Trichologists Having Fun

The storm that raged through the night and most of the day had Jackie regretting the time she had spent watering the garden yesterday. By the afternoon the precipitation was beginning to be interrupted by periods of sunshine.

After lunch it seemed to be the weather to buy a new tyre to replace the one that was suffering a slow leak. Others must have had the same idea, because there was quite a queue at the fitters. In the event we needed two new tyres. I had begun to be quite nervous about whether I would arrive at the dentists in time to keep my hygienist’s appointment. Actually I was a little early. After a painless scraping and polishing we drove into the forest.

As we left New Milton we couldn’t miss a young lad in Station Road celebrating school holidays in party mood, albeit attempting to look quite normal.

Heather is turning purple on the moors alongside Holmsley Passage;

while rowan trees, like these beside

Bisterne Close, Burley, are a good six weeks early.

We have often remarked upon the varied colour ways found on the New Forest ponies, for example a grey body with chestnut forelegs, mane and tails; or a bay with black and white tail. FP even sported a matching brand. Their trichologists must have fun with the hair dye.

From Bisterne Close we turn into Mill Lane where sunlight pierced the spaces between the trees and sliced last autumn’s layers of leaves. Here a fly on an oak leaf must have preferred this to the ponies’ muzzles.

We noticed several groups of walkers carrying their temporary homes on their backs. It is little wonder that, give the soaking they had received, some of them seemed somewhat less than gruntled.

This evening we dined on chicken breasts, mushrooms, and peppers in a Chinese sauce marinade, creamy mashed potatoes; crunchy carrots; and tender runner and green beans, with which Jackie drank Blue Moon and I drank more of the Bergerac.

54 comments

  1. The horses sure look beautiful and they most certainly are well-fed!!
    Glad the tyre and teeth situations are A-okay!!

  2. I too think we should be able to be gruntled – especially as we can be dis-ed. The morning phatic conversation could be “How are you today?” “Oh, thoroughly gruntled thank you!” I shall try it!

  3. I had to look up trichologist. That’s funny. The ponies do have some amazing colors.
    “less than gruntled” – I will use that when I am next in a foul mood. (Probably next Thursday.)

  4. After all the rain we’ve had I’m not surprised that the walkers appeared somewhat less than gruntled. I would have felt much much less than gruntled!

      1. I think we have Derrick,l and it’s depressing. My son (a teacher) now on his summer break had suggested we drive out deep into the Dales today and find a lunch venue that we’ve never visited, we’ve now put that hold because although pleasant and sunny right now, heavy rain is forecast once again.

  5. You’re so funny, Derrick. 😉
    I’m glad both the tires (sorry have to use our American spelling) and teeth were taken care of. The heather is beautiful. I always think of the Cyd Charisse and the Heather on the Hill song from Brigadoon.

  6. I was really happy to see the rowan trees…J.M. Synge talked about them in a short story I read once and I have always wanted to see one. For a while I thought they were like Ash trees, but I guess not! As for tires, it seems you can never get just one…

  7. There will be no stopping the outdoor junkies. Their turtle like disposition has been well captured by the roving eyes of your potent camera. The colours of New Forest ponies seem to be challenging the tenets of Gregor Johann Mendel.

  8. Tyres, teeth, and trichologists! a Terrific day for sure! 🙂
    HA! You make me laugh, Derrick! 😀
    Those ponies DO go to a great place to get their hair colored and styled! 😉 Beautiful how each pony has unique colors and patterns!
    OOH! I see the leaf-sittin’ fly!
    OH! Love the balloon hat! We all need one to wear out and about! 😉
    Most of the time, I am very very very gruntled! 😛
    HUGS for you and Jackie!!! 🙂
    PS…I know someone who has Hypertrichophobia. 🙁

  9. Rats! – most of my comments have already been used above. (several times!) 🙂

    I would add with regard to the Rowans early bloom… It is basically the middle of winter here and i just pruned my rose bushes. I left a single tiny branch unpruned as it had fresh leaves and wanted to let the plant be able to capture some sunlight before Spring arrives in a month’s time (i.e. Early!) Today i found a new rosebud growing on the end of that branch? I also expect to have my first poppies in the first week of August. What IS going on??

    Nice piece of descriptive text you used for Mill Lane, i would even go so far as to say a ‘cut’ above (or below for that matter!)

  10. I like your description of vegetables Derrick, they always sound appetising and I sense they are of excellent quality with excellent taste, sadly here we are getting vegetables that somehow have lost all taste and are bland.
    Cheers

  11. The rowan berries here and in Lincolnshire are also early. I can’t see why, considering the cool start to summer. Maybe the drought last year has made the eager to reproduce?

    I recently had to get two new tyres instead of one. At least you’re safe.

    And isn’t it irritating when you water – and then it rains. Jackie has my commiserations.

  12. I am quite sure that the horses were quite happy to have the flies disdain their muzzles. Biting insects can be a real irritation for creatures both two-legged and four.

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