I opened a few collected presents for my 82nd birthday this morning, one of which was a bottle of Calvet Cahors Malbec 2021 from Helen and Bill which I opened to accompany the Royal Indian takeaway meal which Jackie collected for our dinner this evening.
This afternoon Shelley and Ron visited bearing more welcome gifts, after which Jackie and I took a forest drive.
The Portmore goats peered at us through their wooden fence;
I photographed the landscape through metal railings at East Boldre
where storm clouds gathered over the fields.
Canada geese and goslings with a few mallards occupied Hatchet Pond.
Back at East Boldre posts and wire along the verges fenced off the woodland beside
field horses peering through their protective fly masks.
The gates to their pasturage threw shadows across the roadside.