleasant it was too.

This statue has featured before in my blips and it's not easy to get the composition and the light right. I think this is my best angle yet. I also took another shot with slightly more space around it which I also like.

I've just tried looking up to see if I could find anything out about the statue but there doesn't seem to be a name attached. The British Listed Building Survey suggests that the pool was probably constructed in the early 19th century. Though I'm guessing that the sculpture could be older and may have been brought back to the estate following an earlier ancestors `Grand Tour' of Europe (though the fact that it is not marble may work against this hypothesis). Ann thinks it could be a depiction of Palaimon, a young sea god who came to the aid of sailors in distress (Greeco/Roman Myth)

I managed a few nice sheep photos too - just as we were walking along the path they spotted the truck arriving with FOOD, so a troop of sheep were coming from all corners of the landscape. There was still one small flock on the path as we rounded the corner back to the village. These were duly rounded up by said truck - the first time I've seen this kind of herding sheep!