sparkle and crunch

this morning was sparkling with frost and a bright blue sky. we went out early and avoided the snow and sleet which arrived a couple of hours later.

the sun on our backs gave us giant shadows across the stubble and the leaves sparkled and crunched underfoot.

in Cakes Lane we met the owner of the old water meadow; he was attempting to clear the ditch which has backed up all the way down to the road and is flooding his rape field. we had a conversation about the barn owl I saw on Saturday. it had flown up into a tree by Sunday, so perhaps there is hope for it.  and there were hobbies nesting in the wood last year, they raised one youngster. I must look out for them next year.