A wintery walk

I thought I'd take you on my afternoon walk with my dog, Mido. The ground has been frozen solid now for three days and the frost glitters beautifully in the low, slanting winter sunbeams.

The garden looks a little untidy. Brian has been chainsawing trees and trimming bits of the hedge where needed. We are currently removing sycamores and replacing them with oak saplings that I have grown from acorns picked up from under our existing oaks. It's a long term project! The three white blobs in the left hand corner of the picture are our remaining ducks. They are looking a bit guilty as they have climbed over the bank and are where they are not supposed to be.

Our walk takes us past the garden, through double gates, across the yard and on to the bridlepath. Mido has to go on the lead because the sheep have access to the green lane and the ram is with them. This means it not a good time for Mido to 'play' chasing the sheep. Actually there's never a good time for that.

A quick pause to look at the sunlight on this beautiful tree. The picture does not show that the bank has been washed away from under the tree's roots by the rain and it is hanging precariously over the lane. But it must be fairly secure with its remaining roots, as it has been like this for years.

Time for a zoom about. This is Parc Maen Hir (Long Stone Field). It has a lovely steep slope which is perfect for tobogganing, but it makes me feel sad because my lovely and much missed horses are buried at the bottom of the slope under the shelter of the hedge.

The Preseli Hills are a bit hazy today. This is the highest in the range and often wears a shroud of sea mist or low cloud. They look a lot nearer to the naked eye, but the camera makes them appear much further away.

It's a really steep slope in this field. So steep even the dog grinds to a halt for a breather at the top. There's not a cloud in the sky and the moon is nearly full.

Pippin and Bullseye were both lying down having an afternoon nap in the sun, which actually feels quite warm, although the air is bitingly cold. They got up to see who was looking over the hedge at them.

Back out on to the green lane. This is an ancient right of way. The trees curve their branches over it and in the summer it is a tunnel of green. In the autumn we find little chewed hazelnut shells which could be from squirrels, but I really hope they are the remnants of a dormouse's supper.

Back home now and in the warm. This is the window next to the corner where my computer sits on a desk. I have just lit the woodburning stove, so there is a lovely woodsmokey smell. There's a cup of tea by my left hand and behind me Hannah and Rosie are sitting at the dining table drawing pictures.