A chill wind belied the sunny periods today.
This morning Jackie continued with her general garden maintenance, including pruning, while I dug more weeds out of the Gazebo path gravel.
I can just about manage this for half an hour, but imagine the exercise is doing me good. Crouching is now possible; it is rising from the crouch that has me thinking I might not make it. So, after the pain barrier had been reached, with the gait of a man on stilts, I stumbled indoors for my camera and recovered my questionable flexibility wandering around with it.
Various Japanese maples are exhibiting their vibrant colours;
The crab apples at the front are blossoming, and the Amanogawa cherry is having a second flush. The blossoms of this Japanese tree that I photographed more than a month ago were on the lower branches; those higher ones, reaching to the skies, have now burgeoned at a more usual time.
Shadows fell across the lawn and across mosses and ornamental grasses.
Variously hued heuchera leaves join forget-me-nots and bluebells waiting for roses to bloom in the Rose Garden.
Although the sun was clearly taking a long siesta we took a drive into the forest this afternoon.
We stopped to admire the new crown to the thatch on the Woolpack Inn at Sopley with its attendant peacock.
Overlooking both the pub and Mill Lane stands
the 13th Century grade II listed St Michael & All Angels Church around which graveyard atop a steep hill I wandered.
The inscriptions on most gravestones and sarcophagi are largely obscured by colourful lichen.
Although some of the images above display the drop down to Mill Lane, this view from very close to a corner of the building demonstrates the vertiginous nature of this ancient place of worship.
Two woolly schoolchildren seem to have been left inside this currently Covid-locked church, which will definitely be worth a further visit when it is possible for visitors to enter once more. Services are held following strict regulations.
From the churchyard I could hear the rush of the mill race to what is now a wedding venue. Maybe the people in this photograph were checking it out for such an event.
It has recently been necessary to cut down a tree.
When we spotted a small herd of deer on nearby hillside,
Jackie parked on Rockford Lane,
along which I walked in search of the final shot.
For dinner this evening Jackie produced succulent baked gammon; piquant cauliflower cheese; stir-fried leeks with pre-boiled cauliflower leaves; and crunchy carrots with which she drank Hoegaarden and I drank Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
From garden to all about the countryside–I felt like I was really wandering with you today, Derrick.
I love that peacock thatch!
And that old graveyard is wonderful.
Thank you very much, Merril. I’m pleased you came along.
I am, too!
How charming and picturesque.
Thank you very much, Cindy
My favorite shot is the first and last one. Thanks for making it the header for this post.
Growing up, we had a large and what seemed like a dwarfed crabapple trees. In lazy, hot summer days, sometimes I’d read under the large one.
Thanks very much, GP. I’m pleased you liked the shot. I had thought it might be potentially visible from further along the lane. That would have been a great place for you to read
Beauty from your garden and forrest.
Thank you very much, Mrs W
Your welcome.
Derrick, your words often depict with the same clarity as one of Keeping’s marvellous illustrations –
I’m sorry the weeding was so uncomfortable, but your garden is looking beautiful, and your description ‘with the gait of a man on stilts, I stumbled inside…’ is so graphic!
From the final sentence of today’s post, I take it that you are feeling 100% better – so glad!
Cheers, Emma. Much appreciated
I was interested to see your lichens. I’ve recently found a variety of them on the edge of the moor. I got a book out from the library thinking it would teach me about them but it hasn’t helped all that much. It did say that some lichens only grow 3mm in a century.
I don’t know anything about them really, Susan. Thank you very much
You live in proximity to so many beautiful, historic, and interesting things to see. I would love to see that thatched roof in person. It’s gorgeous. They are rare around here. I many have seen one or two in my lifetime. It’s always nice to start the day with garden chores, though like you, I find it increasingly hard to get back up from the ground.
Thanks very much, Alys. We are very fortunate in where we live
Garden is looking good! We have some Japanese Maples at our house that the owner before us planted. I absolutely love them, they sure give character to the yard and flower beds 🙂
Thank you so much, M. B.
I always enjoy seeing Jackie tinker in her happy place. Thanks for taking us along on your picturesque outing today. The photos are beautiful.
Much appreciated, Jill. Cheers
The thatch is craftsmanship at its best. I love old graveyards it must be three years air or so since I featured one on my site.
Thanks very much, Sue. A couple of pleasing subjects
Love the weathered gravestones
Thanks very much, Sheree.
Pleasure
You are very brave to crouch. I leave that sort of thing to Mrs T. Your crab apple blossom is delightful.
The mill race is impressive. Is there still a mill wheel?
It was good to see that traditional thatching skills are still being practised.
Thanks very much, Tootlepedal. I am hoping the crouch will loosen things up a bit.
We couldn’t get near enough to see whether there was a wheel or not. I have scoured hundreds of wedding photographs on the website without finding any. I can’t imagine that any photographer would miss such an opportunity.
Any thatched roof in the area needing repair or replacement must be thatched.
Is it obligatory to have that final decoration?
I think not – the decoration represents the thatcher’s art.
That thatched roof is impressive, and the decoration is especially pleasing. Is there a particular reason a peacock would be sited there? Are the birds connected to the area in some way, or simply attractive?
I have never seen a peacock there, but all the thatchers have their own motif. We saw another not far away. Thanks very much, Linda.
I always enjoy seeing the Japanese maples in your garden. They’ve always been a favorite of mine. The thatched roof with its peacock adornment is very impressive!
Thanks very much, Liz. The crown of that roof is really skilled work
You’re welcome, Derrick. I was immediately struck by the crown, which I would say rises above craft to art.
Indeed
Your finale shot of the deer and horse on hillside, is quite spectacular Derrick … and one for my ‘Derrick’ file of photos… 😀
I’m pleased, Ivor. I realised when I first saw the scene that the final one might be possible if I walked further along and found a suitable gap in the hedge – it paid off. Thanks very much.
Your ‘patience’ paid off..
🙂
I Love the old stone church and never get tired of seeing your garden. The thatched roof with the peacock is pretty impressive!
Thank you very much, JoAnna. The peacock led to everything else on Mill Lane 🙂
Boiled cauliflower leaves! Now I regret all those I have put in the compost bin.
You seem to live in an area of thatched rooves. I would love to have a glass of wine in that inn, and then go and look the the shed with thatch that shows up behind the pretty deer.
You would be welcome, Yvonne. Jackie always serves up the leaves as cabbage. This time I thought I would say so, because they are the same thing really.
I like your description of your stiff knees. I have the same problem and describe it myself as walking like the tin woodman from The Wizard of Oz.
Like minds. Thanks very much, Laurie
Onward we go! Stiff knees be damned.
Yep. Thanks a lot, Laurie
always a delight to see your beautiful garden, Derrick! love you header photo and the picturesque countryside! 🙂
Thank you very much, Lola
The gardens look beautiful, Derrick and Jackie, especially the apple blooms. The apples here are in full blooms too; the air is quite fragrant now.
I enjoyed your forest drive too, especially the thatched roof with peacock!
The colorful lichens mark the passage of time in the cemetery.
Thank you so much, Lavinia. An insightful observation on the lichens
Japanese Maple are beautiful trees !
Thanks a lot, John
What a gorgeous day and you captured it so wonderfully in these magnificent shots!
YAY for crouching! Yes, the getting down is usually easier than the getting back up. 😮
Love the peacock guarding the house from a perfect vantage point!
Your final shot is glorious! Love the deer and pony sharing space!
(((HUGS)))
🦚 🦚 🦚
Thank you so much, Carolyn X
Garden continues to prepare for Summer Derrick.
Thanks very much, Andrew
Glorious❣️
Thanks very much, Val X
You garden is getting ready for summer show Derrick.
Thanks very much, Rupali
Your descriptions are so delightful. I need to look up baked gammon – (What’s gammon?) I only know about backgammon! And vertiginous … that’s new to me, too. Thank you for enhancing my vocabulary while your pictures draw me in… love that new crown on the thatched roof!!
Thank you very much, Jan. Gammon is preserved (salted) bacon. X
What a lovely garden you both have and your photos are fabulous, isn’t that new thatch with the bird atop fantastic. There was a house with a thatched roof near my parents and the roof burnt down a couple of years ago its still not repaired now, quite sad.
Thank you very much from us both, Charlotte. We have so many excellent thatchers around us – each with their own
signature creature atop.
The 13th century cemetery photos are quite interesting, and the dolls in the church window are amusing.
I have heard of boiled cauliflower leaves but have never tried to do it. I am thankful to the Culinary Queen for inspiration.
Thank you very much from us both, Dolly. Jackie puts it down to a knowledge of gardening
You are very welcome, both of youDerrick and Jackie. I put it down to my lack of knowledge of gardening.
🙂
Beautiful flowers and nice stroll. If you are having difficulty recovering from a crouch position, you might want to get those plastic footstools from Amazon. They can be put away flat in a small space and when you pull the handle out, they make a very convenient stool for doing things that you would normally be crouching for
Thanks very much, Geetha.
You are welcome Derrick 🙂
https://www.amazon.co.uk/TVOOD-Heavy-Duty-Folding-Stool/dp/B08CRNV5XS
Thank you so much, Geetha 🙂
Most welcome Derrick 🙂
Love that thatched roof.
Thanks very much, Lindsey. It added to the scene, I thought