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Threatened with an early disappearance of the sun that shone through the mist at dawn this morning, we took a drive soon afterwards. I have to confess that Jackie was the only person out of bed early enough to produce these two photographs.
Our first stop was at Norleywood where the land alongside a stream was very waterlogged;
and primroses and celandines sprawled over the slopes and beside the stream.
Prolific blackthorn also bloomed.
Llamas, two of which reconstructed Doctor Dolittle’s Pushmepullyou, grazed in a field further along the road;
cattle opposite had freedom to roam;
while neighbouring chickens certainly enjoyed free range.
At East End, an interesting problem for motorists was presented by the unloading of a lorryload of thatcher’s reeds at the same time as two huge vehicles were parked outside the house next door where heavy landscaping seemed to be in progress. We watched the reeds lifted by crane, carried over the hedge, and lowered into position for the imminent task of re-thatching an impressively proportioned house.
A rather splendid mimosa grew in a garden on the opposite side of the road.
It was so misty beyond Tanners Lane beach that neither the Isle of Wight
nor Lymington harbour was visible.
After I had taken this very pleasant woman’s photograph we had an enjoyable conversation, beginning with our lack of complete understanding of the cameras we were using.
More pale yellow primroses shared the banks of the ditch along the lane with little violets.
This evening we dined on Set Meal B at Imperial China in Lyndhurst, both drinking Tiger beer.