October 2022 – Page 3 – derrickjknight

Natural Elegance Element

On the near bank of a narrow inlet in Beaulieu River during an afternoon forest drive we noticed a pair of swans with their well grown cygnets

basking

and preening in the warm sunshine.

Soon they rose awkwardly to their feet,

stretched their wings,

waddled to the edge,

slipped into the water, their natural elegance element,

and trailed across the river

where food and drink were to be found.

While I focussed on these birds, Jackie photographed a distant heron.

This evening we dined on baked gammon; smooth cheese and mustard sauce, creamy mashed potatoes; crunchy carrots; and tender cabbage, with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I finished the Bordeaux.

Prey To Spiders

My Chauffeuse was out today with her sisters.

I spent much of the morning reading more of “Clarissa” and took a walk round the garden this afternoon.

My intention was to focus on fuchsias, such as

Delta’s Sarah;

Army Nurse;

Magellicana;

and Hawkshead,

but I was distracted by various dahlias;

roses, for example Ernest Morse;

and sinuous Virginia Creeper’s varicoloured clothing.

As usual at this time of year I became prey to spiders hoping for something tasty to fill their winter larders. This one didn’t finish up about my person.

WordPress comments and likes seemed to run quite smoothly today, but when I came to write the post I realised that this had been a con by the gremlins.

This evening we dined on second helpings of yesterday’s Chinese takeaway with similar beverages.

Trimmed Tails

Early this morning I watched an ITV recording of the Women’s Rugby World Cup match between Wales and Scotland.

I have been feeling rather groggy today, so it was quite late this afternoon by the time we took a short drive into the forest, where we noticed many ponies with trimmed tails, and, because I couldn’t face the currently usual lengthy struggle with WordPress,

I made just one new photograph to link with some previously published examples found in https://derrickjknight.com/2016/09/14/after-the-drift/

This evening we dined on Mr. Chan’s excellent Hordle Chinese Take Away fare with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank Pierre Jaurant Edition Limitée Merlot – Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

Garden News

Early this morning I watched an ITV recording of the Women’s Rugby World Cup match between England and Fiji.

Afterwards, I spent some time with “Clarissa”, and again every time I really struggled to load the following pictures.

Later, Jackie and I began to tackle the recent garden storm damage and autumn clearance.

A number of solar lights have been smashed;

ornaments, like this owl, dislodged;

planted pots fallen;

shrubs broken;

sedums bent.

I transported Jackie’s clippings to the compost bins at the far end of the garden.

We still have many blooming plants like this fuchsia “Garden News”.

When I returned to the kitchen I couldn’t resist the shadows on the kitchen floor.

This afternoon we received our autumn Covid booster jabs at Ashley Pharmacy.

This evening we dined on Jackie’s wholesome chicken and vegetable soup with which she drank Hoegaarden and I finished the Bordeaux.

“Who Won?”

After yesterday’s two posts it seemed fitting to feature a normal lunchtime at home involving

a salad based meal eaten from a plate placed on our knees in front of our television, watching

Antiques Road Trip which pits two experts in the field travelling together across the UK, each beginning with £200 to spend on items taken to a series of auctions, after each of which accumulative profits or losses are calculated, the winner being the one emerging on the last afternoon with the most money in their kitty.

Today’s “Really” recording featured Stephanie Connell, seen here, and Charlie Ross. Sometimes I sleep through the final stages and wake up to ask Jackie “who won?”

In the rare event that I remain awake for the whole programme we might catch ten minutes or so of the much dumbed down

Bargain Hunt, in which two pairs, each with a £300 starting sum, have one hour in which to spend their money and take their items to auction. The team that finishes with the most profit or the least loss is the winner and takes home any profit.

Today’s location was Newark Showground, which I often visited when we lived in this historic midlands market town.

Sometimes I even sleep through BBC’s One o’clock News which I like to follow.

Today Ben Brown features the England Women’s rugby squad, who are favourites to win the current world cup.

This evening we dined on Jackie’s succulent sausage casserole, crunchy carrots, creamy mashed potatoes, and tender green beans with which she drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Bordeaux.

Orchard Lakes

Readers of this morning’s earlier post will not be surprised to learn that, despite having sensibly skipped lunch, no further sustenance was needed until

today’s brunch taken at Lakeview Café. All tasty items in these generous platefuls were provided by the nearby Ferndene Farm Shop. Jackie, who photographed them has one each of tomatoes, bacon rashers, sausages, hash browns, and portions of mushrooms and baked beans. I enjoyed two of everything. Also included in the set meals were slices of toast and large mugs of tea, for me, and coffee for Jackie.

From the café we could see

the lakes with their still, silent, fishermen, and one old dog which heaved itself to its feet and mustered the energy to bark at me.

Strategically placed lifebelts were hung on a number of posts.

Before returning home we took a turn round Bisterne Close where

a squirrel sat on the tarmac finishing its own brunch, and

a number of ponies took theirs in the woodland.

This evening we dined on Jackie’s wholesome chicken and vegetable stewp and fresh bread and butter.

Rosie Lea Afternoon Tea

When we arrived at Rosie Lea tearooms yesterday with vouchers for afternoon tea given us by our friends Karen and Barry we were surprised that, having followed the recommendation to book, we had been allocated a large round table for four.

Until the very helpful waitress, who made sure to remind us that we could take home what we couldn’t eat, laid out the feast for us.

I chose tea; Jackie chose coffee – flat white.

We were served long wicker baskets bearing large warm scones – plain for Jackie; containing sultanas for me – dollops of delicious clotted cream and a cup of luscious strawberry jam;

a variety of fresh tasty sandwiches with ample delicate filling, complex enough for me not to be able to identify all the delightful flavours; and an array of rich cakes, definitely a bridge too far, which came home in the prepared box to provide dessert goodies for the rest of the week.

The collected antique crockery was the finishing touch.

Our lovely waitress volunteered to photograph the occasion.

Thank you so much, Karen and Barry.

All To Herself

Acorns clattering alarmingly on the roof and windows of the Modus as Jackie drove us along Lower Ashley Road made us regret that that area was not likely to feature loose pigs for pannage.

We had stopped among the blustering winds for me to photograph a thatching owl and

sheep on a sloping hillside,

where three sheltered from the gusts beside a World War Two pillbox.

A very large Gloucester Old Spot had the green at Pilley,

where she dug a long furrow and chased me around, all to herself.

Yesterday I had wondered whether to lift up the patio chairs, and decided against. When we returned home at midday we discovered that the wind had done it for us.

This afternoon we enjoyed a magnificent afternoon tea at Rosie Lea. Not wishing to push my luck today, because my WordPress problems are by no means resolved, I will attempt to feature that tomorrow.

Still Struggling

4th October 2020

This afternoon Jackie drove Flo, Dillon, and Ellie to Southbourne to take them for a family holiday at The Grand Hotel in Eastbourne.

I spent a good deal of time completing the post “Frustrated” of yesterday, and failing to post this one which stopped at “…Ellie”

I therefore finished reading the first volume of Richardson’s mammoth novel “Clarissa”.

In the evening Jackie and I enjoyed seconds of her cobbler and more of the same beverages.

Frustrated

WordPress has tested my good nature to the limit today. I have struggled to like other posts or my followers comments; I have failed intermittently to comment on others’ posts; I have been unable until now (mid-afternoon) even to begin a new post.

We began the day with a trip to the pharmacy at Milford on Sea for our flu vaccinations – at least these weren’t problematic – and continued to Ferndene Farm shop for provisions, and on to the forest.

Along Wilverley Road the landscape still looked rather parched,

apart from the banks of trees ahead;

the burnished bracken on the moors flanking Holmsley Passage remained many shades of green and gold.

Jackie speculated that the tree trimming on the road outside Burley was to ensure that visitors on our open-topped tourist routes would not be clouted on this section of their journey.

The post box decoration on Tiptoe Road raised a smile from me when I noticed the spider crawling over the seasonal pumpkin.

After two hours during which I had only reached the second picture above, I gave up and made one more attempt before dinner, and polished off the rest like a dream.

The said dinner consisted of Jackie’s delicious lamb and apricot cobbler: the filling was tender, and the cheese and thyme scone topping, firm; the vegetables were boiled potatoes, firm broccoli and cauliflower, and crunchy carrots. The Culinary Queen drank Hoegaarden, I drank Château La Mauberte Bordeaux 2020, and the young parents ate later.

The last two lines, omitted by WP yesterday, were added with much difficulty on 4th.