Spotted Speckled Wood

Today we begin with this gallery of Jackie’s photographs of me photographing yesterday’s ponies and Ogdens North.

When leaving Brockenhurst on a forest drive we normally pass a small area of woodland.

This morning I spied a pony through the trees, so Jackie parked and I followed the wildlife.

Birds sang in the taller trees; distant dogs barked;

fresh acorns gently thudded onto the forest floor joining last year’s crop,

ageing autumn leaves, this year’s fungus, and moss-covered fallen trunks.

The area is interlaced with dry streams, the beds still soft enough to cross without twisting an ankle, yet not muddy enough to suck off a shoe. Lichen covered tree stumps and russet leaves remain crisp.

A gravelled path links the wood with Rhinefield Road and a stretch of open land. Pedestrians take the path

or, like cyclists, runners, dog owners, cars, and motorcycles, pass on by.

Appropriately enough, I spotted a speckled wood butterfly.

Rudbeckia was the floral decoration to Jackie’s tasty beef pie for this evening’s dinner served with boiled new potatoes; crunchy carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli; tender runner beans, and thick, meaty gravy, with which she drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Bordeaux.

75 comments

  1. That image titled ‘Pony in woodland’ is my sure favorite today! In black/white, the image developed a unique character all its own.

  2. My favorite of this group is the header photo. I love the brown of the butterfly againt the vivid green leaves. I also like the various series. All in all, a good day of photography for the Knights!

  3. Beautiful photos from you and Jackie. It’s always fun to see you in action.
    I particularly like the pony in woodland shot and your header. Like Liz said, the brown against the green is a beautiful contrast, but I also like the composition and the shadow of the butterfly on the leaf.

    1. Thanks very much, Jill. It was doubly shocking about Pauline since she had seemed to have recovered well. She was always first to read my post and was worried if I was late – so I learned of the stroke quite quickly. She will be missed by many.

  4. I think that you should get more artful still and have pictures of a photographer taking pictures of a photographer taking pictures of a photographer. You could then have an exhibition and start a whole trend.

  5. Ik ga me wandelschoenen zoeken … , even langs de kust lopen en door de duinen … , moet kunnen … Amsterdam, 13 september 2020, 1.15 uur … Hollandse tijd … * http://www.friedabblog.wordpress.com *
    Me eigen blogs vind ik zelf altijd het mooist, maar die van Derrick overtreffen alles, de indeling, de tableau’s, de tekst. Kortom: Genieten!

  6. Acorns have begun to fall here as well. It always surprises me and I feel a little betrayed at the end of summer–even if I should have known. Those pony photos in the forest are quite magical. And the B&W ones seem more so.

  7. I truly enjoyed the creek bed description of “not muddy enough to suck off a shoe”. Priceless!, as is the image of the speckled wood butterfly. 🙂

  8. Your post makes me want to take a walk in woodland and eat a meat pie for lunch!
    Unfortunately, there are no ponies wandering free in our forests.

  9. What wonderful sights you saw and finds you found and photographed! Love seeing you with your charming equine friends! 🙂
    The meat pie is too pretty to eat. But, well, I would have a big piece anyways!!! 😉
    Sweet butterfly photo! He wasn’t trying to hide from you…and I’m so glad he paused long enough before fluttering away! 🙂
    That shoe-sucking-mud 😀 is scary…glad you didn’t encounter any. 🙂
    HUGS!!! 🙂

  10. I know someone who describes particularly disagreeable people as ‘mudsuckers.’ I’ve never seen Rudbeckia on the dinner table — especially as pastry decoration. Beautiful and creative!

  11. What a great way to enjoy the wildlife 😉
    That beef pie looks super gorgeous! The Head Gardener knows how to bring her flowers in the kitchen too 😉🌸

  12. You have a talented wife!

    Amazing how dramatic black and white can make a scene. Perhaps it is by association but it makes the images timeless in my mind.

  13. I wonder if you enjoyed making these black and white photos as much as I enjoy viewing them, Derrick. To my eyes, they are more expressive than the same photos in color.
    The pie is gorgeous; my compliments to the Culinary Queen.

    1. Thanks very much, Dolly. Part of my enjoyment is knowing that you and some others like B/W. I agree with you about expressiveness – to me it depends on the form and how important the colour is.

  14. Ah, I missed this post with the pie in its entirety! Yes, beautiful… and by the looks of the picture with a few pieces gone, it was delicious, too. Autumn is in full swing in the area interlaced with dry streams, lichen-covered tree stumps and russet leaves. It caused me to trade out my summertime table runner for the one with browns, oranges, and a touch of deep green. Yes, ’tis the season for russet leaves… and aspen turning green to yellow. A lovely season indeed. You captured it so well, {{{Derrick.}}}

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