Lunch On The Green

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This morning was spent helping the garden recover from the battering winds. This involved gathering up broken branches; tying up plants, like the rose Summer Wine, that had come adrift; a certain amount of watering; and preparing ground for chrysanthemums and bulbs.

After lunch we deposited another orange bag of cuttings in the recycling centre, and drove along the coast road to Milton on Sea.

Isle of Wight and The Needles 2Isle of Wight and The Needles

When the sun emerged from the rapidly moving clouds The Isle of Wight and The Needles benefited from a bright clear light.

Waves

Waves still rolled thunderously onto the rocks at the water’s edge.

Crumbling cliff

The clifftop had experienced more erosion since my last venture up there a few months ago.

Crumbling cliffs 2

The bricks in the foreground of this image once formed part of a long-gone structure,

Clifftop

and the path shown here was set further away from the edge last year.

Men eating lunch

We may have finished our lunch, but a gentleman seated on a bench, mirrored by another eating a banana in his cab,

Man eating lunch

was still enjoying his.

Cyclists lunching 1Cyclists lunching 2Cyclists lunching 3

On the village green a group of elderly cyclists tucked into their own snacks.

Hit and Run Notice

I am occasionally asked about the safety of the free roaming animals. Continuing to the north of the forest we noticed this hit and run sign beside Roger Penny Way – not that unusual a phenomenon, particularly during the tourist season.

Bracket fungus

Were I ever to take it into my head to climb a tree again, I might choose this one bearing useful bracket fungus

Lane with pool

at the side of a somewhat waterlogged lane through farmland just to the north of Cadnam,

Sheep on road 1

where sheep wandered across the road.

Sheep on road 2

Initially inquisitive, these creatures, when I invaded too much of their space, turned tail and made for the field from which they had wandered.

Putting 1Puttng 2

We were soon aware of a golf course on our left. A putting session was in progress.

House building

On our return home, I photographed the Hordle Lane housing development from the rear.

This evening we dined on Jackie’s luscious liver casserole, mashed potato, green beans, and orange carrots. The Culinary Queen drank Hoegaarden, and I finished the Fleurie.

65 comments

  1. I enjoyed this post, Derrick, since 1. I can NEVER leave the house without going back for one of my ‘bits’ 2. I love Dick Francis and 3. the train episode would have driven me mad! I also liked the bit about the pervert! I’m always wary of photographing people, and too embarrassed to ask them.

  2. Bits lost and found, a good meal with an old friend, being called a pervert and a sir all in the same day….a most fulfilling adventure I should think, Derrick.

  3. Interestingly, nobody, including the police, has the right to stop you taking photographs in a public place. The only exception might be public buildings in a terrorism context. So carry on Derrick! Don’t be put off by weirdoes!

    1. Thanks, John. I do know that. I would normally ask permission for any recognisable shots anyway. Most are quite happy. Some aren’t, and I either don’t take them, or just delete them.

  4. I’ve never seen pigeons sitting on the grass like that. In such numbers. Must be the heat. Maybe that woman thought you were a pigeon fancier (?)

      1. In case it still escapes your memory, the cold rice pudding dish is called “rice pudding” that’s been in the fridge πŸ™‚

  5. Your trains have tables? I wonder if you’d take a picture of that for me-
    I would love to have a table between the seats. I have only seen that on long distance trains and in films from the 1940’s

    I enjoyed these and I feel oddly about photographing people so I would be too timid about it to do it for a living. Screamed at you? Yikes

        1. I guess it depends on what you consider commuter. Where I live, people commute fairly long distances on Amtrak (and regional rail), which thankfully have those tables!!

          1. Yup, the folks I was thinking about come 50 or 60 miles one way. A more usual one would be 60 round trip using the train. My own, thank goodness, is only a couple subway stops.

      1. We have just a few tables. They are worth grabbing for the knee room which is insufficient in the other airline type seats. But it does increase the chances of inconsiderate company.

    1. Many thanks, Pleasant. I have the same diffidence about photographing people, which is why I usually ask. These distance shots were really a different matter. I’ve said a bit more on your exchange with arlingwoman. Incidentally, it gives me pleasure to see people get into conversation on my posts.

      1. 120 miles one way or round trip? Quite a commute, wow. I suppose as far as trains go I have always been a romantic, which is why I asked the question. In a couple old British noir movies, there was a table between the seats, or highly upholstered seats, very nicely furnished. But then that was 1945.

        You do have an eye for photos, but I will say in those, I was puzzled how in any you showed a pervy side at all πŸ™‚ She must have some reason to be overly interested in your picture taking

        1. 120 miles each way, on an intercity train, then a 5 mile run along a canalside in the morning. Tube back to Kings Cross in the evening. first 5 times a week, then 4, then 3. Our seats now are very cramped and uncomfortable, as are the tables. I’m so pleased I don’t do it now. No doubt perve was in her mind

  6. Funny isn’t it? You are called a pervert for taking photos in a public place but the obnoxious slob on the train expectorating semi-masticated smelly garbage and treating his incarcerated fellow fare-paying travellers to a loud and uninteresting one sided conversation gets no ill treatment. Funny? Actually rather sad where we have gone as a species.

  7. That day would have “ruffled my feathers”! We too have quiet carriages, and it irritates everyone when passengers abuse the convention. And the woman abusing? Oh dear. There are some days when it would be better just to stay in bed πŸ˜€

    1. Thanks very much, Gwen. As if I needed reminding, such a day does jog my memory about what Anthony Burgess called ‘the ultimate obscenity’ of ‘urban living’. However, it is all part of life’s rich pattern, as they say

  8. Thank you for taking us on your trip, Derrick. It sounds like you had a wonderful time and lunch with your friend, and an otherwise “interesting” day!
    I laughed at the woman calling you a pervert, and you seemed the very model of a polite gentleman the way you talked to the impolite businessman on the train.

  9. Oh dear, what a day. The lunch sounds good and I’m glad you’re home safely. Being called a pervert must have been disturbing. I do admire the way you dealt with the rude dude in the train. “You must comply with this…” I’ve never seen pigeons like that either. They must have wanted to be in the shade.

    1. Many thanks, Lisa. That many pigeons is a common sight in London. But they are usually more active. It was very hot. I wasn’t really worried about ‘pervert’. She was at a safe distance, and it was in her mind, not mine.

  10. What a lovely place it reminded me of parc bastions in Geneva although less green. I guess you would like it there including the giant chess pieces and the crowd that gathers there to play. I used to often play there as it was near the University I went to. There nobody would call you a pervert for taking photographs of people. I mean that sounds absurd if you are not on the beach trying to take photos of people sunbathing topless or anything of the sort. As for the rude gentleman, you handled it pretty well I think. Sad that he did not actually cut off his conversation or just change carriages after apologising. People respect nothing much these days I find. Your last sentence made it sound like he had cut your appetite with his burger and screeching πŸ˜€

  11. Dear Derrick… I absolutely love all your posts and this one is no exception. You bring the nature to be the best possible way. I just loved the birds (pigeons) in the pictures.. Here, in Delhi as well there are a lot of them and are being fed by people often.. Thank you so much for sharing. You bring happiness with your posts to me.

    1. I always do, Miranda. If I have already taken the picture and they don’t like it, I delete it. Actually most are happy, and some even ask for the blog details. Thank you.

  12. Ouch! she called you pervert πŸ™
    I enjoyed the photos of what I jokingly term sun worship.

    Thank you for standing up for the rest of us. As one who used to frequently ride the train, I understand only too well.

  13. In all likelihood the lady needed an adjustment on her meds. Meanwhile no one notice use took photos of British aerial messaging resources gathered in a clandestine location. πŸ™‚

  14. I have not yet been yelled at but the iPhone is so quick and discreet that I find that people hardly ever notice. I wonder if she’d screamed at a woman?

    I like b/w photos but I think in this instance the red bus demanded colour.

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