Today’s weather was even duller than yesterday: cold overcast leaden skies which couldn’t even be bothered to relinquish the threatened rain.
This morning we joined Shelly and Ron at Helen and Bill’s to wish our brother in law, Bill, a happy birthday and deliver presents.
We took the pretty route back home – this wasn’t looking too attractive.
A pair of ponies tempted us into the car park at Deadman Hill alongside Roger Penny Way. Somnolent black and white cattle perched on the hillside, oblivious of the gloomy landscape behind them.
The bay, after a good scratch on the Forestry Commission sign, ambled across the road, and blended into the moorland, to be joined by its chestnut coloured companion.
As we turned into Cadnam Lane I spotted a small sounder of swine spark out in a ditch. Jackie parked the car as soon as she could on the verge of this narrow road and I walked back hoping the animals had not moved. I needn’t have worried. Apart from one which, eyes remaining closed, lifted its head enough to expose its unappetising chops in a gaping yawn before collapsing its jaw onto the ground, they all maintained their original positions.
Further along the lane we encountered a sow with at least a baker’s dozen of piglets. When I disembarked to photograph them I was mobbed by the small snuffling, snotty-nosed, muddy-muzzled, porkers, my shutter finger becoming less and less steady as they threw me into a panic.
Why panic? You may ask.
I was wearing white trousers.
The animals raced round the car, and, trying to evade them, so did I. I feared I would never be able to open the door and regain my seat without a polluting piglet on my lap.
I did of course manage it, otherwise I would not now be sitting at my desk sporting unsoiled nether garments.
Well away from porcine followers,
ponies occupied one side of the green,
and sheep the other.
This evening we dined on spicy pepperoni pizza accompanied by plentiful fresh salad. Jackie drank Becks, and I finished the Shiraz.
We had a day and a half of heavy clouds. It was a nice break from the heat. But the sun is shining again.
🙂 Thanks a lot, Mrs W.
Your welcome.
Oh, this made me giggle! Wish Jackie had gotten a video of you trying to escape from the piglets. 😉
That would have been fun, Laurie. Thanks very much.
Not so much for you, I am sure. 😉
That’s exactly what I was going to say! I would love to see that! And I’m imagining Jackie laughing, too. ?
Oh I was laughing!
I think I heard it from here. ?
Oh, she was.
?
Exquisite black and white photos, Derrick, and totally inappropriate lack of social distancing on the part of porky pigs.
🙂 Thank you very much, Dolly
My pleasure, Derrick.
What a ‘wild’ outing you had! I enjoy your turn of phrase very much.
Thank you v very. much, Anne
sorry of the dull weather but the fun gets on in the countryside. never dampening the spirit full of life and wild encounters. love the white eyelashes of the yawning pig! 🙂
Thank you so much, Lola
Beautiful landscape photos Derrick ?
Thanks very much, Sylvie
?
Wow! The weather might have been dull, but your outing sure wasn’t. Fantastic photographs, Derrick!
Thanks very much, Jill. 🙂
You lead a very exciting life. I have never been mobbed by pigs.
🙂 A good work out for the knees. Thanks a lot, Tootlepedal.
Ha!!! Bravo, Derrick! For outrunning the pigs!!! 😛 😀 The pig yawn and your descriptions of the pigs got me snort-laughing! (no pun intended!) 😀
It might be an overcast grayish, gloomy-weather day…but your photos are as fantastic as always…and have brightened up our day! 🙂 I always enjoy your B&W photos!
And life is never dull when you hang out with The Animals! Sounds like you went hog-wild today! HA!!! 😉 😛
BTW: What do you call a laundromat for pigs?
The Hogwash. 😀
HUGS!!! 🙂
I just knew you would snort-laugh, Carolyn. Good hogwash joke. Thanks very much.
Our world wasn’t any better – cold with an icy wind. I dare say the coldest day since we moved here before Christmas.
I hope Jackie doesn’t need to soak away mud from those white trousers.
Thanks very much, Chrissy. Fortunately the trousers somehow remained unscathed.
Thank goodness, I hear her say. 😉
🙂
Wonderful photos, Derrick. As I wrote above, I also wish there was a video of you and the swine. That header photo is amazing–you can actually count the teeth in the pig’s mouth (I mean if that’s something you wanted to do.) ?
Many thanks, Merril. Jackie regretted having left her camera at home. 🙂
Better to be chased by your piggies than our feral hogs. “This little piggie chased Derrick, this little piggie his car; this little piggie threatened his camera, and this little piggie said, ‘Oh, darn — he’s on his way home!”
Very nice, Linda. Thanks a lot.
Loved this post and it made me laugh especially the bit about unappetising chops! Normally, you love a pork chop! ?
So pleased you got that one, Sue. 🙂 Thanks a lot.
Oh, my, that is one ugly porker. As you were describing your gyrations to avoid dirtying your white trousers, I want to ask whether you would be posting a GIF of the episode. I particularly liked the last photo with the mysterious dark space under the trees.
Thanks very much, Liz. A good pick as usual. Fortunately I have no idea how to make a GIF
😀
A gloomy day indeed…and thinking is summer ☀️?
What a yawn ?? ?
Lucky you, you’ve managed to escape without a spot ? the piglets can be really messy ?
Thank you very much, Ribana.
I smiled, (laugh snorted) at at lovely little story about encounter with the piglets Derricks…. oh the trails and trials of the curious photographer… ??
Thank you so much, Ivor. Trust you to come up with laugh snorted.
Sorry Derrick, I couldn’t help myself.. ?
🙂
If I had a crossword with “group of wild pigs” as the clue, I could never have come up with “sounder”. But “Death by Piglet” sounds a catchy name for a crime novel.
🙂 🙂 Thanks very much, Gwen.
No snot on the pants, please!
Snot free, Thanks a lot, Leslie.
…white trousers around swine .. Good luck!
Thanks for the smile an great shots Derrick
Thanks very much, Val.
You conjured up a very comical picture of you fleeing in your white pants from a marauding gang of piglets. ?? Thanks for the smiles and the excellent photos, Derrick.
Thanks very much, Sylvia.
I hope the older looking pig was resting comfortably It looks like it has had a rough life. Wearing white trousers would make me nervous or at least wary.
🙂 Thanks very much, JoAnna.
Moral of the story: Never shoot pigs when wearing white trousers. You will both get soiled and the pigs love it. (With apologies to Mr Shaw et al.)
🙂 Thank you for that, Uma, my friend.
I read this and chortled mightily last evening but wasn’t able to comment for some reason – to do with my phone no doubt. Anyway, that gave me the opportunity to read it again this morning and chortle some more! ? You paint such a vivid image, Derrick! Thanks for the merriment, and I’m glad you did get away unscathed!
Thank you so much, Sandra. Especially for persevering.
Why don’t you apply for some new animals, Derrick? I saw this the other day…….
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-53349929
Thanks for this, John. It will be interesting to see how it pans out.
Yes, as one of your commenters said, I love your photos, I love the pigs and piglets, but I also would have loved the video of “the chase” and you with your white pants. 🙂 What an idyllic setting.
Thanks so much, Pamela 🙂
Well, you surprised me again, Derrick. On reading the title, and before opening the post, I was guessing “Is the yawn one of the ponies, or perhaps one of the cows or maybe even Nugget?” Imagine my surprise at the vision of the hog ringed swine in your header photo!! I am constantly amazed at the variety of species that free range in your area. I can’t now think of any farm animal, except maybe llamas, that I have not seen roaming your range! And I concur with other comments, what a hilarious romp you had with the pursuit by the pigs!
Thank you so much, Maj. The local llamas are kept in fields
White trousers on a country walk – very brave. A Shiraz on a gloomy day – sounds like a plan. Great anecdote.
Thanks very much, Libre. I hadn’t anticipated disembarking 🙂
I loved all these photos of the animals and countryside, and was chuckling about your experience of being “mobbed by the small snuffling, snotty-nosed, muddy-muzzled, porkers”. I am glad you and your white pants were unscathed! 🙂 And a “sounder of swine” – I learned a new one here. Thank you! 🙂
Your Michael’s tree is growing nicely. I am watching those deer carefully.
Thank you so much, Lavinia, for comments and for update.
Looks very grey and moody. Just love pigs, wonderful photography
Thank you so much, Gary.
Glad your white trousers stayed white! Derrick, I especially love the first set of photos. They provoke a moody or nostalgic feel to me. All lovely.
Thank you so much, Cheryl.
I like the new look of your blog.
Thanks very much, Alexander. Down to the new editor
Oh, I see… you do fear for the white trousers after all!
🙂 Thanks a lot, Susan.
You and the trotting trotters – what a sight that must’ve been! 😀
I’m sure, Widders. Thanks very much 🙂
Your encounter with the pigs made me laugh. I think the pigs had fun with you. Perhaps they continued on their way saying: Did you see the man’s face in white pants when we surrounded him? hahaha!
Greeting
Thanks a lot, Walter 🙂
A sounder of swine. Yesterday I came across a dozen fluffy ducks, could that possibly be a ‘box’?
Never heard that one, Lindsey, so I looked it up. Very good. Thanks very much.