One woman and her dog

Mags provided 5 of us with a lovely meal last night. Then Gus and the rest of us saw in the New Year in the moonlight on Scout Scar overlooking Brigsteer and the Lyth Valley. On the way up, we were debating how well he could see in the dark. The answer came when he tried to run across a cattle grid and plunged between the bars up to his shoulders. He was a little surprised but not hurt. The other debate was whether he would take any interest in the sheep in the field above the farm. We put him on the lead at that point, though we needn't have worried as he took no notice of them whatsoever, which perhaps explained why the shepherd who trained him decided not to keep him.

Despite a late night he was keen to go this morning. I was the only one up. We had a wander across the Knott with no one else in sight. I watched six ravens flying together in circles above the hill. There were two great spotted woodpeckers trying to outdrum each other in Redhills Wood, while I saw a green woodpecker in the open fields on the north side of the Knott. So a good start to the 2013 bird list.

This photo was taken on his second walk today as he sat with Wifie at Heathwaite overlooking Morecambe Bay. We had visitors whom we had not seen for some time, as well as Eduardo who has been staying with us for a couple of days.

Happy New Year to everyone in Blipland.