Calm before the Storm

We woke up to a morning of sudden squalls interspersed with sunny spells. If the weather forecast is to be believed this is definitely the calm before the looming storm. Apparently it will hit the South East of England sometime around 3:00 a.m. tomorrow morning and continue throughout the rush hour with winds gusting up to 80 mph causing widespread damage to trees and buildings. On the television news they are still comparing it with the Hurricane of 1987; at least this time the Council emergency planners are preparing for any eventuality. We are very lucky in this country that we don't get such seriously wild weather as this regularly, as they do in other parts of the world.

I've been baking bread this morning which I find to be very therapeutic, particularly the kneading and knocking back. It really relieves any stress if while you are pummelling and stretching the dough you imagine that it is somebody that really annoys you. The Home Secretary Theresa May has been getting a really good hiding today; a bit of pay back for what she and this Government have done to the finest Police service in the world (Sorry I've gone all political again. I must stop doing that).

While waiting for the bread to prove and during a lull in the squalls I took Little dog for another walk on the Forest. I wanted to take some more photographs of the autumn colours before all the leaves are blown away. It is very wet underfoot now thanks to all the rain that we have had over the past couple of weeks. The little streams which were barely a trickle a few weeks ago are now in full flood and the Forest is becoming very boggy in parts.

Little dog has got no interest in hanging around taking photographs she was having a party of her own. I looked down from my camera to see her licking water from a very small puddle that had formed on top of a cow pat. You wouldn't believe that she is a pedigree Spaniel and kennel club registered, with habits like that. She is always happiest when wading into the streams and stalking the herds of sheep.

I always keep her on an extended lead to prevent her from chasing the sheep and causing total mayhem amongst them, unlike somebody who I saw in the distance whose dog was off of the lead and worrying some sheep, luckily he managed to get hold of it before any injuries were caused. There are signs all over the Forest warning people about sheep worrying and keeping their dogs under control. But you still come across the odd idiot who lets their dog run free convincing themselves that they won't follow their natural instinct to hunt.

Anyway we're back home now having a refreshing cup of tea, the bread has been baked and looks and smells delicious. Outside the wind is still gusting and the rain continues to pour down. I'm watching a ghost story on the television (it must be getting close to Halloween) while Little dog is having lots of fun licking her bits and generally grooming herself. I told you that she is a pedigree!