Nearly November? Never!

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After early morning rain we enjoyed intermittent sunshine. A wander around the garden produced much evidence of continued growth.

This afternoon Jackie drove herself and me to Ringwood where I collected printing paper and inks from Wessex Photographic and she bought a winter coat at M & Co. We continued into the forest.

Trees along its banks were reflected in the stream at Ibsley,

where a loan pony, ignoring a sudden spurt of rain, surveyed passers-by within sight of a tree of massive girth,

beyond which a group of youngsters enjoyed the use of a tyre swing.

We stopped at Hockey’s Farm Shop to buy a joint of pannage pork, reputed to offer a special flavour. A couple of ponies wandered along the road outside; two field horses, like most others, as protection against the expected colder nights, now wear their rugs.

As we near Remembrance Sunday an outlined World War I combatant has appeared on a wall near Hockey’s; cutouts have patrolled around New Milton throughout the summer; an army nurse stands near Barton on Sea.

From the clifftop at Barton we were given a clear view of the Isle of Wight, The Needles, and the lighthouse; while beyond the golf course behind us we could see rain falling.

Synchronised gulls perched on fence posts, until one flew off over another.

As I wandered around the garden I had found myself thinking ‘is it really nearly November? Never’. Pannage pork, horses in rugs, and the Lest We Forget memorials perhaps suggest otherwise.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s perfect pork paprika served with savoury rice and crisp cauliflower with which she drank Hoegaarden and Elizabeth and I drank Pulpito Tempranillo 2016. This was followed by the Culinary Queen’s honey and treacle tart.
 
 
 

0 comments

  1. Durn! That’s the title I should have had for my last post πŸ™‚ Your garden is looking remarkably floral still, love the pathway pic especially. As to Remembrance Day – it is pretty clear we have forgot as people still join the armed forces, platitudes are still believed and wars are still waged around the globe. (Sorry to be so dour on your blog)

  2. Your beautiful flowers looks like spring has sprung, not nearly November. Where has 2018 gone? Thank you for sharing your wonderful photos, Derrick. I love the Isle of Wight photographs!

  3. Wonderful to see so many blooms! But coastal Hampshire can be very mild in winter. I am glad to see Remembrance symbols still. And thank you for the Island and the Needles. Brings back childhood memories!

  4. Oh Derrick, for me it’s always a joy to view your photos every morning, down here in Geelong, you always put a smile on my dial and give me a great positive start to my day…. Thank you….

  5. Still looking very summery to me. The picture of R. ‘Compassion’ had me oohing and aahing… something in the way the petals are arranged.

  6. Almost November, yes, where is October going so quickly!
    Looks like a beautiful day in your neck of the woods!
    Your flowers are grand!
    Tyre swings are such fun!
    And the Remembrance cutouts have a powerful and poignant message.
    HUGS!!! πŸ™‚

  7. An incredible varied array of flowers in your garden. A lovely walk along with you. Now I must ask. Who is the culinary queen? Who is Jackie? I take it Elizabeth is your significant other?

  8. But for a car peeping at the edge of the tree trunk, one could expect a troop of gnomes rushing forth a la Tolkien. Yesterday as the flight I was in began its decent in in the middle of the country, the announcement from the flight deck caught me by surprise. It was cold and I was missing the necessary armoury to protect my ageing shell. Your poetic wonderment comes a day later.

    1. The gnomes is a lovely image, Uma. Having taken the photo with the car coming into view, I took another without it, yet chose to publish the first. Sorry you were inadequately clad for your flight. Thanks very much

  9. Yes, it is hard to believe it is almost November. Still, we’ll all feel it’s approach when it’s getting dark at 5 pm tomorrow.

  10. Nearly November?? Almost half way through here:)
    Catching up on my mail 😈
    I suppose I’m odd; I still call it Armistice Day;
    I was pleased to see that at the memorial service yesterday at Villers–Bretonneux Australian National Memorial the illuminated sign read “Armistice” with a poppy, nothing else. That’s as it should be.
    The war to end all wars, a war over nothing, in reality, that killed so many good men, on all sides!
    Lets celebrate VE & VJ as separate events which they are!

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