This afternoon we both collected our new specs from Boots, then drove into the dreary, drizzly forest.
Along Undershore there stood an example of the broken trees on soggy terrain that currently proliferate in the woodlands.
There wasn’t much sign of life until we came across cattle wandering along Sowley Lane.
Owner’s tags, as always, adorned their ears as they stared us out.
Several calves were left to their own devices, although by and large they stuck to the verges. One chewed its tail;
tried on a new necklace;
and indulged in a bit of grooming.
One seated adult turned her clarty back on the proceedings;
another had dried her hide after a mud bath.
Crowds of crows took to the air overhead.
Ponies on the corner of St Leonards Road were equally mud-caked;
one somnolent group dozed beside
a weedy winding winterbourne stream swiftly swirling,
sweeping loose leaves and flexing fixeded grasses while surging to a tunnel under the road.
As may be imagined from its name, such a watercourse flows only during the winter months.
The terrain at this junction between St Leonards Road and that to East Boldre becomes a similar pool during very wet weather. Today a passing cyclist was reflected in it.
He clearly had no use for his steering bars as his hands were otherwise engaged. I hoped he was the only one going round the bend.
This evening we dined on belly of pork, roasted long and slow in order to drain away the fat; firm roast potatoes and parsnips; crunchy carrots and tender cabbage, with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank Carenina El Zumbido Garnacha Syrah 2018.
I don’t even own a smart phone, so I feel like I’m in some Meme or cartoon when I go anywhere – they all look like your bike rider!! Everything sure is soggy, hope you get some sun to dry things up pretty soon!
I own a smart phone but only use it for calls and texts. And I do turn it off 🙂 Here we see it on bikes, on horseback, in cars, on the beach……. Thanks very much, GP.
That guy on the bike! Holy cow.
Fortunately the cows were in another lane, Leslie 🙂 Many thanks.
?
No helmet! It’s law here that bike helmets are to worn by all cyclist. Many have died by just not wearing a helmet BUT testing as well…
Nice pics. 🙂
Here, too, Chrissy. Thanks very much.
Thanks for the new word—clarty.
Thanks very much, Peggy. You are welcome.
LOVE those photos of the cows/heifers and the horses! Yes, it’s a soggy kind of day, but you captured the beauty! And that kid on the bike, wow… I hope there’s not a fast-moving vehicle comin’ round the next bend!
At least he didn’t have earplugs in, so he might have heard it. Thanks very much, Jan
Poor muddy ponies! Lots of water – lets hope it drains away and leaves everyone a little drier and cleaner. Yikes – Youth!! Sigh!
Yikes, indeed, Pauline. Thanks very much.
Love the picture of the cows. More baby cows are being born here every day. It is truly calving season.
Thanks very much, Mes W
Your welcome
Mud, mud, glorious mud! I wouldn’t offer to insure that cyclist.
No way, Tootlepedal. Thanks very much.
“Going around the bend” is a euphemism here for someone who’s gone a little crazy. I’d say that definition of the phrase applies to your young cyclist, too.
Exactly. I’m so pleased that phrase wasn’t wasted, Linda. Thanks very much.
Definitely.
Oh my, these kids who ride their bikes while using their phones scare me. That’s so dangerous. Our weather has been rainy and dreary too…at least you have the cows.
Indeed, Jill. Thank you very much.
Cows have such gentle eyes. You describe your world so beautifully, Derrick.
Thank you very much, Alys
You’re welcome. It’s always a pleasure to stop by.
Riding and tweeting. What could go wrong?
Perhaps living, Rosaliene? Thanks very much.
The forest drives are always interesting, even on a drizzly day. Plenty of mud about horses, ponies and cows to roll in.
Using a mobile device while biking, or driving, is very dangerous. No helmet, not paying attention to anything but his screen?
And going round that bend, Lavinia. Oblivious to anything but the screen. Even clutching his bag with his elbow.
Those poor muddy creatures! Oh, for a warm, dry day! I loved your lyrical prose, Derrick.
Thank you very much, Clare. I do appreciate your comments
Thank you, my friend.
This has been a delight from beginning to end. I haven’t used ‘clarty’ for a long time and enjoy your use of alliteration and the humorous take on a rather silly young man. Here too helmets are the order of the day.
I think he was breaking more than one law, Anne. Thanks very much.
I wonder if the cyclist had any idea you were taking his photo. Now, he’s famous. or infamous, as in DON’T DO THIS. He’s probably clueless.
Thanks very much, JoAnna. He was oblivious.
I enjoyed the drive into the Forest, gosh, those calves were born late in the year.
Son Joss and I also had pork for supper, but unfortunately, I didn’t think about the type of meat I was cooking and cooked it far too quickly which meant ours was too fatty.
Had I been cooking mine would have turned out like yours, Sue. Thanks you very much.
You always find something in the orfinary to interest us, Derrick.
I like those swirly cow-licks on the foreheads of cattle. Maybe that’s where the word came from?
You will no doubt be very pleased to know I approve of your repast and the quaffing.
Thanks very much, Yvonne. You must be right about cow-licks. No ‘l’ in the meat meets with approval, then? 🙂
Very much so. I <3 pork.
Oops, and no ‘f’ in ordinary!
Aw, mud baths! Now, hopefully soon, some bath-baths will happen! Ha! 😀
Oh, those sweet bovine and equine faces! SIGH 🙂
Hope your new specs are wonderful for both of you! 🙂
HUGS!!! 🙂
Thanks very much, Carolyn. Varifocals for each of us. I’m fine because I have used them for some years now, but still don’t need them for reading. It is Jackie’s first time, so she is having to adjust. X
It would have been a jolly kind of justice if that young man had skidded into the water. Do you remember Eccles’ catchphrase? “He’s fallen in the water!!!”
🙂 Nice one, John. Thanks very much.
Must admit my mobile is above all else my camera. Don’t get many calls or texts. I can’t multitask so if I try to walk or ride while using it then disaster awaits.
Knowing your luck I wouldn’t recommend it 🙂 Thanks very much, Gary
Looks very wet. Good weather for the ducks, let alone the cows and horses!
Thanks very much, Miriam. Ducks are settling on many of the new pools
Beautiful pictures
Thanks very much, Muntazir
All that mud on the animals. It seems like those tags on the cow would bother them. I hope that young man didn’t stay on his phone. But yes, it was good he didn’t have earphones, too. From what I’ve read, there are many injuries caused by people walking and texting, too.
I’m sure about the walkers as well, Merril. The cows don’t seem bothered by the tags; maybe they are long suffering.
So cute the calves ? Beautiful pictures!
I hope indeed that cyclist was the only one going round the bend ?
🙂 Thanks very much, Ribana
Those cows and ponies look wet and soggy too! Hope no one else rounded the bend as well ?
🙂 Thanks very much, Lynn.
That’s one skilled cyclist! But what a risky thing to do… addiction to the phone/net/social media is stretched here!
It sure is, Joycee. Thank you very much.
Oh, my gosh! I hope others are looking out for that kid, who seems pretty oblivious. Fingers crossed for him. Wonderful, soulful close-up of the cow.
Thank you very much, Laurie
I had my granddaughters to stay this week. I am astonished how talented they are. They can use a smartphone even when cleaning their teeth. Sad really!
Indeed. The bonus is that they can help us with IT problems. I did wonder what you would have to say about this one. Thanks very much.
Absolutely loved the pic of the crows. Gorgeous. Looks like a black and white pic. Loved the leaves on the water too.
Thank you very much, Geetha
For some reason I am unable to like your posts.
This is quite a common problem now. If you go back to the alert page and click on the star at bottom right your name will appear on a list. Lots of problems since the new editor. Thanks very much, Geetha.
Hi Derrick,
great cow portraits!
Well, the cyclist, that’s modern times, isn’t it?
Thanks for sharing
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
Thanks very much, Fab Four. Modern times, indeed.
Wonderful journal.
Thank you very much, Rupali
My favorite out of this set is the one of the black crows and tree against the slate blue sky.
Thanks very much, Liz. Good choice. Through the windscreen.
I couldn’t tell it was shot through the windscreen. I haven’t yet mastered that.
🙂
That bicyclist was a prime candidate for the Darwin Award.
I was quite startled to see the cyclist on his phone, seemingly oblivious to any other potential road user.
So was I, Helen. Thanks very much.
It’s all in the knees and I could still ride no hands when I was 60, until hubby sold the bike.
And no helmet; not looking above your mobile phone, using your elbows to hold your bag? You were so versatile. 🙂 Thanks a lot, Lindsey.