A walk to see some muddy pigs!

The absence of posts has been due to spending time with our visitors.  My son and his fiancee returned to the mainland today after a few days seeing friends and family on the island.  It was so lovely to have them with us, and to hear about their new home and of course the plans for the wedding in the summer.  It seems incredible they've been engaged now almost a year =:o

The weather has been surprisingly dry over the weekend so yesterday N and I put our walking boots on for a visit to our favourite pigs at the Abbey.

Glorious clear blue sky and a winter sun with more than a drop of warmth to it made for a lovely walk. 

The views across the Solent - there were quite a few yachts out sailing.

Then onto the Abbey for a spot of pig-visiting!

Mud, glorious mud!

The pigs have had some very splendid new enclosures constructed for them over the autumn/winter, and were making the most of the beautifully muddy conditions all the recent rain has produced.  There were lots of very contented snuffling and snortings going on!  N and I sat on a bench overlooking the pens, and it was so peaceful and tranquil in the sun.  No cost involved at all, and we both felt very much better for some time out.

I spied these wonderful espalliered (if that's the right word!) fruit trees which have been trained against the walls of the old vegetable garden in the Abbey grounds.  Both the branches and the brickwork are covered in lichen.

Against the blue sky, the round masses of mistletoe stand out amongst the bare branches of these trees;

and here, beside the lynch-gate to Binstead Church, there is blossom on the ornamental cherry - in January!

And finally, because the sky was so clear all day, I was able to get a couple of pictures of the sunset.  The white streak to the left is the vapour trail left by a plane destined for foreign climes.

Did I mention some curtains that needed altering?  That kept me busy over the weekend!