Owing to the disorganised nature of my blogging I’m now going to write about Thursday, even though it’s Sunday night. In fact it will be Monday morning by the time I press the button.
It was raining on Thursday and Julia was busy all day with various tasks. That’s what happens when you are a pillar of society, people keep asking you to do things. Nobody needed me for anything, so, with no supervision from my better half, I had a whole day in which to loaf.
First call was to some friends with a jewellers shop. After dragging Julia round Lincolnshire on Valentine’s Day I thought a visit to a specialist in vintage jewellery who gives discounts for cash could be a good idea, particularly as I’d bought the flowers a week early because they were cheaper.
(I may have been put on this earth to be Julia’s soulmate, but I’m not convinced that I was put here to line the pockets of florists at peak times for sales of red roses.)
After that it was off to do some shopping and then, despite the rain, I felt the need for ducks. As you can see from the photographs, the waterproof plumage of waterfowl works well in the rain.
Despite many notices about not feeding the pigeons people keep doing it. They also keep throwing handfuls of food into the pond and around its margins. I don’t mind the pigeons (though I do wish people would read the notices) but I do mind the idea of attracting rats and fouling the water with decayed foodstuffs. At least nobody feeds bread, though I’m not sure what genius decided to dump a box of breakfast cereal .
Last time I visited they had cut down a tree on the island. Today I was amazed to see that it had been carved into a variety of figures, including a duck, a fox, a hedgehog and a heron. They are all good, though the Heron is particularly appropriate as it stands just yards from the place where we often see the real Heron.
It’s also appropriate as Arnold is derived from the old name Ernehale (Place of the Heron). Sometimes this is rendered as Place of the Eagle. but I’ve only ever seen Erne used as an archaic term for Heron.
If you follow the link you will also see a reference to the Hawksley and Davison mill that used the duck pond as its millpond.
I admire the skill of the carvers….and despair of the enthusiastic bird feeders.
Things used to be worse – at Rufford it used to look like the Sargasso Sea done with white sliced bread. And rats.
Wonderful carvings! I’m with you all the way with the flowers. My chocolates were bought the day after Valentine’s, and they were half price. Hope you found something lovely for Julia.
I opted for amber. She likes amber. After 30 years of buying jewellery I must admit I struggle for inspiration.
So nice, though!
Yes, it is.
Lovely carvings. I hope the roses hadn’t wilted by 14th. 🙂
The roses are just beginning to go over now. They lasted well. 🙂
Those Red Crested Pochard might well breed on the island.
It will be interesting to see who has ducklings with them later in the year.