SUMMER SOLSTICE WALK

It's the longest day of the year. The sun rose at 4.45AM and set at 10.34PM. Aside from being the Summer Solstice, there's a full moon, the first of this combination since 1967. I was 11 years old! The Solstice period fell between the planting and harvesting of crops, leaving people who worked the land time to relax. This is how June became the traditional month for weddings. 

It's a beautiful evening in a wonderful place. I'll celebrate life by taking a short walk to Upper Slaughter and back. Starting at the hotel, through the village, over pastures, along the River Eye, to Upper Slaughter, cross the river again and retrace my steps as the sun goes down. 

The Hotel

The River Eye in Lower Slaughter

I'm Such a Peeping Tom, Do They Even Make Dundee Marmalade Anymore?

Still Muddy But So Tranquil

rtc

Into the Next Field

The first view of the  late 16C Upper Slaughter manor house, now a hotel, is like something from a movie set. It's so quiet! Only the running water, distant sheep, birds. 

Stone Footbridge Over the Eye

Upper Slaughter

The  name "Slaughter" comes form the old English "Slohtre", which has nothing to do with  massacre or death but means "Muddy Place." You got that right! The 12C church with a sunken walkway was originally St Marys. In the  1400's  it was changed to St Peter's. There was a castle  here at one time, it's purpose and facts about the builder are unknown.  The castle mound is on a bend in the Slaughter brook and just looks like a grassy lump, Upper Slaughter was a Roman settlement, but no remains are here.

St Peters Church, Upper Slaughter

Another Evening Observer

SHEEP FACTS:

Sheep have very good memories. They can remember at least 50 individual sheep and humans for years.

Sheep have been known to display emotions, which can be identified by the movement of their ears. 

Sheep are extremely intelligent animals capable of problem solving. They are considered to have a similar IQ level to cattle and are nearly as clever as pigs

Female sheep are very caring mothers and form deep bonds with their lambs that can recognize them by their call when they wander too far away.

Sheep only digest 50% of what they eat. The rest can be ( and is!) sterilized and made into paper.

Sheep sleep 8 minutes a day.

Sheep poop 2.2lbs of poop a day. 

Sheep do not poop in their sleep. 

Sheep have a field of vision of around 300 degrees, allowing them to see behind themselves without turning their heads. 

An Hour Later, Back at St Mary's Lower Slaughter

Thank you England, thank you Earth, thank you Sun, thank you Feet!