A quiet morning

This morning I was in a rush to buy birthday cards. I had forgotten that my nephews who both have birthdays next week would be away on holiday on their birthdays. I had to post the cards today so that hopefully they will get them before they leave. I walked down to the post office as soon as it opened and chose the cards. I then looked round for somewhere to sit to write them so that I could post them straight away. I found the perfect place.

This open space in the village is called the Fairground after the horse fairs that were held here twice a year before the First World War. It is a lovely large open space to have in the middle of the village, and perfect for quietly writing cards!

Perhaps because it was quite early there was hardly anyone about this morning even though it was the first day of the school holidays.

After writing the cards I looked at the village ponds. We have two ponds and the water level was low in both of them despite the rain we've had this summer.

The second pond had slightly more water but still not much. Early last century this pond was much larger and during severe winters used to freeze completely and be very popular for skating. It would be a bit small for skating now but then we don't really get winters that are cold enough for it to freeze solid enough for skating anymore.

As I was taking these photographs I realised that I have never really taken any pictures of the village. If I visit somewhere new I always take lots of photographs but because I see my immediate surroundings every day I don't really think about recording them.

So, a couple more photographs,

the cricket pitch

and a nice shady seat underneath an oak tree close to the ponds.

I think I might make a little photographic record of the village this summer. If I'd been a bit more organised and bought those birthday cards in plenty of time I would have missed out on this pleasant wander around a corner of the village.