Solstice oak

Getting time out to blip, away from Christmas preps, is getting harder in this house.  I managed it today – rather briefly – and am wondering if I can take 20 mins tomorrow combined with my last food shop before the house fills on Friday.  Otherwise it will be food blips or, worse, the vacuum cleaner! 
 
Anyway, today was pretty dark and it had rained in the night so I decided to climb above the valley mud.  Up here the ground’s pure chalk and always dry.  Partly because of this I was surprised to see this oak tree apparently thriving.  Although oaks grow well on the west side of Winchester, up here on the east you really don’t see them at all.  (I think they’re inclined to get something called the shakes, which weakens the structure of the wood.  Perhaps someone who knows more about it can tell me?)
 
And this afternoon I saw my old gent, which allowed me some quieter time, but though I left early it was dark walking home.  After all, it is the shortest day.

Have a good evening  xx