Nearly half a year

The bluebells still dominate the ground around the trees in the woodland, but the weather remains indifferent to the season. I am a realist when it comes to English weather. Not for me the rush to shorts and T shirt at the first blue sky and sun .'Ne'er cast a clout til May be out' is now more my maxim, whether May refers to the blossom or the month is neither here or there.

Today, I patrol in comfort in not much less than I did in March, when a chill day is to be expected.

Terry, the deer man, has introduced a white deer in the herd in the parkland. But I had to telephone Terry with some news regarding this new addition. I had seen the deer sat in a dried up part of the Serpentine. Head up and alert, it seemed fine. Nearby was a fallow deer, apparently keeping company with the white deer. I had seen the white deer amongst the herd, when with Trish, my wife, we were rehearsing a walk for my walking gang, but now it seemed very separate. Hence the telephone call to Terry.

Not knowing much about the vagaries of these beasts, there is always the thought that Terry would think I was fussing over nothing, but my ignorance was no excuse to duck the call. He was grateful and explained that the deer was being bullied and had been outcast by the main herd. The white deer had come from a herd in Scotland where it had been subject to this kind of ostracism, only to find the experience again here in friendly Yorkshire. Terry said there will be a fallow deer too. This poor animal had been gored and had taken itself away from its kind to recover, but Terry was concerned enough to make an extra visit to them.

The other big drama at the moment is the missing keys. They have simply disappeared. The keys to the Wentworth kingdom are collected by rangers from the reception counter in Long Barn and signed out when setting forth and then returned and signed in at the end of the patrol. The evidence shows they were returned and signed in when last seen. No on has signed them out and not returned them. So it is quite the little mystery. I have, on occasion signed them in and left the clip on my belt, but that is all. They will turn up and from where no one will know. The keys will return, but the mystery will still remain.

For the next month of June, I will make, at best, two patrols. And I will miss the place.