An adventure in the countryside

for those that know me it is no secret that I am a sucker when it comes to being outdoors.
Whether this is running, cycling or just finding ambling about in the summer months it becomes increasingly more of a challenge to get me to come inside, any psychoanalysts out there make that what you will.
So to be based at a paper which is so rural there are normally chickens running about the office, not a quip but there was actually chickens in the office last week, is actually refreshing as it means going out on a job entails endless country lanes and normally a field or two.
This morning was one of those morning, and yes I still have to work bank holidays...
I was asked to go and check out an archaeological dig that was taking place in Four Marks this morning, much to the delight. Though when I told a friend this they retorted, "Who do you think you are, Indiana Jones?", to which I said: "Call me Mr Indie, Short Round." But I digress.
So off I went the intrepid adventurer with whip in hand, easy. I got into my sorry excuse of a car that might decide to give up at any minute and headed off.
I invariably got lost but spent three very happy hours with an excuse to explore some villages and eat some local produce.
I even had to cross a field to try and track down the diggers, I probably shouldn't have been listening to Cream as I was meandering through the countryside as I think it started going to my head.
The Spring breeze was incredibly inviting and as I pulled over at a lay-by with the open road ahead and fields sprawled lazily either side with the incredible colour of the rape seed making me squint as I took my shoes off and crossed the luscious yellow field.


I seem to be more of a sentimentalist then I think I would like to admit and as I was crossing the field I let me hands run through the patches of tall grass and enjoyed the slight scratching of the dry earth beneath my feet.


I never did find the excavation site.

New job update

Having a job within journalism now is turning out exceedingly well, there is a lot of tea to be drunk and a lot of writing to be done.

I am based in Petersfield, a small town in East Hampshire as picturesque as it is sleepy.

I am with the Petersfield Post series, and have been for just under a month now, it's a weekly paper that is very much community based.

Quite ironically the paper has a reputation for sometimes not focusing on the more hard hitting articles but will go for softer news.

In last weeks paper, a local farmer took his own life, or to you and me he committed suicide by shooting himself in the head with a riffle.

He was found in his car with a .22 rifle by a close friend with a letter addressed to his recent ex-girlfriend, who had broken up with him only a few days before.

This was a clear tragedy and something I would have thought would have made front page, but was pushed back to page 18.

Last weeks lead was an election based story on the lack of candidates and therefore choice for the local community.

Understandably an important issue and one that should be addressed, but I would have preferred to have seen the inquest on the front, or is that just me being slightly morbid or in need of some serious news.

Off to a cat judging competition.