first I have to say thank you - we've been truly overwhelmed by all the kind words on and off the blog. It really helped to know so many friends were thinking of us on Wednesday. We're having a few Very Quiet Days now. Such events are physically and emotionally draining. But I hope things will drift back to some sort of normality eventually [whatever that might be] but there's no rush! Maintaining good health is still high on my priorities list however.
Oh I love this song! When we retired, I was determined to walk more- and set myself a target of 10,000 steps a day, and 1000 miles in a year. I knew it was important for my health to deliberately incorporate exercise into my routine. Six months in, and my daily average is over 10K paces [some days less, but then I make it up with extra later] and my total distance is already around 600 miles. We are so blessed in having lots of different walks which we can do from our front door - east, west and north, down quiet roads or footpaths - round the village and through the village. Last Saturday, despite my cold, we took a new route, and foraged* some late blackberries and three apples. It wasn't far [6500 paces, around 2 miles] but we enjoyed the sunshine and the scenery.
“subsection (3) A person who picks mushrooms growing wild on
any land, or who picks flowers, fruit or foliage from a plant growing wild on
any land, does not [although not in possession of the land] steal what he
picks, unless he does it for reward or for sale or other commercial purpose.”
This means that you can pick anything growing wild (the 4 f’s: fruit, flowers, fungi and foliage) on any land as long as it is for personal consumption. However, picking cultivated crops or collecting wild food for commercial purposes would be considered theft. [This provision does not apply to seaweed or if the plant or mushroom in question is listed as endangered species. And you certainly cannot uproot plants, or chop down trees!]
Thanks for the info about foraging, as you know mushroom picking in the New Forest is out of control. Very lucky in my part of Dorset, sweet chestnuts, hazel nuts, sloes, Bullace and blackberries and probably a whole lot more if I cared to look. Best wishes to both of you, recuperate and refresh. Sarah Browne.
ReplyDeleteYes, Dorset IS a good foraging county. I forgot to mention the 'never take more than 50%' tradition when you are foraging. It is important to leave some for wildlife and some for other foragers! Thanks for the kind wishes
DeleteSounds like it was a very fruitful walk that you enjoyed on Saturday. ;)
ReplyDeleteFruitful indeed!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad Bob is home and you're both taking time to gently recover. Thank you for the foraging information, I didn't know that.
ReplyDeleteThankful that all is going well.
ReplyDeleteWe are so grateful for all the kind wishes and prayers
ReplyDeleteI think you are doing very well with your exercise routine and your eating plans.
ReplyDeleteWe have blackberries all over our town and I pick some. I would love to know enough about mushrooms to pick those but it's too dangerous when you are not sure. One mistake could do you in!
So nice that this w/e you can relax and be grateful!
☺️👍
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your peaceful times together now that Bob is home.
ReplyDeleteI love "found food". We are fortunate to live on a large lot which is rather wild and we forage in our own backyard for berries! However our Canadian blackberries are not quite as plump as the ones in the UK, but we are still glad of them.
Glad to hear that you are enjoying a few quiet days to recover from the stress.
ReplyDeleteYou have done really well with your walking! I have been very lucky during the pandemic to have discovered many new walking trails and green spaces in my end of the city and to have a friend who has kindly driven us to many more. It has made the walking so much fun and interesting - especially as we've so much wildlife that we never took the time to notice before.
I also love 500 Miles - a few years ago I attended a SciFy convention here in Toronto and Kai Owen from Torchwood was one of the guests. There was one night where he lead a bar full of people in a very rousing version of that song! :-)