Wind Worn And Mud Tired

We woke up this morning to raging winds...again. Gale force winds have been in the weather forecast off and on these past couple of weeks. Thankfully the temps have been hovering in the low 50s, so it doesn't feel that cold, but the wind can be deafening at times and it can wear you out if you are walking in it.

Yesterday I went hiking with my hiking group and we walked the very same route, in reverse, that I had walked with another group two days after Christmas. So it was another plod out of the wind and down into the mud and muck and mire of Nidd Gorge and back up again.

I am so tired of this wind and mud and gray skies. Spring cannot arrive too soon.

After the hike we gathered at the house of one of the hikers for a post-holiday luncheon. There were more than 20 of us and we each brought a dish. Needless to say, it was a feast. There is such a lively camaraderie among my hiking buddies. Joining this group is probably the best thing I've done for my physical and spiritual well-being since moving to England. It sure helps take the gloom out of the English weather.