Summer is now here in all its glory. The weather on the whole is very warm and rather humid. The two mallards have been persuaded to leave the pond. She left of her own accord, to sit on a clutch of eggs we think. He took rather longer. Once we stopped providing a non-stop soup kitchen though he soon left to spend the summer on the river and lake. Everything in the garden has performed so well this year. The red oriental poppies, delphiniums and iris have been wonderful. All the spring flowering shrubs were better than ever. After the storms of last week, things were a bit battered, but we have soon tied things back up and with a little bit of welcome sunshine they are once again flourishing. The vegetables are growing on well, we've had our first boiling of new potatoes. We've got most of the soft fruit covered with nets against the birds. We don't mind them having some of the fruit, but if left to it they would strip the lot. The blackbirds are particularly crafty at this. No baby owls this year, what a shame as they were so endearing and very useful in keeping the mouse population under control. (This gardening lark is nothing but a battle with nature.)
Jenny's great grandmother was Mary (Molly) Ashburner who as a small child was living opposite Dove Cottage when the Wordsworths arrived there in December 1799. Little Molly spent much time with William and Dorothy and their guests and Dorothy tutored her in the art of marking and handwriting. Several references are made to Molly and the Ashburners in Dorothy Wordsworth's journals.