A mystery

I came across this protruding from an old birch tree. It looks like a hinge for a farm gate but it certainly isn’t in a position where a gate would be. I can’t think what its purpose might have been.

In the early afternoon we visited friends who are heading south for a couple of months so it was good to chat before they go. When we arrived home, P and A (the lovely Lucy’s humans) arrived with a generous gift of some venison which was a very welcome addition to our freezer.