Their Own Internal Tide Table

The clouds today were largely overcast, although rain did not set in until we were returning from our trip. This was firstly to Lyndhurst where we brunched at the eponymous Tea House. From our window seat we watched

a variety of visitors such as these older women seated on a bench with a view of younger mothers and their babies on the other side of the road.

Jackie’s choice of meal was Croque Madame;

mine being ham, egg, and chips.

Afterwards we continued our drive in the forest.

At Balmer Lawn I photographed a group watching Highland Water, then a foal grazing with its mother. When the youngster wandered away Jackie pictured it from the car. Bigifying the first of her pictures reveals the little wagtail it was following.

Along the gravelled Tiley Road a string of horse riders pulled over so we could pass. We didn’t. We stopped at the car park to watch more ponies and foals on the landscape.

When we moved on a crocodile of schoolchildren, presumably on a field trip, were shepherded along the road.

Yachts sailed past a gloomy Isle of Wight. The Needles, Hurst Castle and their lighthouses were, however, quite well lit.

As I focussed out to sea a crunching of the shingle behind me alerted me to a group of donkeys purposefully making their way onto the seaweed laden dry low tide bed.

One of their number paused for a scratch on the rubbish bin, while the others dined on seaweed salad. These creatures clearly carried their own internal tide table.

All those readers who were concerned for the safety of the three ducks seen on South Baddesley Road “In A Flap” may relax. They occupied it again today.

This evening we dined on pepperoni pizza with extra cheese topping, and plentiful fresh salad with Helman’s Mayonnaise or Tesco’s French dressing, according to taste. Jackie drank Blue Moon and I drank more of the Pomerol.

85 comments

  1. Your days seems filled with great food and wonderful sights! So many great photos, but for some reason, that final one of the three ducks catches my eye the most.

  2. It looked warm and pleasant this morning with lots to see out of the Tea House window. The warmest it has been here today was 12 degrees Centigrade – with lots of rain. I was glad to see the ducks again and interested to see the donkeys eating their greens.

  3. Love the photos, especially the donkeys. However, my stomach is now growling because of the food pics, and your always luscious descriptions of dinner. Off to find food! πŸ˜‰

  4. Your day started out with a great meal and it seemed to get better and better. Wonderful photos, Derrick. I didn’t know you ate chips for breakfast…I like that! πŸ™‚

  5. It is beautifully green around you – and I am impressed with those donkeys knowing the tides and the nutritious food available from a low tide. Lovely to see the white duck shepherding (duckherding?) its charges safely. I particularly like that white duck!

    1. Thanks very much, Pauline. Another neologism from you – I’ve just added a sentence to the post using bigify. The white duck is definitely the duckherd.

  6. Oh, that sweet foal. I especially loved the first awkward pose. What a treasure trove of experience and sights you had on your day’s journey…

  7. j’admire tous les jours votre blog et ma question est :Γ  qui appartiennent ces animaux en libertΓ© dans la campagne ?je ne comprend pas parfaitement l’anglais mais j’adore votre vie avec plantes et animaux .merci de me donner de la joie tous les jours

    1. Merci beaucoup, Marie Dominique. Je suis heureux que vous aimez ma blog. Les ponies appartiennent a les gens qui habitent le foret, nommΓ©s les ‘commoners’ qui avaient les droits pour pΓ’turage. Actuellement ces ponies vivent libres avec un bilan de santΓ© annuel. Les Γ’nes aussi sont libre a errer. Les vaches et les cochons appartiennent a les fermiers. Les cerfs sont sauvage. Au revoir, Derrick

  8. Those various creatures will definitely be aware of the tides. At rubbish tips, gulls always know when it’s Sunday and no tipping will take place!

  9. Great day out and more fabulous photos of the glorious area where you live and its locals.

  10. What a beautiful day, Derrick! And so good to see so many human-beans and other creatures out enjoying life! πŸ™‚ I always love seeing the foals, donkeys, ducks, ETC! Those duck-butts are just so cute! πŸ˜€
    HUGS!!! πŸ™‚

  11. I thought i recognised the duck family from your previous post! I’m sure they can take good care of themselves and are car-aware. πŸ™‚ I’m not so sure about the family of schoolchildren though and am glad to see they have handlers.

    Loving the photo’s of the donkeys and ponies with their foals. πŸ™‚

  12. I do exactly the same with our supermarket bought pizza, always add extra cheese and sliced mushrooms.
    I love the idea of the donkeys having a tide table!

  13. The blogosphere is full of interesting vocab. Today on Joeyfullystated I learned the word “doorfie” and now from you I learn about bigifying.

    The donkeys are so endearing. I bet they know its low tide by the smell, eh?

  14. Ponies, donkeys, ducksies, and chipsies (not enough chipsies, but then I can’t eat chipsies anymore). Lovely post, Derrick, I enjoyed it. Especially the foal with its interesting way of standing.

  15. I always enjoy hearing about your day, Derrick. This time I had to look up “uh-pon-uh-muhs” That one is new to me! When you say you went to “Lyndhurst where we brunched at the eponymous Tea House” does that mean it was the Lyndhurst Tea House? What an interesting way to express it! And your food choices looked so interesting. Obviously very fresh farm-raised eggs. They have such bright orange yokes!

Leave a Reply