poliphilo: (Default)
poliphilo ([personal profile] poliphilo) wrote2010-07-26 08:49 pm

Back From A Weekend Break

Sorry about the hiatus. We've been to visit my mother in Kent- and she doesn't have internet connection. Right now is a good time to visit Kent. The cherries are in season and they're selling them by the roadsides. We bought £5 worth on our way out of the county this morning.

My mother lives near the Hop Farm . A few weeks ago it hosted Bob Dylan. This weekend past it was holding the War and Peace Show- an annual get together for owners of military vehicles. We kept passing jeeps and things in the lanes- and the town was full of unmilitary looking types in US Army fatigues. 

Yesterday we had an improptu family get together. There was my mother, myself and Ailz, my sister and her husband Ian, my nephew Tom, his wife Miche, their little boy, Matthew and my niece Jo.  Last time all these people were together in the same place was at Jo's wedding a year ago. We were entertained by an unusual rusty-breasted bird that was hopping about on the lawn. We got out the field glasses and the Reader's Digest bird book and decided it was probably a linnet.

My mother used to make wine. She has a cache of it going back 20-30 years. On Saturday we opened a bottle dated 1986. I thought it would be undrinkable- but it was actually rather nice, with a full rich muscadet flavour and only a hint of sulphur. 

My mother's next door neighbour keeps alpacas. Funny little beasts.  One sneezed- greenly- all over me.


[identity profile] chiller.livejournal.com 2010-07-26 07:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, aren't they charming!

[identity profile] poliphilo.livejournal.com 2010-07-26 08:15 pm (UTC)(link)
Like elongated poodles....

[identity profile] poliphilo.livejournal.com 2010-07-26 09:43 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm always a little taken aback at just how odd they are...

[identity profile] chiller.livejournal.com 2010-07-26 09:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Those necks!

[identity profile] huskyteer.livejournal.com 2010-07-26 08:32 pm (UTC)(link)
I almost went to the War & Peace Show on Saturday, but decided I was too tired.

I would have loved to have seen Dylan - plus Van Morrison, Los Lobos and others - but I was in France that weekend.

[identity profile] poliphilo.livejournal.com 2010-07-26 09:42 pm (UTC)(link)
It must have been quite a coup for them to land Dylan. I believe that was his only British gig this year.

[identity profile] lblanchard.livejournal.com 2010-07-26 08:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Awwwww...they look freshly shorn.

[identity profile] poliphilo.livejournal.com 2010-07-26 09:41 pm (UTC)(link)
They are. They look less like poodles when they're wearing their full coats.

[identity profile] pondhopper.livejournal.com 2010-07-26 10:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Those are well shorn alpacas! The wool is so soft...do the neighbours weave their own wool skeins?
Cute little fellows.

Sounds like the family gathering was very nice and with homemade wine!

Greensneeze was all my joy...

[identity profile] jorrocks-j.livejournal.com 2010-07-27 02:53 am (UTC)(link)
...Greensneeze was my delight
Greensneeze as my hart of gold
And who but my llama Greensneeze?


--Skarl ("And the royalties...go to Royalty") the Drummer

Re: Greensneeze was all my joy...

[identity profile] poliphilo.livejournal.com 2010-07-27 08:13 am (UTC)(link)
I don't know about "delight".

[identity profile] poliphilo.livejournal.com 2010-07-27 08:12 am (UTC)(link)
I don't know the next door neighbours. Their field abuts on my mother's property and we squinny at their animals through the hedge. I believe their main business is marketing garden sheds. I doubt if they weave the wool themselves

[identity profile] tinceiri.livejournal.com 2010-07-27 04:20 am (UTC)(link)
What's the one in the back doing with it's head?

[identity profile] poliphilo.livejournal.com 2010-07-27 08:13 am (UTC)(link)
Good question. Holding it an odd angle whilst browsing (I think).

[identity profile] endlessrarities.livejournal.com 2010-07-27 07:35 pm (UTC)(link)
They look so funny when they're shorn!!