7th July – The small river at the bottom of the fields has finally broken its bank after all the recent rain. I intended to take the dogs on my normal Saturday walk across the fields to Thurlaston, but got to the bridge over the river and found the next field totally flooded. I still attempted the footpath, but had to turn back when the water depth approached welly height. The alternative route along the bottom of the fields behind our house seemed flood free, but the water was hiding in the undergrowth of grass and wheat, disguised as wet vegetation, and I got a welly-full. The road between our house and Huncote was flooded, which was a bit unfortunate as I had to pass through it to collect Matthew from Leicester Station – but it was passable.
This really is the squelchiest summer that I have known. Footpaths that are mud free in mid-winter are a quagmire in places. The only walk where have the remotest chance of keeping the dogs clean is around Croft Hill. It’s not a long walk, around the Hill, but at least the dogs self-exercise by chasing rabbits. They never catch any, which is just as well, since I can’t see Chas skinning and gutting and cooking rabbit pie. She won’t even contemplate shrink wrapped de-fluffed rabbit.
Technically we live in Oaktree House, but sadly the tree had to go.
We now have a thriving Oakstump at the front of the house.
