What a Scorcher!

We've had another blisteringly hot day but things are already cooling down this evening. Taking advantage of the heat I got 3 loads of washing out on the line this morning and put our feather filled duvet outside for a good airing and dose of sunshine.

At school it was very warm in the classrooms and horribly hot in the playground. Things are already winding down towards the summer holidays and the reception classroom has had most things cleaned and put away so there wasn't anything for the children to do. I took the children outside with their drinks bottles to sit on the no-mow in the dappled shade of the cherry tree while I read them some of my favourite story books from home. Most of them were content to loll around in the shade but a few were constantly interrupting or taking themselves off to sit in the baking sun. At playtime I suggested we all went in the Secret Garden which was mostly shady. It seems to have got quite overgrown and neglected so I had to remind the children that they should not play with the bigger sticks (but how could I ban the collection of the many small sticks around?) and definitely not to put anything in their mouths. (Earlier in the term one child had to be taken to hospital following an allergic reaction caused by eating some berries). I think we were all glad when it was home time.

I came home determined to mow the main lawns before the weather changes but it was hard work in the heat. I had to stop half-way to get a drink and cover up from head to toe against the flies. I got it all done but the lawn mower is making a horrible screeching noise even though I sprayed lots of WD40 on to the rotor. I will have to try and take it apart or send it to the menders as the sound is awful and I'm sure something will self-destruct soon. After all that I was so ready for a shower.

 This fledgling blue tit has discovered where the good food is.

Some more birds of prey seen at the festival.

 A Lanner falcon.

 A Little Owl.

A Barn Owl and a Long Eared Owl.

I had hoped to post some photos of the cars Peter drove but he has yet to work out how to email them from his phone.