Nice Weather For Ducks

Christchurch Road was once a quiet country lane. Still serpentine, it has become a major route between Lymington and Christchurch, suffering from the curse of Open Reach, the maintenance arm of BT. No trip around our area is complete without its Open Reach sighting. Often, as this morning, we are held up by

temporary traffic lights and a traffic tailback from one of their vans engaged in repair work along the way. This particular warning sign appears to have sustained several good kickings.

The letterbox affixed to Elizabeth’s entry gate in Burnt House Lane, Pilley, becomes filled with water resulting in sodden correspondence. We therefore drove over for our Maintenance Department (Jackie) to remove it, which she did most efficiently.

Burnt House Lane is also retaining rainwater. Here are views to the right

and to the left of Elizabeth’s house.

Her neighbour keeping a boat in the garden must know a thing or two.

After a short visit to see how my sister was getting along, we ventured further into the waterlogged forest, where, on the road to Burley, we encountered a

flood under the railway bridge serving Brockenhurst, one of the few lines that escaped the Beeching Axe.

Drivers approached the winterbourne waters with care, avoiding the deeper side,

as the seasonal stream sped across the moorland on either side of the bridge.

I had contemplated walking under the bridge to photograph the other side, but thought better of it and allowed Jackie to drive me over. There was nowhere to park the car, so I aimed this one through her open window. It didn’t seem a good idea further to delay following vehicles.

It was not unusual to find, at the corner of South Sway and Flexford Lanes, that the Lymington River had burst its banks and flooded neighbouring fields.

We haven’t, however, ever before, noticed a solitary moorhen meandering among saturated tussocks,

or a sord of mallards paddling across such soggy sward.

Flexford Lane itself clearly reflected its environment.

It was, as the saying goes, nice weather for ducks.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s succulent sausage casserole; creamy mashed potatoes; Tender Savoy cabbage and crunchy carrots, with which Elizabeth and I finished the Malbec.

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  3. brings it all back; esp the flooded bridges – I seemed to have to cycle under some such on my way to and from school every winter. Squelch, squelch…

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  6. I did grin at that glimpse of the sailboat. Prior to Hurricane Ike striking here, my upstairs neighbors (3rd floor) decided they were going to stay put. He was Coast Guard, and they’d done a good bit of ocean cruising together, so they were well equipped. The kicker was that they outfitted themselves with some unusual storm prep items: two kayaks, serious life vests, flares, and such. As he said, “If it gets up to the third floor and our apartment fills, we’ll just float out the window.” I have no doubt they could have made it work.

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  8. Ah rain! 😀 We got a bit damp on our walk this morning – but the previous week was actually quite nice. Ducks seem to enjoy most weathers, I try to remind myself to be more like them – doesn’t always stick…….. You got more fab reflecting shots, second to last is a beauty.

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  13. Oh wow Derrick, that’s a lot of water laying around, and here we are in Australia having record over 40’C heat from the west to the east coast, and bush fires raging everywhere, and it’s only the 1st week of summer. !!

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  19. I liked the wordplay on the mallards on the grass! 🙂 Very punny.
    Give my regards to the ‘Maintenance Department’ ( You’re going to be in deep for that one, Sir!) 🙂

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  21. You are certainly getting enough rain!! We have a shower now and again, but nothing to speak of. I’m enjoying the fact that we’ve had lower temperatures!!!!!

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  22. Sorry to hear about the flood in your area Derrick. I hope the rains have stopped now. It’s a nice weather for ducks, they are happy.

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