Her First Baby Donkey

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Although the rain has stopped, we are still enduring gale force winds. This involved us picking up branches and various other bits of debris.

Elizabeth came for the afternoon. After lunch Jackie drove us all to Hockey’s Farm at Ibsley, where the ladies enjoyed cream teas and I drank sparkling water.

Donkey and Alpaca

At the farm, larger than average donkeys shared a field with the alpacas.

Hockey's Farm house 1Hockey's Farm house 2

Part of the complex is an attractive thatched house,

Ploughshare 1Window and ploughshare

by the side of which lie a pair of antique ploughshares.

Woman and dog conversing in front of thatched house

Seated at one of the tables whilst her companion visited the café, a woman engaged in conversation with her dog.

Ploughshare and window from café doorway

The back door of the café looked out onto the scene.

Derrick by Elizabeth 3.8.17

Elizabeth photographed me at our table. Later we cropped it to produce an up-to-date WP profile picture.

Mushrooms

A Milky Way of mushrooms outside Hyde

Puffball by Elizabeth

prompted Elizabeth later to photograph a puffball growing in the gravel of our Shady Path.

Donkey and foal 1

At Frogham, my sister was delighted to encounter her ‘first baby donkey’,

Donkey and foal blackberrying

seen blackberrying with its mother.

Donkey by Elizabeth

Something was making the foal itch. Elizabeth created this image.

Back home we dined on Jackie’s perfect pasta arrabbiata with sugar snaps. Elizabeth and I finished the malbec, whilst Jackie drank Hoegaarden.

Afterwards, Elizabeth and I examined our photographs.

P.S. See Paol’s comment below for correct information on the old ploughs

70 comments

  1. Delightful photos, Derrick! It looks like a wonderful day–and you got a great profile picture, too. The baby donkeys are adorable, and I like the Milky Way of Mushrooms, too.

  2. We used to eat puffballs. We sliced them and fried them in butter. Yum. I can’t recommend, though, as I’m not sure whether that’s the same thing. I’ve never seen one gnawed on before like that…

    1. Thanks very much, Lisa. Jessica was a great fungal forager. We ate them the same way, but neither Jackie nor I would be sure about this one. I wonder whether rabbits like them 🙂

  3. Derrick this a nostalgic post for me, even we live in white picket fences, New York City doesn’t have the outdoors you do! Imagine visiting a farm at spur of moment! Thats precious! Thanks for sharing!?

  4. I love the thatched roof on the house at Hockey’s Farm. Such peaceful, green and beautiful photos of your day! The baby donkey is adorable. 🙂

  5. When I read that you ate arrabbiata with sugar snaps, I thought at first that they were biscuits. But, I’m hoping you meant peas!

  6. It’s lovely to be able to compare photos with someone who was taking them at the same time. The baby donkey is very cuddly looking, though I dare say those long legs and hooves might express its displeasure if anyone tried it.

  7. Baby donkeys are very, very cute.
    Derrick, if this old bloke who was brought up on a farm can have permission to be pedantic the two farm implements you show are very old ploughs. It is the sharp pointy bit at the front that cuts through the soil that is the “plough’s shear.” Hence ploughshare.. Sorry mate, but I couldn’t help myself.

  8. I have to say I am not all that fond of mushrooms but your picture of the field of white caps was undeniably lovely. As were the thatched house and donkey pics–Elizabeth’s included! Guess that covers it.

      1. Most welcome Derrick. I feel you have a natural knack for photography and should use it to affect more people’s moods than you currently do

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