First Jaunt of the Year!

Thought you might appreciate this. A few days late - I've been busy at uni for the last week (handed in 2 assignments). I've posted this at the European forum as well.

New Years’s Day Jaunt

Had my first jaunt of the year today. I wasn’t too optimistic about the weather – several Hogmanay events were cancelled in the region, Whitby has been cut off again, and we had sleet here last night.

I poke my head cautiously out of the window, tortoise-like. No frost. Cold, but milder than yesterday. The sun is shining and the sky is blue. Up high in the sky small feathery clouds scurry. It’s a walking day!

I have breakfast and quickly dress. I have new winter woollies that I bought yesterday in Thornaby – matching striped scarf, hat and gloves. I won’t win any prizes for elegance but I’m soon as snug as a bug in a rug, and as warm as toast. I take my camera, a bag of bird-food and 2 stale loaves of bread, and head off down Church Lane.

On my left I take the path that passes the White House. In the hedge on my left the hedge sparrows are creating a racket. A robin perches in a tree on my right. Turning left past the Sports Field I head for the Acklam Woods. At the corner of the field I check on an old tree that had a mass of fungi growing on it a year or two back. A couple of branches have broken off but I can see spring buds – all is well! These woods contain oaks; they were mentioned in the Domesday Book and give this suburb its name. The oaks already have big fat buds emerging.

I go past the imposing building of the old 17th century manor house, now a college. At the duckpond I call “Dinner! Dinner! Dinner!” and start throwing my bird-food. The pond is slightly frozen. Normally the mallards swarm around me and hoover up the food as fast as I throw it. Today though they slither over the ice and look generally woebegone. I scatter the bread and go.

I head up past the Avenue of Trees, taking the path near the school playing-fields. Underfoot there is a thick, damp, carpet of oak leaves. Occasionally pine-cones and the prickly cases of sweet chestnut poke through. I look high into the canopy of trees above me; quite often there are grey squirrels here but today there are none, only the rooks cawing repetitively. To my left I can see the Cleveland Hills. And yes, they have a covering of snow.

I take the footpath that skirts the playing fields. All the world seems to be out for a walk. A lady pushing a pram passes me. Here’s a man with two dogs, “Morning! Fine day!” I see several other walkers like myself, in twos and threes. Passing the perimeter of the cemetery I see people bringing flowers. Further on I see the Hydroponicum of Nature’s World in the distance, closed today for the public holiday. I look across the golf-course – a father and his young son are playing. Behind them I see a buggy heading for another hole.

Here I start to turn back. Fickle weather! It’s now clouded over, and I start feeling chillier. I take the path back past Devil’s Bridge, and head for the “Endeavour”. At the pub I toast the New Year.

I decide to revisit my old home, in Highbury Avenue, where I was brought up. Forty years have passed since I left. The corner shop is now a private home again. But the street itself is largely unchanged. Of course, there is no-one left who I remember. I populate the deserted street with memories of my old friends. And children – playing with skipping ropes and balls. But today it is too cold to play outside and the street is silent. My old home is in good condition; our pocket-handkerchief lawn has been replaced with a brick-paved patio. Very tidy, but I remember the clarkia and godetia that I grew there.

And now I head determinedly for home. Through the Cutting which I used on my way to school, and past the Acklam Woods again. The circle is complete!!!!!