Thursday 16 April 2015

Moments


 







Olly and I ventured up Rosewall after tea this evening. The sun was still gloriously warm and bright, and I didn't fancy another game of Connect Four. We have been shrouded in mist this week, and it has felt oppressive at times. Rosewall Hill looms up over the top end of town, and is a fabulous place for running, playing, sitting and staring.

We scrambled over the cairn and played hide and seek. There was the gentlest breeze, and no real need for coats. The sun was out over the sea, and I thought how wonderful the sunset would be later. We smelt the gorse, and looked at the tiny wood anemones taking shelter among the crags and gullies of the cairn. There were brightly hued lichens, and teeny tiny sedums eeking out an existence too. We could hear the gentle noises of cows and sheep in the fields that lie tucked into the valley below, and the chatter of birds in the air. Olly spotted a pair of Red Admirals tumbling over each other in a mid-air flight of fancy. I spotted the shiny black beetle scurrying to and fro.

We met Mr Pascoe and his two collies, Fern and Skye. Mr Pascoe's family has farmed the land around Rosewall for many years, and he told me that he walks the hill at least once a day. He was waiting for the sunset, and listening to the sounds of his animals too. He told me that on a really clear day, and with a good pair of binoculars, you could see the coast of Wales from the top of the hill. He told me of the Painted Ladies that sometimes fly over the hill, bought here on the winds from Africa. He told me about the Cuckoo, that should be making a return soon. He gave Olly his crook to play with, and showed him how to call his dogs with a click of the fingers. Olly mentioned the butterflies and the bumblebees we had seen. I felt a soaring pride as Mr Pascoe congratulated him on his knowledge and observation.

I love moments like this. A chance encounter. An introduction. A chat. A sharing of knowledge. A connection. A mini friendship born from shared values, and an appreciation and love of the place that we both proudly call home.

I wish I'd had the guts to ask Mr Pascoe if I could take his picture. I think you would have liked him too.

Leanne xx







27 comments:

  1. I know exactly what you mean about loving moments like that. There is nothing as interesting as talking to folk. Everyone is interesting and if you listen people always have a story to tell :) Sounds like a perfect evening stroll :)
    Jillxo

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    1. You are so right. I love talking to people. I'm making up for lost time, because I was so shy as a child and teen. Even into my late twenties I struggled with it. Now I literally have no qualms about striking up a conversation with anyone xx

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  2. It's energising and inspiring to meet someone who really appreciates and understands the countryside isn't it. It sounds like a wonderful walk with lots of lovely little details to be discovered. I wish I'd joined you, but I had a Monopoly moment with the littlest boy instead. It takes a surprisingly long time to put a Monopoly set away when it's been tipped up and kicked around a bit. Wishing you all a very good weekend. CJ xx

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  3. What a lovely walk. I love the look of the rock formation in that last photo - it looks a bit like a face! Well done you for teaching Olly his natural history - my butterfly recognition is shamefully poor, something I'm hoping to rectify this year. Have a great weekend. xx

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    1. He knows the ones that are common here. We make up names for bugs all the time though! xx

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  4. I love how you have taken small moments and written about them in such a moving way so that they are no longer small moments at all really.

    Seeing you get out with your Olly so much makes me resolve to do the same with my Ollie more often. Sandra

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    1. Hey Sandra,
      We are lucky to live in such a wonderful place.I suspect Olly takes it all for granted. xx

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  5. Hi Leanne, I always enjoy your writing but for a reason I can't put my finger on your second paragraph today has really struck me. It's absolutely beautifully written. Thank you. x

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    1. Goodness. Thank you so much. Mr Pascoe was a rather inspiring man xx

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  6. beautiful post!...love the man who walks the moors everyday. It's good for the soul I think. X

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  7. Wonderful stuff. If you go back you can get a picture of Mr Pascoe. I have him in my imagination now. Good on Olly for his noticing the small things and you're up on me with the Admirals - haven't seen any here yet xxx

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  8. This is just lovely! Gorgeous writing and photos. And what a beautiful place you live in! I'm deeply envious of your closeness to the sea...

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    1. Yes we are very lucky to live here. It's never taken for granted xx

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  9. what a wonderful experience x

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  10. Mr. Pascoe sound so interesting, I will be looking out for the Welsh coast now! I love the coconutty smell of gorse.

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  11. I have an image of him in my mind-he looks just like Brian who we used to live near...he was a gardener, had worked on farms and always has something interesting to share. He also used to look after our chickens when we were away...really miss him since we moved, a lovely chap.

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    1. Gardeners are always lovely people in my experience. xx

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  12. I saw sea mist for the first time this week, rolling in like smoke from the sea. It's so thick! I don't really remember it from my childhood but I think it only happens when the sea is cold and the air warmer, as it has been this week. I can well imagine how oppressive it felt to be surrounded in it all week. Gorgeous photos. xx

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  13. Beautiful post. Yes, I can imagine him. Happy man.

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  14. What a lovely blog and what a great picture of Olly amongst the stones! We have neighbours like that up here and it is always such a pleasure to talk to them. They seem to move more slowly and see more clearly than those who have always lived in cities.

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  15. I know I would have liked him, he sounds like good people. I love to talk to people I encounter when I'm out. I'll talk to just about anybody, it might help to be a little more choosy, actually. But most people are fine and I enjoy hearing what they have to say. Mr. Pascoe sounds great to me.

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  16. I love this post! Absolutely stunning photos. It sounds like Mr Pascoe is a font of knowledge. I expect he enjoyed talking withn you and Olly equally as you did. It's strange how my mind has pictured him simply from what you have written. I like that. All us readers will have a vision of him in our minds eye and each probably completely differently!!! We wouldn't do that with a photo ;0) J9x

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  17. Hi Leanne. You should start writing a novel, I do so enjoy your writing. I always feel I am 'there' with you when I read your posts. Mr Pascoe sounds like a nice chap, chance encounters like that are priceless. Have a lovely week. Christina xx

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  18. I certainly like the sound of Mr Pascoe. I too value chance encounters with like minded folk. Generally speaking people are really interesting and almost always throughly nice.

    Stunning pics of Rosewall ... my kind of place :o)

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  19. That's a wonderful moment and so enriched by meeting Mr Pascoe too. Sarah x

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