The weather is all too seducing. I feel like a naughty schoolgirl playing truant as I abandon indoor chores.
“I have to go and pick up some bales from the top.” I call out to anyone listening as I guiltily slide out of the office donning wellies and sunglasses (the eyes haven’t recovered from troglodyte-sight following the last couple of years’ rain). On the bobcat I change the scraper for the grab and trundle off up the lane, dogs in tow. The snail pace of the bobcat feels just fine today, and despite the engine noise the vibrant gloriousness of the farm can be hungrily appreciated.
Mission accomplished all too quickly so I reluctantly return to my office and try to concentrate. I get sidetracked by twitter, I get sidetracked by chatty emails, I get sidetracked by the phone. I just get side tracked by anything.
Robert calls up the stairs “Want to come on a walk?”

to help a new puppy acclimatise themselves with the farm and surrounds whilst keeping safe, I carry them in a rucksack in between letting them explore. Willow has taken to this means of transport like a duck to water
“I’m trying to work.” I shout back “Trying…” And it’s definitely trying “So yes please…hold on a second and I’m there.” I give up all pretence, close down the computer, grab socks, rucksack, puppy and dogs and I’m off.
Robert’s day time interest-of-the moment is hoverflies. Having been on his course he’s all fired up. So with butterfly net, collection jars and an insect pooter – a thing to suck up insects into a collection tube (and I thought he was talking about a computer…) – he scours the hedge and wood line of all accessible fields and moorland; this wonderful weather has been perfect for insects, especially hoverflies.
We decide on Scadsbury, an hourglass culm grassland field bordered by ancient woodland leading down to the River Lew. Primroses dotted among the soft pink-mauves and deep purple-blues of violets spill out of the woodland into the scalloped edges of the field; nature’s own subtle embroidery. Dancing a jig at the very tops of pussy willow trees, males of the beautiful moth Adela cuprella seek to attract mates. This small moth, with its metallic bronze and copper wings, and flowing white antennae many times the body length, has never before been recorded in Devon but it’s common this year. The book says it comes and goes, some years being very seldom seen if at all, and others in some numbers.

the first bluebell flowers in Scadsbury Woods
Down by the river clumps of pungent wild garlic are linked through a green carpet of bluebells teetering on the edge of flowering.

after much newness and excitement...
Robert finds his hoverflies while the dogs and I introduce Willow to woodlands, boggy grassland and rivers. She’s entranced while we (yes, even Skye and Ness, though they have tried their best to ignore her) are enchanted by her!

...Willow falls sound asleep!
18 comments
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April 21, 2009 at 5:55 pm
hen
oh my. you are such a beautiful writer. I was there.. with you.. throughout reading that. Beautiful!
Willow is the best name for a dog ever. She looks very silky and cute!
🙂
hen
x
April 22, 2009 at 9:34 pm
paula
Hey thanks hen – I’m blushing!
And I just saw on your blog that your dog is called Willow too…so of course it must be the best name ever.
April 21, 2009 at 7:04 pm
mopsa
If you’re wondering why I had this page open for so long – it was partly to gaze adoringly, and partly to not forget to show Mr Mopsa. I can just imagine trying to carry my two huge beasts in a rucksack!
April 22, 2009 at 9:36 pm
paula
I’m just imagining it – the Mopsas and Fenns in rucksacks:):)? No, it would have to be the other way around me thinks!
April 21, 2009 at 9:49 pm
elizabethm
I’ve been walking today too paula, it was just glorious although I had books in my rucksack (I am trying to get used to weight in time for Offa’s Dyke) not puppies, more’s the pity. lovely photos.
April 22, 2009 at 9:42 pm
paula
That’s something I’m really bad at – carrying gear whilst walking. I always feel that walking should be experienced with total freedom of body, mind and soul – unencumbered for max enjoyment.
April 23, 2009 at 6:46 am
Rosie at eco-gites
Hi Paula – just found your blog via Colour it Green and have enjoyed being side-tracked by it!! I should be getting on in the veg garden or dusting the house or cooking the rhubarb or cleaning out the pig etc etc but on a day like this the dogs really do need a long walk and then there are those other blogs to visit and emails to answer ………
An easily distracted Rosie x
April 23, 2009 at 8:52 pm
paula
Really good to see you Rosie and glad you found me via CIG.
It sounds as if you are experiencing the same wonderful weather we are along with a mass of infinitely preferable-to-chores distractions – rather nice though isn’t it.
I’ve had a quick look at your blog, fascinating – what a great vision and brave move. Did you have ties with France before you decided or was it a complete life change? Look forward to keeping up with your diary too.
April 23, 2009 at 9:53 pm
Rosie at eco-gites
Hi Paula – thank you for your kind comments – no, we had no ties with France, just many good holidays and some friends further north. But it was the only way we could afford to fulfil our dream with the added advantage of enabling the boys to be bilingual. At times it’s hard but overall it’s been a great move and now we have planing permission for the eco-gites and our new house we are moving closer to living a much greener life.
April 23, 2009 at 10:31 am
mary
Lovely day off (or part of a day) Paula. Well deserved I would say and were you a naughty schoolgirl?
April 23, 2009 at 8:59 pm
paula
It certainly was and I felt I had another one off today – I was planting in the biome, it’s looking good.
No I don’t think I was. I just found it incomprehensible (boarding school, being from the Far East), though my independence and lack of conforming could have been construed as such.
April 23, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Happy Spring! « Catherine Sherman
[…] Moxey of Middleground explains how spring fever affects many of us in Sometimes My Train of Thought Gets Totally Derailed. Paula of Locks Park Farm across the pond is side-tracked by the gorgeous spring weather in Devon. Check out the photos of her adorable new puppy, which she carries in a backpack in Playing Traunt. […]
April 23, 2009 at 9:03 pm
paula
Thank you Cathy for the link.
April 23, 2009 at 5:55 pm
heidi
Oh Paula, please send me one of Willows siblings in a nice air carrier right this minute!!! So cute, I can almost smell her puppy breathe..
Iam in love with her, and that is that.:)
We finally had some warm(70 degree) weather all last week, -finally. No sweaters, or woolens needed. I actually went outside in shorts to garden, and just sat awestruck at the glory of it all.
Apples blooming, hot pink bleeding hearts , ferns unfurling, the hops already 5 feet high, and the hover flies are back patrolling them.
Here’s to spring fever!
April 23, 2009 at 9:14 pm
paula
I think you would love her even more if you met her. She’s remarkable (and I’ve had a few very different dogs in my time). She seems to really ‘get it’ and I mean everything – from different types of people, to what is right and wrong and even Ness’s different personality. She has the knack of making everyone feel good (oh heavens I sound like one of those sickening parents…apologies!)
With a temperament like hers I’ll most definitely breed from her when the time is right – so can’t do sibling (all gone) but can earmark a stateside puppy:):)
I hope the warm sunshine over at yours is helping to lift the spirits and make people order your wonderful iron craft again. (And hops are really 5ft…with hoverflies? We’ll be over!)
April 24, 2009 at 9:54 am
throughstones
what an absolutely wonderful little dog. I am so glad we have all been able to enjoy these idyllic spring days – feeding the soul.
April 27, 2009 at 9:09 pm
paula
They certainly have done that – we were all sorely in need I think!
You see I don’t mind the rain when I’ve had sun; it’s actually rather lovely…
April 27, 2009 at 9:17 pm
paula
Rosie – sorry I’ve taken an age to reply. That’s a wonderfully brave thing to do. It would be quite a challenging project to set up in this country, so I take my hat off. Are either of you French speakers?
It’s wonderful that the boys have managed to master the language as quickly – and it will be such an advantage for them too.
I look forward to keeping up with your progress and maybe we’ll pop by when on our way to the South!