I was very drowsy today. However, the weather was so unseasonably warm and sunny that we did go for a drive in the forest.
Very close to Fawley Powers Station is this section of the New Forest that we have not driven through before. It leads to the village of Blackfield where live many of the families who work at Fawley. There was evidence along the tracks that local children enjoy quite an idyllic playground.
Ponies at East Boldre basked in the spring sunshine, some too somnolent to get on with their job of keeping the grass down.
Suddenly the word got around that there was some tree work being carried out at the corner of Chapel Lane. The ponies ambled along the road to investigate the clippings in the gutter.
Last year’s foals foraged on either side of the road through East End,
A troop of miniature ponies assiduously shaved the sward. One appeared to be covered in freckles.
Later, while watching a recording of this afternoon’s Six Nations rugby match between Ireland and Italy, we dined on succulent chicken Kiev; tasty ratatouille; mashed potato; crunchy carrots and cauliflower; with tender green beans.
Looks like a good day, Derrick. I can never get over all the free roaming animals, no matter how many times I see the pictures.
Thanks very much, Lisa. I expect you will see more 🙂
To be honest, I’m glad we don’t have all those loose animals wandering about – it’s bad enough with various humans wandering round!
🙂 They are more acceptable traffic stoppers than cyclists
🙂 Don’t tell Tootlepedal!
Oops. I’m sure he doesn’t behave like those in our forest.
🙂
What a beautiful day! I’m glad you had a chance to get out. That horse with freckles made me laugh. 🙂
Thanks very much, Crystal
I adored all your photos of the ponies. You may have been drowsy Derrick, but by the end of the day you ate very well………..
🙂 Many thanks, Ivor
What a gorgeous day for a drive. Getting out in the fresh air always does the mind and body good. Thanks for sharing your wonderful photos, Derrick!
Thanks very much, Jill
Aw! I love the Freckle-face beauty!
Sounds like a wonderful ride!
I love how each pony has a different winter-coat they wear!
Hope you got some rest that curried the drowsiness!
Your dinner sounds lovely!
HUGS!!! 🙂
Thanks very much, Carolyn. Better each day. X
My favorite is the brown pony with white pinto-like markings. They do grow a warm coat for the winter, don’t they?
Thanks very much, Diane. They do, indeed
I have always had a soft spot for freckles, whether on my daughter’s face when she was a little girl or on the pony’s face in the picture you shared.
Many thanks, Laurie. Michael was covered in them.
Oh, those little freckled faces!
A face without freckles is a garden with no flowers- is a lovely quote I have seen. So true.
Lovely!
Great quote.
The freckled pony’s expression would make it perfect for a career in the circus.
🙂 Thanks very much, Susan
Great photo, Derrick. I’m amazed at how you managed to find a part of the NF that you hadn’t visited before.
Thanks very much, William. So were we 🙂
Such a beautiful drive – I thoroughly enjoyed going on it with you both (and your many friends from around the world [ha-ha]). Freckles is lovely – get well.
Thanks very much, Mary. Getting there
That’s just a beautiful face.
Not to be resisted, Dad. Many thanks
Good pony pictures. It moots be nice never to be short of a subject when you go for a drive.
Sometimes we will drive for an hour before being inspired – at others we are inundated with material. Thanks vey much, Tootlepedal
Lovely! Derrick, tell me again where you live. I need to find it on a map so I get an idea where you are in England. By the way, if you’re interested, i live in the western part of New York State. I’m in Brighton, which is a suburb of Rochester, NY, along the shore of Lake Ontario. Rochester was the home of Eastman Kodak, Bausch & Lamb, Gannett Newspapers (USA Today), XEROX. Kodak used to employ 62,000 workers when I lived here in 1976, now it’s just a very few thousand. Others have moved headquarters or shrunk significantly.
Thanks very much for that geography, Steve. Although I grew up in London where I lived until, at 45 I moved to Newark in Nottinghamshire we have now settled in Hampshire’s New Forest, on the South Coast in close proximity to the Isle of Wight.
Thanks, Derrick, I shall do my geography today. Wait, isn’t that Robin Hood’s territory?
No – Robin Hood was in Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire. William the Conqueror hunted in The New Forest
It’s all very romantic sounding and looking. Would idyllic be a good description?
It would indeed
I love the freckly pony! I hope your appetite has recovered as Jackie’s delicious meal sounds wonderful!
Thanks very much, Clare. I did enjoy that one, but still not eating much
I understand. Take care, Derrick. 🙂
Don’t you ever watch Australia play? Or are you just watching the junior leagues?
Only when they come over here, Brian. I don’t subscribe to any form of pay to view. Thanks very much
The ponies appear to have their own grapevine. The freckled pony is certainly one designer chap!
Thanks very much, Uma. The ponies are so silent, I’ve often wondered how they communicate
Enjoy the sunny days Derrick!!
The weather system Okeanis swept across Greece over the weekend, pushing down temperatures and bringing snowfall to much of northern Greece and mountainous parts of Attica.Winds were particularly strong, reaching 10 Beaufort BRRRRRRR!!!
Have a nice week !!!
Thanks very much, Efi. You, too
Pretty horses. Your weather gives me hope of spring.
Thanks very much, Mrs. W
Your welcome
“The word got around…” by Pony Express i assume? 😉
I love the piebald pony, but your photos of ‘Freckles’ are to be highly commended! 🙂
I wonder if there was more to that chance meeting between the 3 of you than just random happenstance??
Thank you for your daily posts and photo’s which give all of us a little ‘fresh air’ 🙂
Good wordplay with Pony Express and good spot on the meeting, Bob. Many thanks
these ponies are really lovely.
Thank you for the menu too, which is very enticing. Your wife seems excellent cook
Thanks very much, Yoshimi. She is indeed
How beautiful to have ponies wandering around. The speckled one is particularly interesting.
Thanks very much, LL/PS
A wonderful peaceful day. Great weather, beautiful creatures and good food.
I have eagerly awaited your comment from the moment I clicked on Freckles. Thanks very much, GP
You know I love them all. Wish you could ship Freckles over here!! 🙂
🙂
Beautiful!
Today is brilliantly sunny, and my first thought was to grab my husband as soon as he wakes and take him to the lake. Then I saw the weather, that it is 6°F. Maybe I can take him out before he sees the weather report? He hates the cold! But loves the sun, as does his camera
Maybe it will warm up. Thanks very much, Leslie
Beautiful blog post as always, much enjoyed even when I’m not particularly into horses, but I was fascinated by the freckled horse, as I have freckles myself in the summer 🙂 A fine horse!
Many thanks, Agnes
Looks like a lovely day there, Derrick. 😊
We are having record breaking warmth for February, Julie. Thanks very much
“The word got around that there was some tree work being carried out at the corner of Chapel Lane.” That made me laugh out loud. I always love your pony photos, and that freckled face is precious.
Very many thanks, Jodie
<3
Love the vivid photos of the horses and ponies, especially the last one “Freckles”
Thanks very much, Gary
Bum shots again! 😀 … the freckled pony seems to be a typical ‘ginger’ albeit a bit on the pale side. 🙂
Are you casting aspersions on my shots? 🙂 Thanks a lot, Widders
Heh, heh, heh … ah Derrick, you know how fond I am of your ‘from the rear’ photos which our hooved and feathered friends model for so willingly. 😀
🙂
The perfect place to be a pony! Freedom to wander about and graze as you please, and the protections that come with domesticated humans..
Very nice post, Derrick!
Thanks very much, Claire
Love the freckled face 🙂 Good you can move around, Derrick.
Thanks very much, Inese
It looks like a beautiful day–spring awakening in flora and fauna. Good news that you’re feeling better and can enjoy Jackie’s cooking. 🙂
Thanks very much, Merril. Today is warmest ever on record in February in UK
Wow!
A bit over 21 in Kew Gardens
Love the pony pics as always, especially the close-up of Freckly. 🙂
Thanks very much, Sylvia
I always enjoy the ponies, Derrick. Little Freckles looks adorable. His coloring is like an Appaloosa. I don’t think I’ve seen a pony colored quite like that before.
We haven’t either, Lavinia. Thank you very much
A beautiful idyllic lifestyle Derrick, both therapeutic to the eyes and the Soul, you are very fortunate my friend, you see something that many in the City never see or experience.
Cheers.
Having spent most of my life in London, I agree entirely, Ian. Many thanks
They are all beautiful photos, Freckles especially. I think those of us who spent years living in cities and suburbs before escaping to the country appreciate our country living more than those who’ve lived here all their lives. Each day I look out of my window and I say a quiet thank you, forty three years on and I am still appreciative of what I see.
Me, too, Sue. Thanks very much