Smiling For The Cameras

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Waterboy Pool 1

We have several sparrows’ nests in the garden. They, along with various other small birds, take their ablutions in the Waterboy’s pool, as they did this morning.

Sparrows - one on waterboy's head, another on pool edge

Sparrows - one on waterboy's head, one flying

Sometimes they await their turn for a dip on the little lad’s head, flying off after they are done.

Sparrow on hook 1
Sparrow on hook 2

Other perches also come in useful.

I carried out an administrative task in relation to our friend Wolf’s executorship, after which Jackie drove me to the Hordle Post Office.

Crane transporter 1

We were narrowly beaten to Hordle Lane by a crane transporter. This held us up somewhat,

Crane transporter 2

since it took up most of the tarmac, and anyone coming from the other side of the road had to risk driving into the ditch.

Crane transporter 3

There were quite a few of these because it was school run time.

Mount Pleasant Lane

After I had eventually posted some missives, we travelled on to Brockenhurst via Mount Pleasant Lane which rather lived up to its name.

Heron

At Highland Water a heron strode purposefully along the shallow stream,

Ponies

on the other side of which a group of small ponies mowed the lawns.

Pony and family 1

One of their number had remained on our side and attached itself to a small family.

Pony and bare feet

The father collected up the picnic and took it to a safer place,

Mother and two boys

while the boys watched with some consternation the pony snuffling the bicycle.

Pony and shoe

With teeth

Pony scratching and family

and hoof, the animal sought to relieve its itching,

Pony and family 2

reporting progress to the mother and her younger son

Pony and photographer

as the father crouched down with his camera.

Pony and photographers

While other photographers thronged to the scene the model began smiling for the cameras.

This evening we dined on Jackie’s superb lamb jalfrezi, her rice with peas, and her sag ponir, with which we both drank Kingfisher.

46 comments

  1. The birds know a good home when they see it!! Your country sure supplies endless material for you to photograph and write about, Derrick!!

  2. I have a small pond that I made out of a planter and it does attract a lot of wildlife. Unfortunately they love my fish too much and now I have to protect the remaining three by covering the pond with wire.

    We don’t have small birds like the sparrow anymore. The smallest I see now are the rainbow lorikeets; their numbers are assured as people feed them from their balconies. You see even birds need beauty to survive in our society.

    The moment the man sat down and started photographing the pony is a sweet one.

  3. I sometimes wonder what it feels like to live in a magical place like the one depicted in the pictures. I feel like wanna jump into the world that your shots portray! Enchanting is an understatement!!

  4. That pony knew it was about to get its five minutes of fame – what a ham!! 🙂 Your country lanes are so beautiful, I remember going backwards down them quite often when faced by these great huge trucks who posed too great a risk of me being ditchified if passing was attempted. Mmmm,, have I told you this before I wonder????

  5. Excellent. A very magical world indeed. Better to have the birds nesting in your backyard garden than the ponies. 😀

  6. Did you know that there are no sparrows in Western Australia?

    They are considered vermin and if a daring sparrow somehow makes it’s way across the rabbit proof fence into the West, it makes headlines in the paper, and all stops are pulled, to hunt down, and kill, this ferocious creature!

    Well that was how it was in the 60′ and 70’s when I lived in the West!

    Just love all those lovely ponies.

  7. Beautiful photography for what looks like a great day out despite the crane transporter. Love the one with the water feature

      1. That’s what I like about your attitude which transpires in all your posts, positivity. Blessed be and may we keep having great uplifting posts always from you.

  8. Mount Pleasant Lane, High Water—what beautiful names! I loved the pic of the white heron. Ours are a mud-colored grey, but we appreciate them anyway. Such an amazing, patient bird!

  9. I liked the humor shown when you talk about animals as well as their intentions. This pony really did get a big smile on its face! 😉

      1. Well, it probably was muttering if you could read his lips, something like, “another human tourist in our animal paradise.” 😉

  10. Mount Pleasant Road does look like a beautiful ride! I love the pony shots, especially the last one where he is smiling for the camera. Great catch!

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