Friday August 22nd Sunshine. Lake

Well, obviously summer has waited until now to appear. It's been beautiful today, not too hot but plenty of sunshine. I do hear the rain's back tomorrow though. Jim badly needed to cut the grass so I took Buster for our woodland walk. The lake was pretty still today and at times looked a gorgeous blue, reflecting the colour of the sky.




Grasses reflected







As it hasn't rained for a couple of days, the lake has receded quite a bit. You can see the 'tide line' in this photo:





The brown raised bit to the left is where the water was the other day.










These old dry reeds were left behind by the
receding water















The rocks have re-appeared, though not completely





I took a slightly different route inside the wood and found this tree root. I've always wanted a rootery in my garden. We have some small bits, but nothing as splendid as this. Bit too heavy to move!





Upturned tree root







Buster wore his new harness, which shines in the dark!






How splendid is that? After I'd taken Buster's photo I fell down this hole!
























I couldn't resist my little group of bull rushes again.



In fact I took them twice, from 2 different shores.


It's amazing how different they look.

















Shrub reflection

























A close up of some fungi by the lake on a log



Dried grasses to the right and new, lush green grass to the left, side by side in harmony
















A perfect salmon pink toadstool as yet uneaten by slugs








Ireland's national plant, the Shamrock














We walked up to the main road (tiny little road) and passed this wondrous looking plant. Jim told me it is burdock.



The horses had obviously been this way:











It was such a wondrous day that we decided to walk along the road a bit more. There is a chap we know called Paul who lives right at the end of it. I thought I might get a cup of tea there. Now Paul and his wife bought his land for a song quite a while ago, when it was incredibly cheap to buy. It had on it an old Irish traditional cottage. Paul, in his wisdom, decided to put a second storey on the top, but didn't do it properly and the whole thing became unsafe and has in fact been condemned. In the meantime they lived in 2 caravans. After 8 years, his wife gave up the unequal struggle and left but Paul stayed on and still lives in the caravans. He does a variety of jobs such as staging for music concerts and was building some picnic tables with benches the last we heard. Having walked there, which was quite a way, Paul wasn't in, which enabled me to take a few photos. You'll probably not believe your eyes. The caravans:

It must be so damp in there. The curtains are rotting at the bottom. Here is one of his bench sets. Maybe he'll get better with practise. He is making them out of pallets. The blue ones should be fun.




This is the back of the now condemned cottage. Such a pity












Only the cat was at home...












He did have a very pretty everlasting sweet pea though:



Click on any photo to enlarge.






Eventually Buster and I headed back to our car. In the little lay bye before ours, I recognised the car of one of our neighbouring farmers, Martin, who is an alcoholic. He has been in rehab many times but usually lasts about a day on his return. I was going to take a photo of his car as it has a smashed windscreen with tape over it, but he still drives it to the pub and back. Then I spotted that Martin was in the car. He rolled down his window and the smell of booze almost knocked me over. It's all very sad.

At home, Jim had mowed meadows and the arboretum, and said we ought to put a STAKE in a tree up the top of the meadow. It was surrounded by brambles, which I had cleared. Since then, it has a list of about 45 degrees! Obviously the brambles were keeping it up. Here it is:



What a sad tree!








Jim waiting patiently for the photographer to 'stop fiddling about'! And the now totally upright tree:



















I decided to clear some more brambles (it's a never ending job) and stayed outside until it became too dark to work, about 9.15pm.

Fabulous dinner again with our own carrots, broccoli, courgettes, potatoes and redcurrant jelly to go on the pork steaks ( got that one right) - (not our own). Followed by Jim's special crumble with our own apples and blackberries picked after we'd sorted the wonky tree. Delicious. If we had a pig and a cow or goat, we'd be almost self sufficient.