Outdoors Les Davies MBE

West Countryman’s diary

THEfinal month of the year has arrived and I can’t for the life of me work out where the rest of it went! The weather is still being kind to us, but as always I seem to have a short memory. Some areas are suffering from flooding, but so far we have managed to survive. December 21st heralds the first day of winter that will stay with us until the March 20th next year. Every fine dry day we get at this time of the year is a bonus and another day closer to spring.

Everything in the natural world is preparing for its own kind of lockdown. Those that hibernate are doing so whilst those that have to survive the colder weather and darker days are making whatever preparations they can and that includes us.

Christmas is upon us and if, like me, you don’t feel it, it will make itself known fairly soon. The origins of a winter celebration and feast go way back before the coming of Christianity. No doubt it all began as a way of forgetting the trouble and struggle of daily existence in a world that was much harsher than today.

The coming of the Christian faith carefully took a lot of pagan beliefs and made them its own. The holly and the ivy, both green all year round, were seen as bringing life into an empty cold existence and yew was seen as a sign of longevity and good fortune. Foxwood should yield enough holly and ivy for me to make at least a token gesture towards decorating the house.

Today we mix these traditions with our own tokens of winter that help celebrate the modern festival of Christmas. Mistletoe is still hung above the door, no doubt as a pagan symbol of fertility and an excuse to behave in a way that you would never have the courage to do normally.

Everywhere there is a feeling of goodwill and generosity(we hope) that doesn’t seem to be in such plentiful supply throughout the rest of the year. Do we blame this on the government, Brexit, Covid or just a shortage of lorry drivers or our expectations? Here maybe lies the answer, or part of the answer at least.

We all have higher expectations and with these come a need for greater reward. Are we still content with things as they used to be? Through nostalgia and hindsight in our later years, we will tend to reach back in an attempt to rekindle an era of simplicity within the comfort of our modern lives.

The ghost of Christmas past is ever present at this time of the year. Even nostalgia isn’t what it used to be, but what is wrong in a little reflection on the past?

Every day brings something different, although for many working on a “treadmill” of repetition, that may not seem to be the case. It’s time to stop and take a look around at the positive aspects of life and to do that it helps to get outside into the natural world.

On the whole we are blessed with access to the countryside that may be more difficult for many city dwellers. Within this green and pleasant land a lot of comfort and joy may be found, but only if you have the eyes to look for it. It can soothe a troubled mind, sort out problems and put life into perspective.

It will leave you with that “feel good” factor of a sight or experience that burns its way into your very being, bringing a warm glow to the end of the day. Everyday gifts such as these are something we may not appreciate as much as we should. While we can easily lose tomorrow by reaching back too much for yesterday, we can also appreciate the past.

My mother grew up in the war years on Hales Farm in North Somerset. This place will be no stranger to those who have read my column before. They were hard times but there was always an effort made at Christmas to bring that special bit of something into life that would set this day apart from every other.

There were not heaps of gifts or a table groaning with food, but there was “something” and for that people were grateful. A few years back I gave her a book published by the BBC, based on their successful television series The Wartime Farm. Within the cover of this book was a

With LES DAVIES MBE

treasure trove of make-do and mend that spoke volumes for spirit and determination.

Christmas had its own chapter and people were obviously keen to maintain some sense of a “normal” Christmas, so dishes such as “mock orange juice” was made with carrots and swedes, Swedish turnips that is.

A turkey substitute nicknamed “murkey”, the recipe of which was given out by the Ministry of Food, was made from sausage meat, bacon and stuffing shaped like a turkey. Decorations were home-made and ingenuity was the name of the game.

Today life is better and for that we should be thankful. Perfect it may not be, but we all need to look at the positive things we have. It’s a time for family, which is perhaps the greatest treasure of all and a moment to remember those who cannot be there for whatever reason.

Before I close this month’s column I would like to mention the passing of a Mendip legend. Bill Small farmed at Charterhouse Warren Farm with his wife Pat, son James and brother John. The family have been there since the last war and lived through years such as I have just mentioned.

Bill was a true countryman with a keen eye for nature and a love of Mendip with everything it stood for. His knowledge of its history was second to none, although his formal education was described by brother John as “being somewhat hit or miss . . . mainly miss”.

The words “legend” and “iconic” get bandied around freely these day, but Bill was truly both. Another little bit of Mendip is laid to rest beneath its surface.

Finally, this month’s picture was taken at St Hughs’ Church as I carried out a very late grass cut. The sun goes down at the end of another day and hopefully will rise again on the following. Another gift and a reason to give thanks. Happy Christmas every one of you!