Drystone Walls, England - Mmmm, My Favorite!

I am compelled to start this post with an apology. I am truly sorry that not everyone finds stone walls as fascinating as I do. So just indulge me.

One of the inescapable features of the Yorkshire landscape is the ubiquitous drystone wall.

Of course, I'm not the one who had to pick the rock and haul it by hand and set it to build an enclosure, and I'm not the one whose livestock no longer had a place to pasture, due to the Enclosure Act,



but as I look at the drystone walls today, they hold a certain beauty for me. I think of all the man and woman hours it took to build them. What a hardy and hard-working people those Yorkshire inhabitants were!



What got me started on Yorkshire in the first place, was the series of books by 'James Herriot,' All Creatures Great and Small.





I wanted to see the area of England that he described so well in his books, and the scenery I had viewed on the TV series starring Christopher Timothy, Robert Hardy, and Peter Davison. 2003 brought me my first glimpse of the Yorkshire Dales and it made an indelible impression on my little brain. I had to go back for more.



I wouldn't want to miss my curve on the B6160. You wouldn't believe how fast the natives drive on these skinny, winding, unshouldered roads!



I love the juxtaposition (nota bene, Kimmy) of the drystone wall and Kevin talking on his cellphone to our kids back in Wisconsin.

I took most of these photos in the area of the Hardraw Force, north and west of Hawes, or on the B6160 between Leyburn and Kettlewell, or between Kettlewell and Embsay. (More on all of those in future posts)



I can hardly wait to go back.

And just in case you want to build your own drystone wall, here's some information that might come in handy.

Look at that rocky landscape!

Don't Be Fooled

I know I need to let it go. Just take what comes and not be continually waiting for the boom to drop. I must abandon the cynical thoughts that creep into my mind this time of year when we get a weather forecast of temps in the upper 30s.

Of course it's deceptive! Wisconsin does this to us every single year. For some reason, although no one ever promised this, we've got the idea that the year should be divided into seasons of equal length. So we expect winter to be over on March 21. But it's not. Not even close. And it's not until about the 5th of June that it's safe to set out the tomatoes.

But this year, I'm going to take this one week at a time. THIS week we have a fantastic forecast before us - temps in the upper thirties, sunshine, and no wind. What a treat! I'm going to give myself utterly to this great weather and not reserve the wee-est corner for judgment. I won't pile unrealistic expectations onto our dear Wisconsin. I'm going to spend time outdoors, enjoying the sunshine, discovering the bunny carcasses that emerge with each melting layer of snow, and planning my garden.



And eventually, the first true signs of spring in Wisconsin will appear - the sweet and cheering daffodils and wood violets.

Thank you Lord, for blessing us with a beautiful spring-like week in the winter!