This morning’s sun shone blindingly bright in clear skies; the temperature was finger- tingling chilly. Because the meteorologists had predicted rain this afternoon we drove out early to Mudeford Quay.
I had never seen the normally tranquil harbour water as choppy as it was today.
The high tide surged back and forth over the shore line leaving bubbles clinging to driftwood;
gulls bobbed among the undulating surface oscillations,
occasionally taking to the air
and settling on the grass
until scattered by hastening motors.
Leaving a pair of brisk joggers to their exertions I walked over to the quayside with its
rougher seas and bouncing buoys.
A solitary jogger trotted past two women progressing at a gentler pace, while
an eager dog towed its owner along the pool sprinkled promenade.
From a safe distance an animated baby seated in a buggy was being shown
waves battering the sea wall.
Jackie photographed me
photographing her. How’s that Pauline?
As we prepared to move on the Assistant Photographer showed me an image she had produced of
yacht masts and a bench, and related the story of the day.
Before my Chauffeuse had moved over to the quayside a young woman had emptied a carrier bag full of food onto the grass in front of Jackie’s car. Within seconds
a squabble of seagulls swooped seeking sustenance and set about each other scavenging insatiably.
It was all over in a flash.
At Avon the eponymous river had spread itself across the neighbouring fields,
encroaching upon calves’ feeding area.
We continued on to Hockey’s Farm shop for brunch, where we were disappointed to discover that the café was closed because a new floor was being laid.
The straggly-damp alpacas in the pasture might have appreciated their own new floor.
A thatcher’s pig has flown up onto the roof of the cottage repaired last summer.
The hair of a group of ponies at South Gorley may have been dry, but now it needed a good shampoo.
Others a little further on seemed to have had one already.
We returned to the excellent Café Aroma in Ringwood for our plentiful brunch, then travelled home facing oncoming driving sleet.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s watercress soup and rolls with which I finished the Costiere de Nimes.