Doddie Aid - Week 3

Started on Sunday with a walk around Gifford community woodland, as you near Broadwoodside the owners of the farmhouse have added wee points of interest and random sculptures, some of which we spotted.  Then after a coffee and scone we had a stroll around a very quiet Gosford Estate.  This weeks close to home walks have been improved by the addition of a few inches of snow and blue skies though a quick trip to the office highlighted the more dramatic scenery of the Borders.  Ended the week with a walk around Humbie Church woods, apparently famous for harbouring the only colony of the North African herb, Cochlearis Megalosperma in Scotland (not that I would know it if it leapt up and bit me to be honest!)

Doddie Aid - Week 2

Sunday's walk was along the Longniddry to Haddington railway walk, other than being flat, mostly mud free and socially distanced from the fridge there is little to recommend it as a walk.  Nothing much of any interest in either direction!  No bonus bank holidays this week so a quick swing round my local loop Monday lunchtime.  Photo shows the rear view of one of my pet hates and I am grumpy as I lost today's game of Patriarchy Chicken, wiped off the path by the self importance of some limp looking yoof.  Midweek walks have been investigating my nearest wood, Woodhall, good for rainy day walks and it will be stunning in the Spring when the Rhododendrons are flowering.  Saturday was more exploring of the Winton estate walks from the Pencaitland side.  All in all a week hampered by work and weather, hopefully a better effort next week!

Doddie Aid - Week 1

I am not normally one for New Years resolutions but the turn of the year seems a good time to give myself a shake up and get moving again.  I signed up for Doddie Aid where you log your exercise for six weeks.  There was only time for a short walk on NYD, Craig turfed me out the car and I did a few miles back along the Pencaitland railway walk, passing the totem poles on my way home.  Two of these wood carvings tell the history of the community, coal mining and market gardening and the third is today's wildlife.  Bright blue skies on the 2nd so a longer walk taking in Threipmuir Reservoir, Harlaw reservoir, Red Moss nature reserve which is a peat bog up to 6m deep in places and skirting round Loganhouse Black Hill to the Green Cleugh path.  The 3rd was my last day off work so I started to investigate the tracks around Winton estate for their suitability for pony hacks, definite possibilities if we can avoid the donkeys of doom...  Finished up the first week with a very soggy stroll around Butterdean woods.  As we were leaving we spotted the wood louse sculptures by David Freedman, there are a further three sculptures in the woods by him including an amazing looking Celtic pig so we will return to hunt them down.

Good effort Prickle

Susan posted this on Facebook titled "When you decide to have an indoor jumping lesson with a new instructor"!

2022 Round Up

It has felt like another "nowt" year which in reality is absolutely ludicrous, we got married, sold two houses, bought one, moved the pony and I took on another task at work which meant lots of training and trips away.  It's certainly been a year of highs and lows, losing Craig's mum the week before we got married and his granddad the day before we moved house.  Then there was the general "meh" of catching Covid and never really feeling I've totally shrugged it off. 

We still love the house, one new cooker and one new boiler later, we even went wild yesterday and ordered a new sofa (ooo and an alarmingly expensive footstool I just threw in at the last moment).  It's been eye opening to see how quick every company is to presume you are putting everything on finance.

The world in general continues to be a little "err did that just happen?" - the Ukraine is still being invaded by Russia, the UK had three prime minsters in as many months and woman's rights are being eroded at speed in Afghanistan, the USA and Scotland. 

Horse wise, so many fabulous photos again this year including some "all grown up" shots of Campeador, Caramia and Rufina.  Highlights of the year included, Chamfron Tizona completing a very tough Man v Horse and being awarded the best turned out award.  Then crewing for Chamfron Agata de Fuego at the Scottish Endurance Championships and her gaining her Bronze Thistle final plus the trophy for the Novice 50km and Highest point novice and Chamfron Chaco playing in his first polo tournament. 

Festive Criollo (Lindsay and Tigre)

Festive walks

It's not been the nicest weather but we've been out for a few strolls, Big Saltoun Woods on Christmas Eve, a nice wee wander round the woods and past many ponds.  Apparently it is one of the last havens for red squirrels in East Lothian and it has two yew trees believed to be around 300 years old.  On Boxing day we headed down to Cove beach and as the tide was out we went and looked at the weathered limestone and sandstone rocks and caves, it was a rather raw day not helped by me having a wee paddle in a rock pool, roughly thirty seconds after I said "I'm fine, it's not slippy"!