On this bright and sunny morning here was I working with WordPress innocently oblivious of just what the Head Gardener meant by tidying up Félicité Perpétue and the shrubs she had been swamping. I had picked a few tomatoes.
Assuring me that the rose would be glorious in a couple of years, she proudly showed me how far she had got, ensuring that my tomatoes featured in the photograph to cheer me up.
By the time we visited Everton Post Office and continued for a forest drive the temperature had become quite hot.
I have already featured Robert Gill’s scarecrow in http://derrickjknight.com/2020/08/20/more-water-for-the-animals/ The notice attached to this home in Everton Road advises that this witty and well-made offering is one of six entrants, the list of which is available on line. We drove round for a while looking for the other four, but didn’t find any. The annual trail is clearly a Covid casualty.
Cyclamen, like these on Barrows Lane, are now lining the verges. Ours, incidentally, are already over.
Longslade View, where I stopped for these photographs, is just outside Brockenhurst. It is such a shame that it should be necessary to display notices throughout the forest forbidding overnight parking, barbecues, and fires.
Outside Pilley Community Shop constantly twitching tails demonstrated what torment these clustered, patient, animals were undergoing as flies encircled their heads, backs, nether regions, and eyes. No sound did they make as they absorbed the airborne assault.
This evening we dined on Mr Pink’s excellent fish and chips, Garner’s choice pickled onions and Tesco’s tangy gherkins with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Rioja.
I never realized how much horses and other animals are tormented by flies until I started reading your blog. I feel so bad for them.
That one scarecrow entry definitely made me chuckle. ?
Thanks very much, Merril
Your horse pictures are wonderful!
Thank you very much, Anne
Poor suffering horses! The same photos but in black and white look more vivid, almost tragic. I also liked the nose-to-tail queue photo.
Thank you very much, Dolly.
You are very welcome, Derrick.
Such patient horses. Jackie seems to have plenty of patience too, dealing with that rose!
Thanks very much, Sandra
Absolutely stunning horse photos sir.
Thanks a lot, Gary.
It looks as if the horses are forming an orderly queue outside the Community Shop. I wonder what they’re waiting for?
Exactly, Sheree. They do often queue there, even when it is closed. Thanks very much.
?
I feel guilty. Yesterday evening I was complaining to Derek about the one annoying fly that kept landing on me while we were trying to enjoy the hummingbirds on the patio. There’s Jackie again, striking that pose! She’s a natural.
Thanks very much, Jill. She is. You should see and hear her with flies in the house.
I hate to see animals covered in flies. It makes me extremely restless. Great photos all the same.
Thanks very much, Tootlepedal. Not a pleasant set, I know, but this is one case where a picture does really show it all.
I love Jackie’s confidence in her gardening skills. I still feel like every move is an experiment.
The poor horses with the files!
Thanks a lot, Jodie. She can be much more brutal than I. 🙂
<3
Oh, those poor horses!! In northern New England, moose are the animals that get horribly tortured by flies to the point of fleeing the woods onto the highway.
When I saw the title of your post come across my email, I was afraid you were being tortured by the WP Block Editor again!
🙂 Thanks for the WP thought, Liz. So far it’s OK.
You’re welcome, Derrick. 🙂
The ponies look like thy have queued up to enter that building. I remember the days of flies from when I had horses, long ago. It seemed some days there was no way for the animals to get away from them. Fly repellent only worked to a degree, and it was probably loaded with chemicals I don’t want to think about.
Thanks a lot, Lavinia. Did you have the masks in those days?
No, at least not in my area. I am old enough to be pre-bug mask. 🙂
🙂
I truly adored your ‘scarecrow’ photo Derrick, and the creativity of the cloud of ‘covid’ bugs hanging over Farter…..
It was a great entry, Ivor. Thanks very much.
Don’t give up on the other scarecrows. They’re out there somewhere, keeping the tradition alive. I’m glad horses have tails.
Thanks a lot, JoAnna. We know where the scarecrows are usually sited and will continue to trawl.
Good trawling!
🙂
i feel so bad for the horses tormented by flies.
Indeed. The more domesticated field horses wear protective masks. Thanks very much, Lola
The “man-muzzle” must be extreme punishment and a matter of shame for a proud canine protege. The ponies seem queued up in the first of the equine photos. Sadly, flies seem destined to be their scourge.
Thanks very much, Uma. It was a sad string, indeed. The man-muzzle was a great joke.
Reblogged this on The Last Chapter and commented:
Since I will be away for a few days I am bringing you some of my favorite blogs. Enjoy these wonderful bloggers. E.
Thank you very much, Elizabeth
Loved the scarecrow……..and the tee shirt!
Thanks a lot, John
Love the doggie and his Human-Bean! Great dialogue…great t-shirt! 😀
Oh, those poor horses! Flies can be so annoying and even bite-y! 🙁 I imagine it is just part of life for them…but it still makes me sad.
I wrote a short shape poem about this years ago… I will copy and paste it here…but I’m sure it will not keep it’s shape…the first 3 lines were like the horse’s body…the next three words like his tail, etc. 🙂
as tolerant as
a horse flicking
away the flies
with
his
tail
on a muggy hot day!
© CS.4.30.2014
Jackie’s smile is as bright and beautiful as the garden flowers! 🙂
Thank you very much, Carolyn. What a pity the poem did not keep its shape. It was a sensitive description and would have worked nicely. X
HUGS…and I see the poem did NOT keep it’s shape. 🙂 Oh, well! 🙂
Thanks a lot, Carolyn. X
I still, after all this time, can’t believe (but love it) that animals are able to roam about town and the countryside. Bravo!!
I trust it will continue for ever. Thanks very much, GP
Did that torment go on inside the community shop as well? I imagine those flies didn’t limit themselves to the outside.
I think this type just target the animals. Thanks very much, Judy
Ah yes.. horse flies. They like to go for the eyes. I remember them well. (Well, now I do–had forgotten. My dad was a rancher so I spent some time around horses and cows.)
🙂
When we had our horses I learned one thing. The fly spray they sell only lasts a day or so.
Thanks very much, Mrs W
Your welcome.
Cyclamen lining the verges? I am overcome with envy. But, poor horses to be so tormented by those flies.
Tanks a lot, Laurie. Pleasures and pain of the countryside
Wat doen die vliegen? Ze gaan toch géén eitjes leggen in de ogen van de paarden en in hun vacht, want dan kom ik effe … , ga er tussenin staan en veeg hun ogen schoon … Dus in oktober gaat het weer een beetje … Die vliegen leggen eitjes in hun poep, dacht ik … Maar, ik weet wel, dat er soms een dierenarts aan te pas moet komen, omdat de hele huid kapot gevreten wordt door die vliegenlarven . . . Nee, ik ben niet van het platteland, maar soms kom ik er wel en dan maak ik wel wat mee, hoor … Natuurfilms, ik sla er niet ééntje over … Amsterdam, 2 september 2020 * http://www.friedabblog.wordpress.com *
Thank you, Frieda
I love that scarecrow. The poor ponies. Alas, it’s part of summer for them.
Thanks very much, Lisa
I loved the scarecrow! Also, feel sad for the poor horses, but they do look beautiful in your photos….
Thanks very. much, Karolina
Lovely post?. I really love to read it. All pictures are so beautiful. Thanks
Thank you very much Olivia
I read that horses can be bothered by up to 4,000 flies per day. They really need those long tails to swat them away. Gorgeous scarecrow! I hope he wins. ?
Thanks very much, Sylvia.
Covid has had a wide impact, hasn’t it? The horses don’t seem to mind though. Great photos, Derrick. And the scarecrow made me laugh. 🙂
Thank you very much, Diana.
Poor horses! But, I loved the t-shirt the mannequin was wearing.
Thanks a lot. Leslie.
I love the pony images. And fish and fish and chips with pickles, oh, yes yes yes!
Thanks very much, Sue. These f and c are nearly as good as Northern ones.
Oh those flies really can be a torment ?
Indeed. Thanks very much, Ribana
Love the picture of Jackie with the plate of tomatoes…. 🙂 and the scare crow… Had to smile… I always feel sorry for the torment of flies around horses eyes… etc….. But I am envious of their rights to roam the streets and love seeing them free to wander….
Did you have a bucket handy Derrick… Some horse manure would be just the thing for that pruned rose bush… 😀
We collect it already bagged up from a free source – all we are expected to do is replace the bags. Thanks very much, Sue.
Brilliant… Nothing finer for the garden… or the veggie plot either 🙂
Flies can be terrible. I like the photography of the horses and the play with shadows is particularly nice.
Thanks very much, Geetha
Most welcome Derrick