Jackie and her sisters enjoyed a coven meeting at The Bat & Ball on Salisbury Road, Braemore. As an unfortunate update to this history that still adorns the pub wall Jackie tells me that new owners have replaced the historic sign mentioned in this text with simply the title in a fairly plain font. I transported some of the Head Gardener’s clippings to the compost bin, cut back a bramble on the back drive, and pruned a poplar that had suffered severe wind damage.
I chopped up the tree branches with which I filled two more bags and added them to the pile.
Mum in a Million and other roses continue to bloom in the Rose Garden.
Various paths are looking a little tidier.
The Patio Bed remains cheerful;
fuchsia Delta’s Sarah in the Pond Bed, having spent the heatwave shrivelling, has revived well from the following rains;
kniphofias in the Cryptomeria Bed continue to multiply;
and potted plants line up outside the Head Gardener’s shed.
In honour of Sir Alastair Cook, former England captain and one of our greatest batsmen, Jackie photographed this cartoon displayed in the sisters’ lunch venue.
Across the road a house, featured in https://derrickjknight.com/2018/12/12/thats-what-i-call-home-delivery/ had been severely damaged by a lorry that had wound up in its walls. Jackie was able to photograph the
very sensitive repair. The green tarpaulin covers the site of a bus shelter that has not yet been replaced.
A next door neighbour has also benefited from a beautiful crown.
This evening we dined on a second sitting of Hordle Chinese Take Away’s fine fare, with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Malbec.