None So Brazen

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Autumn tidying in the garden produced enough clippings to warrant a trip to the Efford Recycling Centre. In exchange for two bags of these and Β£4 we returned with four firm chair cushions for raising the front passenger seat, and a plinth for the owl in the new arbour.

Hatchet Pond 1Hatchet Pond 2

Towards the end of the afternoon we drove through the forest and stopped at Hatchet Pond

Gulls over Hatchet Pond

where gulls occasionally took off after food,

Donkey being petted 2

and donkeys attempted to share visitors’ refreshments.

Donkey being petted 1

When I asked the group in a camper van if they minded the photographs, the gentleman, beaming, replied: “I don’t mind. It’s not my donkey”.

Highland Water 1

Approaching Brockenhurst on our way home, we deviated to that extension of Highland Water that flows under the A337.

Trees and shadows

Shadows were cast beneath the trees.

Family at Highland Water 1

A family and a couple lingered, enjoying the last rays of sunshine.

Tree roots and family at Highland Water

Tried not to trip over tree roots, probably laid bare when the stream has been in spate.

Please take your litter home

The usual samples of litter had been left behind, none so brazen as this.

This evening we dined on Jackie’s luscious lamb cobbler, new potatoes, carrots, and Brussels sprouts. Β The Culinary Queen drank Hoegaarden and I finished the Graves.

68 comments

  1. Wonderful photos, Derrick, and I love the friendly donkeys. The New Forest is beautiful. It must be great to be able to drive through whenever you have the time.

  2. I’m pleased to hear the owl is getting its own plinth. Are the first two photos shown in black and white or is it the time of day – I like them very much, especially the first one with the play of light!

  3. The choice of monochrome renders a timeless character to the pond. I’d prefer the donkey any day over the cretin who left his mark by the sign prohibiting littering.

  4. Your black and white photos were outstanding Derrick, and humbug I detest litterbugs, I’m afraid they’re laziest of human’s and there’s absolutely no excuses for such behaviour …

  5. You’ve cleared up one thing (almost) – which I shall not remember of course: Is it Brussel’s Sprouts, or Brussels’s Sprouts, or Brussels Sprouts, or Brussel Sprouts , or Brussels Sprouts or what the heck…? The word checker will not allow me not to capitalise the B of Brussels. Oh – as you see dear Crossword Man – the stress of life…

  6. If I live to be a 100, I shall never understand anybody who can leave litter in a place as beautiful as that. I don’t even leave it in places that are already strewn with litter. Either you add to the chaos of the world or you make the choice not to do that.

  7. When I rule the world I will make it a priority to catch litter bugs and make them eat the litter they left. Yes, this includes dog owners.

    The way round the Brussels Sprouts issue is to use the Nottingham term “knobby greens”. πŸ˜‰

  8. Great post, Derrick. That donkey face is so cute! I love thinking of you wandering about, meeting people, and getting gems like “not my donkey.” Such fun. – Re: litter – I judge litterers very harshly. It is disrespectful and lazy. I am often seen running down the road with my dog and a bag of her poop. My husband goes out with a trash bag and cleans up the streets. It is just occurring to me that we might be the town crazies. lol

    1. When we lived in Minstead and I still walked through the forest I sometimes carried a bag to do what your husband does. Thanks for this and for following the earlier links.

      1. Wow – Love that song. I make use of the things that I find AND I my husband picks up litter. Perhaps we should move over there where we’d fit in better. – Although Canada has also been looking very tempting for the past year. . .

      1. Jackie was watching a programme where people who voted for Fart were asked whether they would do so again. Listening to it, I was amazed how many women said they would.

      2. I had never heard “Fart.” But, yes, I have heard the same thing. Lots of people are just fine with him. I’ve spent a year looking at the people around me thinking “Who ARE you people?”

  9. Another trip to the countryside and seeing the ‘wildlife’ – you always have my attention, Derrick!

    (I never heard of lamb cobbler – maybe the Culinary Queen could do a post one day?!!

  10. Beautiful photos, Derrick, and I love the black & white of clouds and water. Sometimes color does not quite do justice to a scene.

    I am so sorry about those litterbugs. We have them here too.

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