On Saturday, we were struck by lightening and have had no
phone and intermittent internet connection. I haven’t read anyone’s blogs and
am writing this in ‘Word’ because I can’t connect when I want to. Better to cut
and paste later. If I don’t reply to any comments, it’s because I can’t! Builders
are back this week to finish off in the kitchen and the drain men are coming
again to see if they can locate the source of the damp that caused the rot.
Nice week ahead then. At least Sunday was passable and we had two reptilian
encounters in the garden. Firstly, this lovely little palmate newt hiding
behind all the rubble bags that have accumulated during the removal of the
kitchen; those tiny webbed feet are so beautiful. Then, later on, whilst
hacking down my lovely but weather-beaten geraniums in the hope of a second go,
I spotted this common frog hiding amongst the stalks. I thought it was a toad
at first, but having examined the photo more closely, I think those leg bars
give it away; that and the fact that it was definitely leaping as opposed to walking.
On Friday, Snippet and I trudged out in the pouring rain
down into the little valley that takes the stream down to the main river about
half a mile downstream. I hoped to avoid the howling wind and horizontal rain,
opting for the vertical but hammering variety. It was hideous but we saw an
amazing fallen beech branch which blocked our progress. It was the size of a
full grown tree and my partner has his eye on it for future fuel.
Unfortunately, Trigger would have to take a crash course in logging to get any
of it out and given his hind leg issues I don’t think that’s really an option.
Fabulous sight though and the scar where it came away is about four foot
across. Great fungi attached to it too; years old and timber-like itself when
tapped.
Woody fungi
Here are some pictures from our other rather brief walks
since my last post. I’m starting to feel achy from lack of exercise!
Approaching Snippet
Pelting rain
Inquisitive foal number nine
Foal number eight having just woken up and realised the rest of the herd had moved on out of sight
A rambling rose in the rain
Betty today in the wind
Lizzy now looking definite with the four stockings and also gradually going brown like her mum
Lizzy and foal nine
Number two not looking very foal-like any more
Chief gelding drinking from a peaty puddle
The herd from a distance
On our way home today
And finally, my son made this fantastic origami spider over
the weekend. Origami has been a bit of an obsession for months now. Thank
goodness for paper recycling because our house would be a mass of birds, cars,
flowers and many other folded items. He’s really very good for an eight year
old I think but then I am biased. Here it is and let’s hope we don’t lose the
connection again too soon. Sadly, I fear it will be gone again by this evening;
I’m writing in a tiny window of time before it crashes again. Sorry if I
haven’t been visiting your blogs by the way – I will catch up when I can.
Origami spider
Till next time....
