The Hill Farmer

I decided that rather than launch straight into work I would be a little kind to myself first. The weather forecast for the weekend was a rapidly deteriorating one so I headed out for a bike ride this morning, only short because I'm wary that I'm still harbouring this bug (and it might still win if I'm not careful), but long enough to give me a buzz which has carried me through the rest of the day.

I saw Ronnie here at his farm out at Barden and couldn't resist stopping for a chat. I'd photographed him before back in November when he was out in his fields mole catching. He's quite a character, indeed almost a caricature of a Yorkshire hill farmer. He's still at it well into his eighties. He doesn't get cycling at all. He told me that he's never ridden a bike in his life. He had a tricycle when he was a little kid but never graduated any further. He mimed the uphill effort on a bike and gave me a look which suggested I was quite mad to want to inflict that on myself!

I had a culinary epiphany this evening. Fruit salad marinated in chocolate spread. How have I come this far in life without ever before making this discovery? It was positively orgasmic!