Time For A Woodland Drive

Early this morning Richard and Al of Kitchen Makers visited to cut the bottom off the new inner door and return it to its position.

They brought a trestle in order to measure and cut the door in the front garden.

Before they put back the door, they carried the long case clock into the hall from the corner of the sitting room into which they had toted it before the flooring work began. There proved to be some difficulty with this on account of replacing the weights, which required generous patience and ingenuity considering that they had already fitted this in ahead of their planned day’s work. Jackie having reset it, the clock continues to keep the perfect time it has maintained for 200 years

Martin, from Fordingbridge, then visited to discuss and quote for rebuilding the wisteria arbour.

After lunch we posted the Probate Application, cheque, and supporting documentary evidence from Everton Post Office; followed on to Ferndean Farm Shop where Jackie purchased some provisions; and set out upon a forest drive.

The burnished landscape glowed along Holmsley Passage.

Ponies grazed and squirrels scampered about the dappled woodland and among autumn leaves nurturing mushrooms and sheltering solitary holly berries alongside

Bisterne Close, in a field on the opposite side of which basked

a lone deer in the sunshine that

backlit a pair of ponies beside Burley Road.

This evening we dined on Jackie’s wholesome winter stewp with which she drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Fleurie.

78 comments

  1. The clock is beautiful! And 200 years old, fantastic. Your workers have done beautiful work for you and Jackie! My parents had what we call a Grandmother clock which is smaller than the Grandfather clock. Do you refer to these beautiful clocks as such?

  2. Love the blue. Our front door and sections of the house are so similar to it. It’s a nice refreshing blue. And, excuse me but your flooring is pretty much what we have too. The type, colour and style. 🙂 Good choices.

    We have a cuckoo clock that stays mostly on time but if the breeze catches it, it can throw the music out of alignment. My grandmother’s mantle clock ticks away in the spare-room where we always forget to wind it.

    Your Autumns are much leafier to ours, unless you go to places like Grafton, north of us, where the main streets are lined with Jacaranda trees that make the roads and sidewalks a beautiful bluish purple all the way into winter.

    Beautiful photos. Love them all this past week. I’ve been catching up on your posts since we returned from a 5 day road trip distributing estate items to the appropriate family member – not much internet in some areas we traveled. It should have happened months ago but Covid-19 lock-downs made it impossible to travel across council (parish) borders. We have our trailer empty and the spare room free. 🙂 Some closure to Dad’s life and death now that his Will and estate have now finalized.

  3. What a magnificent grand old clock Derrick… “the clock continues to keep the perfect time it has maintained for 200 years” .. with your words and the wonderful photo, in my ‘Derrick file’ … I sure sure Ivor has enough to create a poem …

    1. I liked the squirrel also, maybe because they aren’t seen in our land down under. It has such a floofy tail, and bright, observing eyes.

  4. The running commentary on the underway renovation is keeping us hooked. The woodland drive has produced enticing photos. The squirrel foraging the forest floor looks cute. The lone deer and ponies painted by sunlight are beautiful like works of art.

  5. The old clock is a beautiful thing, 200 years old and still maintaining good time!

    The forest drive scenes are lovely. Late autumn low angled sun makes some of the most wonderful lighting. I can feel the sun’s warmth and the chill in the air.

  6. It’s wonderful spending time in nature. I love your squirrel pics, Derrick, as well as the ponies and the deer. Your door looks great in that room, along with the finished floors. Your project are moving along at a nice clip.

  7. I love the thought that 200 years ago, a clockmaker made your clock, knowing that it would outlast its maker, and that it still keeps perfect time.
    The backlit ponies and the deer resting in the sunshine stood out for me.

  8. I love your photos of the squirrels and the lone deer. I have a Grandfather clock, not nearly as old as yours, but it is over 30 years old. It’s been with me through several moves and I still have it now. I remember the weights being a tricky task to place back into the clock.

  9. Your squirrel looks a lot fatter than gheknes that visit our garden. Maybe it is pregnant. I wonder if they have seasons for childbirth or maybe that should be kitbirth? I might look into that one.

    Sounds like you had a very fulfilling day.

  10. You are getting your entire lives in order! Feels good, I’m sure. I’m about to start the same process, at least in terms of my studio and garage. Bye bye, old teaching files and tax returns!!!!

  11. I love the third photo, with the reflections in the glass of the door. And I’m enjoying all the light and shadows through the forest photos too. You have such an eye for composition.

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