Feeling very average yesterday morning I knew I really needed to get out to walk; to clear my head and get the blood pumping. I hadn’t had a proper walk since Monday and sometimes the need is real. We went off to walk a familiar loop around the field paths, it is just over 3 miles.

The weather was really warm and pleasant, although doesn’t the sky look ominous in this photo? It had rained overnight so the lane was pretty squelchy and the field paths too, in places. My walking trainers got pretty muddy, but it doesn’t matter. It’s only when I feel the heel of one of my shoes slipping and I go sliding backwards, nearly landing on my bottom that I worry! (This happens more often than you would imagine. I must lean slightly backwards, or something when I walk, or can I blame my footwear…)

This is Fiddleneck and has many other names including purple tansy or blue tansy. According to the Picture This app (so useful, I highly recommend the free version)

Fiddleneck flowers open in a sequence that allows for a long flowering time, which is why it attracts bumblebees, honeybees, and other pollinators. It is typically grown in vineyards and along agricultural fields. This plant is native to the southwestern United States and is grown as a cover crop, green manure, and decorative plant.

It’s so unusual to see oilseed rape planted and flowering so late in England. This field had barley and was edged in beautiful poppies during the summer. Actually I think you’ll find a photo, or maybe two, if you look back a few posts ago.

I’ve just messaged a family member who farms in Wiltshire. I’ll report the answer if I get it before I press publish on this post.

As we walked along this field path a jay was hopping along the field, we disturbed it and so it took off in a blaze of colour. We don’t see jays very often, so this was a special sighting

Then three quarters of the way around there was a longish sit in the sunshine, coats off, basking in the warmth of the sun on our arms and faces (I always think ‘Oh good, vitamin D!’) occasionally sipping water while staring at the stunning view.

I would say I left home feeling a three or four and came back feeling a seven or eight on my personal wellbeing scale. Good stuff!

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My question about the crop has been answered:

Hi Rachel
Good to hear from you. I hope you are all well. My guess is it’s a cover crop of mixed flowering crops. The yellow is probably mustard and purple phacelia.
It’s done to reduce soil erosion and nutrient leaching. The crop will get destroyed in the spring for a crop of barley or wheat.
M❤️

So my use of the app was spot-on for the tansy, because that’s another name for purple phacelia, but my assumption that we were looking at oilseed rape was completely incorrect. Sometimes what you don’t know you don’t know becomes really apparent!

I’ll keep an eye on this field and see if I can catch what happens in the spring and what crop replaces it in the summer.

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If you’re not feeling great this weekend, and you’re able to, I suggest that you go for a walk. It doesn’t need to be a field or footpath, of course it can be urban; in the centre of the town or city. Maybe along a canal, or riverside, through a wood, or even a residential area.

Have a think about how you feel on your own personal scale of well-being, where’s your head at, how does your body feel, what is your general mood like? And then reflect how you’re feeling when you’ve walked a little way, and again at the end of your walk. I would guarantee that it will be a higher number and you’ll feel better. It’s SO good to get out and move.

I’ll be back soon with a books post.