Woodland Wander

Off to Grenofen the other side of Tavistock to walk along the appropriately named River Walkham and through the woods. It's a beautiful place, the sound of the water rushing along to meet the River Tavy at Doublewaters! If you walk that far you then circle back through Sticklepath wood! That walk will have to wait till Oscar is older as I'm mindful of the fact he should not be doing long walks until his bone plates have formed. I love the way the trees are reaching over the river to greet each other - a sticky handshake?! They are doing the same here!
We didn't meet a single soul unless you count the man at the house where the walk started who was on carpark duty for a wedding reception that was being held there! I did see the bride in the distance clinging onto her fathers arm as she precariously made her way to the house over the uneven ground!
Oscar just loved the place - no whining in anxiety at being somewhere unfamiliar - just bounding around and snuffling through the leaves! I kept hiding behind trees and calling him to work on his recall! I also tried getting him to sit and stay for a photograph - lot more work needed on that! Like the children I used to teach, he doesn't generalise behaviour and I have to teach him the behaviour wanted in every new situation! At the end of the walk I spotted some sheep so decided to do some training - I don't want Oscar trying to round up animals on our walks! He noticed them but was not unduly I interested! But I walked him up and down the field rewarding him with treats anyway! Might have been different if they hadn't been behind a fence!
Once home I made the Sweet chestnut and butterbean pate. I did as was recommended and cut a cross in the skins and put them in hot water for 15 mins before roasting them. Well this only worked for a few of them in removing the inner brown skin layer! No wonder chestnuts are pricy when bought given the amount of time it took to scrape this skin off with my fingernail! In the end I resorted to scooping the flesh out with a spoon. I must admit after mixing it with the mashed butterbeans and roasted garlic, and even after adding olive oil, it was a bit on the dry side! Maybe I should have added the water I'd boiled the butterbeans in? 
On going up to close the hens later in the eve Oscar was a right pain grabbing his lead - I know he just wants to play but tug-of-war with his lead is not good - particularly when the hens are waiting for their bedtime treat! I'm going to have to leave earlier to allow time to stop and ignore such behaviour and reward the good walking! Plus some at home training on toys he can tug  and the lead he cannot!