Lone tree

A twisted ash, a ragged fir,
A silver birch with leaves astir.

Men talk of forests broad and deep
Where summer-long the shadows sleep.

Though I love forests deep and wide,
The lone tree on the bare hillside,

The brave wind-bitten lonely tree
Is rooted in the heart of me —

A twisted ash, a ragged fir,
A silver birch with leaves astir.
Wilfrid Wilson Gibson


A beautiful day! A few chores then I nipped off round the lake circuit to make the most of it. Exhilarating.

Back home I started tackling the pond - it has become choked with too many plants: duckweed, parrot weed, water hyacinth. It's hard work pulling them out as their roots go way down and parrot weed tends to climb right back in again. I'm not quite sure how many fathoms the pond is and it's very easy to assume what you are treading on is solid when in fact it isn't. The sludge is pretty stinky too - all organic matter but not something you would want to land in. Though this has been known. 


A most enjoyable evening last night with excellent food, great company and a roaring fire. And we were presented with a large bottle of their freshly pressed olive oil. When they're not in Ireland they have a small place in deepest Spain plus 50 olive trees.