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Most of the beds in the garden are threaded with stepping stones placed for access. They have become rather overgrown. This morning I began opening them out, starting with
![Dead End Path stepping stones 1](http://derrickjknight.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/img_4060-1.jpg)
![Dead End Path stepping stones 2](http://derrickjknight.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/img_4062-1.jpg)
this one leading off the Dead End Path. You should be able to distinguish between the before and after photographs. There is, incidentally, no view of the garden that doesn’t include the smelly white alliums. They bring early delight to the beds, but need an enormous amount of thinning out. Not only does each plant grow on a bulb, but each single bell on the flowers contains another bulb which it drops onto the soil. Each of these grows a new allium the following year.
Regular readers will know that The Head Gardener can never resist an owl. This morning she excelled herself by buying this one with an owlet in a jumble sale.
Elizabeth came to lunch and stayed on for dinner.
Jackie drove us to Milford on Sea where Peter, at Sears Barbers gave me an excellent haircut which is visibly reflected here.
Wikipedia has this to say about the traditional red and white striped barber’s pole: ‘The red and white pole outside barber shops references a time when barbers were expected to perform bloodletting and other medical procedures to heal the sick; red represented blood and white represented bandages. “Barber surgeons” in Rome also performed teeth extraction, cupping, leeching, bloodletting, surgery and enemas. However, today’s barber poles represent little more than being a barber shop that cuts hair and does shaves.[10] Barber poles have actually become a topic of controversy in the hairstyling business. In some states, such as Michigan in March 2012, legislation has emerged proposing that barber poles should only be permitted outside barbershops, but not traditional beauty salons. Barbers and cosmetologists have engaged in several legal battles claiming the right to use the barber pole symbol to indicate to potential customers that the business offers haircutting services. Barbers claim that they are entitled to exclusive rights to use the barber pole because of the tradition tied to the craft, whereas cosmetologists argue that they are equally capable of cutting men’s hair too (though many cosmetologists are not permitted to use razors, depending on their state’s laws).’
A couple of doors away from the barber’s is situated Polly’s Pantry Tea Rooms, first featured in ‘Portrait of a Village’ a couple of years ago.
![Cake display](http://derrickjknight.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/img_4063-1.jpg)
![Walnut cake](http://derrickjknight.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/img_4066-1.jpg)
Here are some of the home-made cakes on display.
Jackie and Elizabeth enjoyed cakes, tea, and coffee served by the delightfully friendly Julie, while they waited in this establishment for my shorn appearance. I joined them with a pot of tea. As I sat facing the window I observed a number of passing visitors examining the cakes. It seemed to me that this would make a good photograph. However I had no wish to deter prospective customers by shoving a camera in their faces. Yet I did have a couple of available models.
![Elizabeth inspecting cake](http://derrickjknight.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/img_4073-1.jpg)
![Jackie and Elizabeth inspecting cakes](http://derrickjknight.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/img_4075-1.jpg)
I sent them outside to pose.
Earlier, two little boys, noses pinned to the cabinet, had come in to choose ice creams.
As my two ladies came back inside the shop, they reprised the youngsters’ pose.
After this Jackie drove us on to Keyhaven, where the wreck has developed a lurch.
As I watched a mallard fishing, a gull homed in on it.
The duck sped off. Fortunately the gull gave up the chase.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s scrumptious cottage pie, runner beans, and carrots and Brussels sprouts cooked to such perfection that all the flavour was retained. Chocolate eclairs, cream slices and Madagascan vanilla cheesecake were the desserts from which to make a selection. Elizabeth and I drank Vacqeyras Côtes du Rhône 2015.
After a session of reminiscences Elizabeth returned home to West End.