Monday, August 26, 2024

Which end is which ?

 

Yesterday, they cut the barley in the field that lies between the cottage and the sea. This morning the farmers two teenage sons are up at first light loading up the bales and driving them down to the barns. The two sons race their tractors through the stubble at a speed that hints this is as much 'fun' as it is work.


Puppy is also up and about early . She joins us as far as the foreshore where she tires of our company and heads off in pursuit of a family of Partridges.


Lob, our local fisherman, is heading off into the bay with a deckhand and his sea dog labrador. The dog settles contentedly in the bow with the wind fanning his ears and a look that could almost be a smile. The other fishing boat is already at sea and a good five hundred yards ahead in a race to the best lobster grounds. It's a national holiday and the restaurants are keen to get all the fresh lobsters they can. Lob promises to drop off some langoustine - if he catches any. He'll only be out for a couple of hours as a cold blast of Arctic air is expected mid-morning. The oil supply vessels are already heading into the bays sheltered anchorage. We are now back into 'coat' weather for our morning and evening walks. Last night it was dark by nine thirty - which was a shock.


The main beach still hasn't opened. Or, to be more precise, the security barriers haven't been taken down yet. We meet the Chinese chef and his Puli. We say good morning. The chef nods inscrutably.


Even up close it's difficult to tell which end of the Puli is which.


How clever of the Dutch to have invented this :https://uk.stoov.com/products/ploov-45x60-canvas-midnight-blue

A sound of France played on the radio this morning |:https://youtu.be/PXQh9jTwwoA?t=4




15 comments:

Ruth said...

That sound of France seems to me to be the perfect soundtrack to life in the last wee house before Denmark and I think I'm going to play it as I read your blog.

WFT Nobby said...

The 'push me pull you' Puli is, er, 'striking'. The pink bow seems a practical touch.
Is 'Lob' a nickname or nominative determinism?

Angus said...

WFT - 'Lob' is a decidedly Scottish nickname. The first book Angus can ever remember reading was a very Presbyterian story about ' Auld Lob ' the farmer. It is not the sort of literature that would commend the attention of todays three year olds revolving , as it did, around the adventures of a bad tempered goat with a passion for eating unripe apples.

Anonymous said...

I think that the Puli's pink bow is the end you give the treats!

Coppa's girl said...

The comment above was from me!

jabblog said...

The Puli looks like an oversized furry caterpillar.

WFT Nobby said...

On reflection, the Puli looks like the model of Dougal from the Magic Roundabout that I made over half a century ago using an empty washing up liquid bottle and some string, following Valerie Singleton's instructions on Blue Peter!
Cheers! Gail.

Lisa in France said...

Thank you for the Puli photos. I once knew a brown Puli named Oliver, and he was quite a wonderful dog. I understand the dreadlocks are very hard to maintain, however - I would guess this is not a dog you would want to take for a walk on the beach?

Diaday said...

At our last home we had a large yard and used a riding lawn mower to cut the grass. My husband enjoyed cutting the grass at a slower, leisurely speed while smoking a cigar. My sons, just like the farmer's sons, put the mower at top speed to get the job done as quickly as possible and had fun while doing so.

Travel said...

Fresh lobster sounds wonderful. I think the dog might need a little trimming.

Stephanie said...

The barley field pictures are splendid. I see Puppy!

Jim Davis said...

The only way I could tell which end of the Puli was which would be determined by the direction of travel......

rottrover said...

The photo of the lobster boats leaving the harbor is beautiful. I've not seen a photo from that angle before. I think the corded dog is called a komondor. I think they are white and pulls are black. I could also be mistaken...

Fi from Four Paws and Whiskers said...

Ive been following your golf posts all week without really considering their significance - but was amused to hear last night that Lydia Ko has won it - very happy for her and glad I knew it was happening, even if I didn't realise she was playing. Go New Zealand :)

Angus said...

Fi from 4 paws - The New Zealand community here ( small but vocal ) was in celebratory mood.