The third Test Match between India and England finished very early on this, the second, day, giving me the opportunity to stop watching Channel 4 and for Jackie to take me on a forest drive after purchasing primulas and violas from Ferndene Farm Shop.
She parked on an un-waterlogged section of the verges while I walked olong photographing
still naked oak branches against the sky;
swathes of snowdrops in the woodland, wet enough to harbour
reflective pools; as did the
soggy verges.
Fallen trees among the snowdrops bore moss, holly, and ivy leaves.
I returned to the car and we continued to Anna Lane,
on one side of which two New Forest ponies were penned in a field, perhaps for someone to train for riding;
and on the other side sprawled a lengthy pig farm.
Finally, a splendidly sculptural oak stump stands at a bend on Bennet’s Lane.
This evening we dined on well roasted chicken thighs, crisp roast potatoes, parsnips, Yorkshire puddings, and sage and onion stuffing; flavoursome Brussels sprouts and carrots, with which the Culinary Queen drank Hoegaarden and I finished the Shiraz. Bakewell tart and vanilla ice cream was to follow,