A WORKING LUNCH?!

We have been scratching around for hay supplies for the last few weeks, most of which has been expensive and not very tasty, according to my fussy four legged friends. I recently bumped into an old neighbour/farmer who farmed the land next door, and made hay for us years ago when we lived in Petersfield, before we had alpacas, when I trained horses for a living. He said he had some hay left over from the 2010 crop which my lot might like as it was still green and 'soft'. Sounds perfect, I thought, so I picked up a bale to try and I was fairly confident by the sweet smell of it in the car as I drove home that they would like it - they loved it.  I talked Peter into coming with me to pick up a trailer full, what swung it was my suggestion of a route via our old local for lunch, he didn't take much persuading...

The Harrow at Steep - well worth a visit

Sign on the ladies loo

The Harrow at Steep, is a 'proper' old country pub.. quite well known in these parts for being unchanged for the last 80 years or so, even down to the outside loos, although they have added a heater in recent decades which does it's best to keep the ice from the pipes, despite the draft whistling through the gaps round the door.  Inside the pub there is always a roaring fire going, wild flowers on the tables, country magazines and old books. One bar is for the locals, a bit daunting as they all peer at you when you walk in .. the other more for visitors, like us now.   A toss-up between the legendary pea and ham soup with it's huge hunk of homemade bread and wedge of  butter, or the yummy scotch egg ploughman's ... the egg.. and was of course delicious. The beer was wonderful too, we felt a tad

Storm clouds - not a 'paca to be seen - they're all in the shelter on right of the picture!

drowsy afterwards and could quite easily have stayed there in front of the log burner all afternoon, but the hay appointment was calling.

We had to pass All Saint's Church, we got married there nearly 15 years ago. We pulled over to have a quick peak inside, I had forgotten how beautiful and how very old it was, it dates back to the year 1140, can you just imagine what life must have been like then... Our visit brought back lots of happy memories, not least the thunderstorm that raged over our heads on our rehearsal the evening before, which I did wonder at the time was some kind of warning! It's been pretty stormy here today and we've had thunder too ... strange coincidence.

All Saints' Church, Steep, Hampshire