Today, by our standards, unseasonably hot for September, was definitely one for sprinkling the garden.
Even the wicker owl appreciated its shower.
By late morning we had become too heated to complete our work on pruning, cutting up, and composting the wisteria, seen here from above and below.
While taking the overhead wisteria pictures I added some more general aerial shots;
back at ground level the Brick Path and its arches; and the Gazebo Path, returning to my puzzle theme with “Where’s Jackie?” (5);
and the Triangular Bed beside the iron urn.
Today’s starring seed pods are on an ornamental allium.
The temperature rose as the day progressed; the sun became veiled by voluminous hazy clouds; the atmosphere increasingly oppressive. Late in the afternoon, in order to shake us from somnolent stupor we drove to Ferndene Farm Shop to buy some vegetables and eggs. There were no eggs.
For the last week or so, this outlet has been selling live chickens from its stock in the next door field. This has been because the older poultry do not lay in the quantity needed for a commercial enterprise. They are replaced by younger models and offered for reduced domestic production. Apparently the new birds haven’t yet got into the swing of things.
Afterwards we took a drive into the forest.
Along Holmsley Passage, tails constantly whisking, ponies dotted the landscape.
So it was for the rest of our journey, for example along Bisterne Close where we encountered
a mare and foal. Like all the youngsters, the stubby little tail didn’t seem adequate for seeing off the flies
and this infant had me backing off at a rate of knots in order to maintain focus as it attempted to brush off its flies with my beard.
On our return via Holmsley Passage ponies slaked their thirst in the rapidly diminishing wayside pool.
This evening we dined on Mr Chan’s Hordle Chinese Take Away’s excellent fare with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I finished the Bordeaux.