More light rain overnight ceased early this morning. The day remained overcast and dry.
This afternoon my Chauffeuse drove me into the forest where I wandered around Hatchet Moor for a while. From the car park I walked down to one of the arms of the lake
and photographed two ponies and a foal on the far side. Jackie photographed me doing so and also produced this shot of a gull photobombing the scene.
I was able to walk over steeply undulating dry terrain, much of which would normally be filled with water. This gave me access to shrubbery festooned with
dog roses, and facilitated a closer look at
water lilies and swans.
Two foals were among an assorted group of ponies in a field at East End. One couldn’t be bothered to rise to its feet when I arrived. The other, recumbent in the grass beside its mother, did stir its stumps, nuzzled the mare, and made an unsuccessful attempt to acquire more nourishment before eventually settling for a good scratch.
The fact that Jackie was parked on the other side of the narrow adjacent lane probably averted a disaster. These two friendly boys, one carrying a small terrier, had been accompanied by a Labrador cross which shot past me, from beneath the stile beside which I stood, across the road. Another vehicle, coming down the hill, slowed in preparation for passing our Modus, otherwise it is difficult to see how the driver could have avoided a canine collision.
Back at home Jackie tidied the Wisteria Arbour and I emptied the refuse into the compost bin.
She also photographed the new obelisk she had inserted into the Dragon Bed to support the rampant Polish Spirit clematis.
Nugget, of course, put in an immediate appearance. The second picture presents “Where’s Nugget?” (80)
This evening we dined on Jackie’s tasty mixed grill casserole, creamy mashed potato; and carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli al dente, with which she drank Becks and I started on another bottle of the Carles.