Still Life

It's not easy for me to Blip whilst I've got a full house. I seem have lost the ability to multi task. Conversation and concentration don't mix for me, so here's the first of my weekends back blips.

I took myself away and joined the local shoot. A breath of fresh air, work for the dogs who have been excluded for a fortnight due to the outbreak of kennel cough and I couldn't let the gamekeeper down. The area is vast and the beaters are in short supply.

Nobody will ever get rich by going beating. We are given £20 and a bowl of soup at lunchtime. The money is just about enough to cover most peoples travelling expenses. This year many of those who came regularly are missing. In another affront to the countryside the government are now insisting that beaters have to supply their names and national insurance numbers. Many beaters, especially those who are pensioners, are now worried that the token payment they receive will effect their benefits and are obviously not prepared to take the risk. Most of those that are coming are self employed and fully prepared, now, to give the tax man a run by claiming for their clothing, travel and dog expenses. They'll get far more back in tax relief than they would by being handed a £20 note!

In the meantime, I've met those who are very upset to not join in an activity which has been part of their life for many years. It has never been a way to line their pockets but simply a social gathering, exercise and the preservation of a way of life.

My family love game but have little access to it. I came home with a brace of pheasant and brace of partridge. The cock pheasant was cooking when I took this shot... a partridge image will come tomorrow.