Month: March 2020

Puttles Bridge

Today was mostly bright, sunny, and dry, except for a shower or two this morning.

While Jackie filled the bird feeders she met and photographed Eric the Pheasant who has returned for his annual visit to announce he has once again evaded the seasonal guns. We know it is Eric because he amuses himself chucking the Head Gardener’s rows of ornamental shells in all directions.

Later we visited New Milton Post Office to send off a card, then Milford on Sea pharmacy for a repeat prescription, and into the forest for a drive.

En route to Milford strong sunlight set the Solent sparkling and

silhouetted walkers on the coastal promenade.

Similarly silhouetted were moored boats and

a gentleman encouraging his dog to take a bath at Keyhaven harbour

where the parking area now reflected pedestrians. Jackie waited patiently for these two to pass in order to avoid spray-showering them.

A pair of swans investigated the tidal shore-side waters. The second two photographs are Jackie’s.

A steady jogger ran down Lymore Lane.

We stopped at Puttles Bridge over Ober Water which was now bordered by reflective pools.

Jackie photographed me making my way to the bridge,

 

taking some of my own pictures,

and walking across for more.

The fast flowing stream reflected still skeletal oaks, cerulean skies, and scudding clouds.

Stirred by rocky bends, bubbling surface water sped upstream, clearly revealing the gravel bed.

Not so clear was the mud coloured liquid in the shallower pools lined by last year’s oak leaves, now nurturing bright green weed.

I wandered off piste to picture a grazing pony;

a shadow-strewn path;

roots exposed by the erosive action of the waters;

 

further reflections;

and a friendly family group.

Our first wedding was 52 years ago today. After a somewhat lengthy hiatus we enjoyed a second in 2017. This evening we are off to The Family House Chinese restaurant in Totton where will partake of our favourite set meal while drinking Tsing Tao beer.

A Bit Steep

Nugget and Lady were together in evidence this morning, as was Ron or Ronette.

“Where’s Nugget?” (69) by Jackie.

Storm Jorge treated us to a bright, albeit windy, day with very little rain.

Leaving the family’s cockapoos Geri

and her daughter Coco behind with Jackie

I accompanied Louisa, Errol, Jessica, and Imogen as tour guide to Lyndhurst. We began at the Museum and Heritage Centre where we admired exhibits such as

‘Forestry then and now’ comparing the axe-wielding earlier woodman with today’s chain-saw carrying forester;

and ‘Mr Burt a commoner’ who, like his modern descendants, held the rights to pasture his animals in The New Forest.

Shops visited included Pages with its wide range of gifts; Lyndhurst Antiques Centre where the visitors were intrigued by Elizabeth’s well-stocked cabinet; and Down to the Wood where Errol bought a wooden solitaire board complete with glass marbles.

By the time of my son-in-law’s purchase, apart from a brief respite for cold ice creams in the warmth of the Tea Rooms, we had walked for more than an hour up and down the town’s steeply sloping high street.

Knowing that a set of gravestone steps led down from the church of Saint Michael and all Angels to the car park I thought I could just about, with the aid of the handrails, manage the necessary descent after showing the young ladies the grave of Mrs Alice Hargreaves, better known as Alice in Wonderland.

Unfortunately it had been 7 years since I produced the above photograph and there were now no steps. Instead, having been replaced by a circuitous serpentine tarmacked path, the stones that had formed them were stacked on the edge of the lawn.

In more ways than one this seemed a bit steep. Clearly I had no option but to overdo it.

Aaron, in the meantime had passed the Agriframes challenge by assembling and erecting their Bower without recourse to their destructions.

Jackie laid on her usual spread for lunch, after which the Nottingham family set off for home in order for Errol to watch the F.A. Cup Final featuring his beloved Aston Villa.

This evening we ate more of the luncheon fare of cold meats and plentiful fresh salad with which I drank Valle Central Syrah reserve privacy 2019 and Jackie drank Hoegaarden.