A Bigger Splash

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The garden was looking very refreshed as I wandered around this morning. Most blooms bore baubles of raindrops.

Bees were making up for being confined in hives by the recent precipitation.

By lunchtime, I had finished readingΒ 

Hibbert’s well researched history is founded on the subject’s personal correspondence and contemporary observations. Like many great men, our national hero comes across has a man of two halves. Undoubtedly kind and generous to his men and to many others Nelson’s relationship with Lady Emma Hamilton was seen as folly by many, and, even as demonstrated by his own letters he must have treated his wife very badly. This Viking paperback of 1994 contains no identification of the painter of the cover portrait.

After lunch, Jackie and I visited the sites of the two scarecrows missing from our last visit. Prince Eric, now wearing a rain hood, perched on a hedge at Ramblers in Woodcock Lane. I am very pleased to be able to report that a rebuilt Frog Prince again sits outside 49 Ashley Lane. His creator informed me that his battered body had lain on the ground and his decapitated head had hung from a branch.

We continued on a drive through the forest. Near Ogdens, a herd of deer got wind of my approach, and, turning tail, slowly picking up speed, elegantly trotted across the undulating terrain to safety over the brow of a hill.

Ponies and fliesPoniesPonies and fliesPonies

Clusters of pesky flies surrounded somnolent ponies gathered together at North Gorley.

Other ponies mingled with visitors to Ibsley ford, some of whom competed to establish who could create a bigger splash.

This evening we dined on Jackie’s splendid spicy pork paprika with savoury rice. The Culinary Queen drank Coonwarra Chardonay 2016; Elizabeth and I chose Villanyi Merlot 2015 and drank some of it.

59 comments

  1. Another lovely frog prince – this one looks much happier than the previous one I admired. (I seem to have a thing for frog princes, I wonder what that’s about!) That’s a really fabulous capture of the big splash Derrick – almost magical!

    1. Many thanks, Pauline. You are a romantic πŸ™‚ I was some distance away when I saw a ball thrown up and realised what would happen when it landed. I had one shot. The timing was lucky.

  2. I thought the human prince was a beekeeper, given his head protection. Did someone beat up the frog prince? That is terrible. I’m glad there’s a new one. He’s quite charming. Your deer pictures are fabulous and your splash even more fabulous!

  3. You are very lucky because you have the opportunity to break with the routine of daily life!! I am starting my summer vacation from tomorrow!! I will return in September!! Kisses to all of you my friend!!! I will miss you!!!!

  4. Around here, if you went to a park and saw a pony – someone would call the police or animal regulation! Sweet to see them roaming at will by you!!

  5. Your roses are so beautiful. I’m always in awe when I see the ponies wandering about in your photos and now deer as well. You must live in magical place.

  6. I wonder under what spell you keep your flowers? They keep getting impossibly more beautiful in the next post and the next. You have described both deer and ponies in a pictorial vein. It occurs to me the ponies present an antithesis to the former.

  7. Such excellent photos, Derrick. The flowers do look refreshed. I like that Frog Prince, and you managed to get the deer in motion. Yesterday, a neighbor posted a video taken in her yard of female deer chasing off a buck. She had wild turkeys, too, but no ponies. πŸ™‚

  8. OH! the dear deer are so beautiful!
    And I always love your photos of the ponies! I’ve never seen a dark brown deer! I wonder what kind he is?
    YAY for the rain which makes all of nature happy!
    HUGS!!! πŸ™‚

  9. That pink rose is a real beauty! They are all gorgeous, but that one is such a lovely color.

    Good to see the frog scarecrow back together again. πŸ™‚

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