Yesterday evening we watched the first episode of The Crown Series 2.
The morning began with suggestions of blue sky when Jackie popped out to photograph our new OLD POST HOUSE sign given to us for Christmas by Shelly and Ron, and
fixed to the back gate by Aaron on Sunday.
While she was down that end of the Back Drive she photographed daffodil spears pushing up early.
From far off in the Rose Garden she heard Nugget singing his heart out, so he became her next subject,
“Where’s Nugget?” (58)
Knowing that the rest of the day would be shrouded in drizzle we drove to
Mudeford harbour by mid-morning.
The waves were choppy and the currents contorted.
Walkers and joggers tracked the waves
or sped around the more sheltered harbour.
No-one was seated on the benches –
not even the mobile phone user.
Gulls gathered on the grass.
Dogs and children so love to scatter them,
sending them flashing against the dark indigo skies.
From Mudeford we headed inland, where, at Burley Manor the deer were busy grazing or resting by the shepherd’s hut.
Beside the fence stands an ancient hollow trunk, probably of an oak. I will spare my readers sight of the various unsavoury items tossed inside by visitors mistaking it for a refuse bin.
Outside Burley grazing New Forest ponies were reflected in rapidly filling ditches.
Nearby a pair of muddy-hoofed Shetland ponies did their bit for verge maintenance.
When a larger cousin joined them, one rather cheery creature proposed: “Let’s go play with the traffic.”
So off they went, intent
on causing mayhem.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s wholesome beef and mushroom pie; boiled potatoes; roast parsnips, onions, and peppers; crisp cauliflower, and tender cabbage, with which the Culinary Queen drank Hoegaarden and I drank Patrick Chodot Brouilly 2017.
