Monday 29th August

We went for a short stroll near Burley with the specific aim of finding mushrooms.

Rules about when to pick mushrooms

When we saw this sign I thought we might be out of luck, but in fact our timing was perfect (by sheer fluke) and we found loads of chanterelles under beech trees. We also found some false chanterelles to compare them with, which was both interesting and useful.

This sign told us that we couldn't collect mushrooms from that area between September 1st and March 31st. Whew!!

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Chanterelles



It took a long time with water and a brush to clean these mushrooms and get rid of the dirt from the folds, but it was worth it. Next time we will cook them in butter with garlic.










I was really pleased with the result of our labours. It was a beautiful day, and lovely to walk slowly (for a change!) amid some fabulous old trees. We drove back via Bolderwood Arboretum. It was exceptionally busy on the roads, due to being a Bank Holiday of course. I realised again how lucky I am to live in such a lovely part of the world.

Thursday 25th August

Well I will be back at school in a week. Bugger... But we had the good news that our school has received the best GCSE Results ever today - 75 % A*-C - so that is really great.
Not one to sit around, I went for an 11 mile walk from home, and apart from a rain-shower at the start, it was the most beautiful sunny, clear, epic day you could wish for. One of those days where the sky seems extra blue and the clouds really stunning. A day like being in heaven.

Ready to be harvested

There was lots of ripe corn, ready for harvesting, going brown in the sun and wind.

Corn and oak tree

This corn had been baled and stacked near East Grinstead. The sky was lovely.

Knapweed



Light through the trees near Pepperbox Hill

17 August 2011



There were several horned fallow deer

I went for a 16 mile walk today in the southern part of the New Forest. Mostly I circumnavigated Burley.

I borrowed Andrew's SATNAV for the trip, but the battery went flat after 6.81 miles, so I resorted to good old map and compass.

I saw these fallow deer just after I started walking at 08.30. They had some of the largest horns I have ever seen on deer, but unfortunately I scared them away before I could get close enough to get a good photo.



The usual trees and ponies



There was a beautiful path named "The Commoners' Passageway, which had clearly involved local time and effort. I really enjoyed walking along it as it took me through some beautiful open, empty countryside, containing fabulous old trees and undulating contours. There was a plaque to commemorate the reinstatement of the route.



An old milestone near Burley



Monday 15th August



A large red caterpillar

We went camping at Rockbourne Park this weekend. Andrew has the permanent use of a large bit of private woodland there, so we occasionally go there and whittle twigs next to large fires. Great fun!

Andrew and the camp-bed - it didn't fit in the tent!

We bought Andrew's Camp bed and a large inflatable mattress for me (must be getting old!) - not realising that both of them would individually take up the entire tent's floorspace. So I got to sleep in the tent, and Andrew set up his own sleeping area outside. Luckily it didn't rain...

A large green caterpillar - of the Prominent Moth family.

On Sunday morning I constructed a large woodpile and started making a spoon. Andrew saw a doormouse.
We had good food and listened to the radio.
It was very relaxing indeed - as soon as you get to remote places the lack of phone, T.V., internet has a really positive effect. I wish more people, especially children,  could be persuaded to spend time away from all mod cons. It would do them the world of good.

Me at the camp

As you can see, there were lots of caterpillars around.

I got bitten by a tic for the first time since doing the CWT. Andrew got bitten by mosquitoes.


Sitting by a roaring blaze drinking wine.



8th August 2011

I went for a 14 mile walk in the New Forest today.
It was very windy, but warm enough to wear shorts and a T-shirt very comfortably.
There were very few other people around and I walked at an average speedof 3.6 mph, which was pretty rapid!

Horses

Trees near Amberly Enclosure

Horse in the heather

Horses in motion

Road and moody sky