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Dawn skies over Downton presaged similar weather to yesterday,
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especially when casting its light on Becky’s aptly named painting of a ‘Troll in a Storm’ – although when brightening Giles’s stained glass it appeared more optimistic.
The elements did follow yesterday’s pattern although without the rain which only threatened with the occasional forbidding frown.
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While Jackie completed her work on the Brick Path
I concentrated my clearing and bagging up of refuse, my dead heading, and my weeding on the Back Drive where
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day lilies, honeysuckle, and roses now look somewhat tidier; and
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insect life, like Red Admiral butterflies
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and crickets, seems to be returning.
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Tired as she was, Jackie was able to bale out yesterday’s waterlogged wheelbarrow and continue her planting after lunch.
This evening we all dined on tempura and hot and spicy prawn preparations on a bed of Jackie’s colourful savoury rice topped with a thick and tasty omelette, with which she drank more of the rosé and I drank Moldovan Merlot, part of Becky and Ian’s Father’s Day set.