The Toughest Test Yet

Yesterday’s rain had desisted and sun was permitted the occasional appearance when we took a drive into the forest this afternoon.

A pony and foal had peeled off a group on Wootton Common alongside Holmsley Road. They held up the traffic on the opposite verge, until the mare abandoned the youngster who took some time to realise it had been left alone. Meanwhile the others were making their way through the shrubbery. Junior then trotted delicately back across the road and trailed after the others.

More ponies grazed among the forest trees along Rhinefield Road;

others set up barriers along the Linwood Road which is so narrow that it has designated passing places cut into the moorland.

We passed through Appleslade where walkers could be seen atop a hillside.

It was four and a half years ago, as featured in https://derrickjknight.com/2016/01/14/rockford-common/ that Becky had led me up the side of Rockford Sandpit.

The dead tree I had photographed on that occasion was still standing.

Today a group of children were engaged in what one is expected to do in a sandpit.

A small family were making the descent.

I determined to take the more sensible route up a winding, more gently sloping, solid path. It was easy enough to steer clear of the other climbers.

I photographed just one of the ponies at the top of Rockford Common, the distant landscape, the purple heather, and the browning bracken, before returning by the same route. This had been the toughest test of my new knees yet.

This evening we dined on Jackie’s succulent sausage casserole; creamy mashed potato; crunchy carrots and broccoli; and tender runner and green beans. The Culinary Queen drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Pinot Noir.

84 comments

  1. I hope your knees held up and didn’t give you any pain after resting for a bit. It’s a little unsettling to see so many people without masks; I suppose you are not having quite the spike we’re in the middle of.

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  3. Lovely countryside, Derrick and Jackie! That foal is growing into a handsome fellow.

    It’s been a long, long time since I played in the sand. That looks like fun. 🙂

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  8. I’m intrigued by how this hill made of sand got itself into the middle of the countryside – I don’t know why I didn’t question you on that in the earlier post. Is the soil generally sandy in these here parts? Really glad to hear you could ascend and descend with no difficulty.

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    1. the soil is grade A shite, Pauline; it’s why there’s only wilderness there as otherwise it would be farmed to death. My mum cursed the mix of dead clay and nutritionless sand that makes up the new forest when we lived there but as with Jackie’s oasis, overtime, she created a marvel out of the murk. So, yes, most of it is sandy.

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      1. Ah – good to know, thank you Geoff. Maybe a handy thing there is so much livestock freely roaming about…. Now I’m wondering if Jackie keeps a bucket and spade in the boot of the Modus….

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  10. I love the chestnut pony with the blond mane. I think the “Landscape” photos are my favorites out of today’s group; I’m very partial to the color palette.

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  13. I hope you knees have passed the test with highest honors, Derrick.
    As usual, I find the black and white photos more intriguing than the color ones, although the rest of the photos are equally impressive.

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  15. You are so blessed to live in a place where you have such gorgeous landscape and so many horses, birds, and various trees as well as the beach within easy driving distance of you. Your ability to capture the scenes and animals with your lens is such a gift to us who can enjoy your beauty vicariously. Thank you so much for sharing, Derrick. I ove the forest scene with the two horses. Gorgeous!! <3

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  21. Here’s hoping and believing your knees continue to be strong with the rest of you. I guess the mum knew her foal would catch up. I love the photo with the ponies in the forest.

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  23. I want to do whatever those children are doing in the sand, except that it might result in a conflict with my day job. I am glad your knees are in harmony with your roaming spirits.

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  25. Well done on passing the test! It is now mandatory to wear masks while in public here – not only in shops.

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  26. I’m so glad your new knees served you well! Great job, Derrick! Always be careful, please.

    Good to see everyone out and about having fun! Especially the kids enjoying the sand and the beautiful ponies and that little foal!

    ALL of your photos are gorgeous…and your B&W photos show such wonderful details and textures!
    (((HUGS))) 🙂

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  30. glad your knees passed the test, Derrick! that is awesome! lovely scenery as always. the solitary white pony is gorgeous! 🙂

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  31. I love your Horse shite comment, I thought it was only my lovely late husband who called it that! I just use plain shit!

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  33. Good shots again of ponies. It must be that you add “pony time” allowances into your trips…? (And I am curious–you all don’t need to wear masks? We don them even outdoors if it’;s like we’ll be closer than 6 ft. to others–and even with family if we don;t live in same household. But it is a nightmare of cases in USA now…)

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    1. I feel for your nightmare – especially as we have a granddaughter in NC. We do keep pony time 🙂 Masks must now be worn in shops, but not outdoors. Thanks very much, Cynthia

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