Paws for a Puppy: Walkies through Pinsley wood

Monday 25 February 2013

Walkies through Pinsley wood

Walkies through Pinsley Wood:

Barnaby says - "Ever since I came to live with Helen she promised that one day (when the weather had settled) we would walk through an ancient wood, one with gnarled trees and twisted pathways that thread their way through the trees where gnomes and goblins lived (perhaps). I have no idea what gnomes and goblins are, but Helen seems to think they are an exciting extra that one occasionally encounters when walking through an old woods. Anyway we didn't see any when we went to Pinsley Wood this week.
All we saw were muddy paths, pools of water and more water. You find this wood by walking the green lane besides the Hand and Shears pub, at Church Handborough, which stands opposite the parish church. Church Handborough is about 6 miles west of Oxford and a charming little village.
Helen loves this pub because they serve a delicious fish and chips and the choice of beers is good too.

Barnaby & Auntie Liz visiting the pub.

Water, water everywhere

Helen's fish and chips

Barnaby before he got muddy.

On deciding to visit the pub this week and then walk the wood Helen and Auntie Liz didn't take the weather conditions into account. The pathway however was so saturated with rain that had fallen during the past week or two that walking was like dancing on soft slippery chocolate. The further we all walked the more mud covered our boots and paws. It was not the happy experience I had expected and my lovely Australian waxed jacket got covered with mud. Helen had to dry it over the radiator when we got home.
You may notice that I am now growing so fast that this lovely jacket is no longer the comfy fit it once was. It is nice and warm though (Sheep skin!!!) so I will go on wearing it until the weather turns.
When we lunched at the pub, the barmaid made me a really nice cup of tea to warm me up and Helen gave me a chew bone to keep me happy while she and Auntie Liz ate their fish and chips. Despite the mud, it was indeed a rather nice day - though I didn't see any goblins. What is a goblin?"

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Barnaby Peacocke

Meet Barnaby Peacocke the purebred Border collie with merle eyes who was born in the Cotswolds September 29 2012.

He lives with Helen and two pesky cats Harvey the ginger mog and Buster the Burmese who is convinced he comes from royal stock and is therefore rather up himself. Helen? Oh she is just Helen. Nothing special about her except that she is particularly fond of Border collies, and is considered a pretty good cook.

Barnaby was selected to live with them when Helen’s beloved Border collie Pythius-Peacocke died November 12 2012. His death broke her heart. He left some pretty big pawmarks to fill which is where Barnaby comes in. He has been called on to fill her life with puppy antics and become her constant companion. His main job is to ensure she’s as happy with him as she was with Pythius. Will he manage to do that? No one knows – only time will tell.

Pythius Peacocke

Pythius the Border collie wants to say a few words

I lived with Helen for more than 12 years, during which time we walked the Cotswolds and most of Oxfordshire in order to obtain information for the four Paws books we wrote together: Paws Under the Table, Paws for History, Paws Along the Way and Paws in the Cotswolds (Wychwood Press - £9.99). They were good times. Together we clambered up many a high hill, scrambled through the undergrowth of dense woodland danced through streams and ran free across meadows and fields.

Before I finally took my bow as the arthritis in my legs become too painful to bear, I first looked round for a little chap who could take my place. It was the least I could do before leaving Helen.

I discovered Barnaby in a farm house at Old Sodbury. Given our many walks in the Cotswolds it seemed logical to organise a puppy for her who was born in the countryside we loved so much.

He is a dear little chap, though I fear he is going to lead Helen and her friends a merry dance, such is his energy, especially when he wants to turn right when they have decided to turn left. BUT, yes there is a BUT, this little chap is very, very fond of his food (something that never really bothered me) and Helen is a food writer and a smashing cook – so I reckon they will get on. Within a few days of Barnaby moving into Rose Cottage, Helen was cooking up rabbit stews and shepherd’s pies for his food bowl and he was woofing them down as if he had never been fed before.

I watch from on high, but with interest.