There are two adjoining fields, divided by a stream known as ‘the beck.’ It’s a good twenty years since the fencing on the further one, Humpy’s Meadow, was renewed and it’s looking its age. We’ve done running repairs and so has the farmer, but we’re biting the bullet and redoing the whole thing, though keeping what’s in good repair. First, though, we had to have the overgrown, dead and fallen timber taken out, as well as brambles and other rubbish. This gave us a huge quantity of stuff to be burnt and a sizeable pile of wood to be, in due course, cut up for firewood.
Little Z is standing at the side – the pile must be 15 or 20 feet tall.
And the farmer has been bringing the potential firewood – once it’s been cut down to size – over by the barn. And that’s not so big but it’s denser: maybe 10 feet tall.
And old Humpy the donkey’s stable will finally be demolished and the eventual bonfire will consume even more and the log pile will grow further. Which is quite reassuring, in fact. We like guaranteed warmth for years to come.
Bonfires are legal in England? Everywhere, or just in the country? We’d get a large fine for air pollution, I’m afraid.
How did Humpy get his name?
Not everywhere, Beryl, some areas are smokeless zones. They’re allowed out here in the countryside though – just as well, it would cost a lot to have all that removed.
His previous owners had him in the 60s and called him after Engelbert Humperdinck, who was in the charts at the time. My mum took him on when his paddock was sold and had him for the last decade of his life.
Hi Zoe, nothing to do with your blog, but have you seen today’s Sunday Times property pages? Apparently Bungay “is out on a limb, but that is part of the genteel Suffolk town’s appeal”.
Will keep it for you, we don’t usually bother with a Sunday paper, meant to buy Saturday’s but were with DS and family who’ve moved to Hampshire a few weeks ago and are still surrounded with boxes. Admittedly not easy with 8 week old baby and 21 month old toddler.
Yes, I take the Sunday Times, so I read it, thank you. Good that the Castle was mentioned – one expects a bit of patronising attitude to a ‘quaint’ old town, but nicely written about. Hope the move has gone well, certainly quite a challenge!
Glad that’s cleared that up 😉