Saturday 9 July 2011

Mid-Summer 2011

I was going to update this blog with pictures of the summer solstice.  It didn't happen.  I went to some standing stones known as the Grey Mare and her Colts, just above Abbotsbury.  As the sun sinks it is supposed to be a spectacular event through the gaps where you watch it roll down across the hills in the west.  We all arrived at about 9.20pm in the evening.  It was as cold as charity.  The wind made me wish I had brought my winter jacket.  The sun was sinking - straight into a thick bank of cloud which managed to obliterate everything.  I may try again next year...
So what has been happening - I think I will quickly work backwards.  I have just been round our lake with the dog - it is a beautiful morning.  I have been seeing the kingfisher quite regularly in the mornings and evenings, but he is quite shy.  I have no hope of taking a photo of him, but he is extremely colourful.  I was listening to Monty Don rattle on about different grasses that he was putting in; well our native grasses round the lake are extremely attractive at the moment.  In the lake margins we have a lot of tall Timothy growing - with its long fox tail head, which is now a shade of purple and dusky.  There are also types of fescue and is it yorkshire fog - all very pretty.  Then we have a bank of bull rushes, which are turning from green to black velvet.  There are different smells too.  The meadow sweet is in flower and different honeysuckles in the hedges - it is all very nice....
Well a quick update; the piglets are growing into nice little pigs, who like their backs scratched.
The geese are not laying, have made frequent bids for freedom, but at the moment are still in the cider orchard.  We have an addition of one gosling - my only hatchling this year.  He/she is quite white, still fluffy, and has quite a lot to say; which makes me feel it could well be a male....
My poor old lab - who is not old at all - is very stiff, so on anti-inflammatory from the vet.  This is a bit unsettling.
I have been to lots of events over the past few weeks, and today am off to Maiden Newton - as its all open.....  Went to a spectacular sculpture exhibition the other week, just outside of Dorchester.  It was wonderful.  Beautiful bronze sculptures depicted round different lakes.  Big breakfast last week - eaten in the sunshine.  And talking of breakfasts - I had better start cooking for my guests now.  Will try to get some pictures and be a better blogger in the future.....