One For Flo

On a dismally dull albeit dry day we spent much of the morning tidying up the Rose Garden. This involved pruning, dead-heading, planting bulbs, and sweeping up lashings of leaves shed by the overhead copper beach. There is much more to be done, but we gave ourselves the afternoon off and went for a drive.

On Thatcher’s Lane we had settled in for a long, slow journey behind three equestriennes, when they cantered on ahead and down a slope to pull over on a verge to let us pass. We exchanged greetings as we did so.

Further along the road Jackie disembarked to purchase a plump pumpkin from the display outside a small house.

Crossing into Fish Street I enjoyed watching a group of what I think are rheas feeding in a field.

Readers may care to read https://derrickjknight.com/2015/04/07/no-contest/

in order to understand the title and header picture.

Pannage pigs at Ibsley had attracted the usual attentive visitors. Despite the nose rings intended to deter deep excavation these snuffling porkers churned up quite a lot of soil. (It has just occurred to me to wonder whether the human fashion for nose rings has a similar reason). The last picture in this gallery displays the classic curly pigtail.

On an unnamed lane on the approach to Godshill we met a stag which paused, weighed up its options, then leapt uphill through a thick hedge to allow us safely to pass.

This evening we dined on Mr Chan’s excellent Hordle Chinese Take Away fare with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Corbieres.

70 comments

  1. A delightful variety of animals – the stag is particularly magnificent – as well as an attractive display of bright pumpkins!

  2. The rheas were unexpected! Their plummage is quite beautiful in a monochromatic kind of way. Your stag is magnificent. As many deer as we have in my neighborhood, we only see does and fawns, no stags. I think you may be right about the purpose of human nose rings. πŸ˜‰

  3. Fantastic pictures. The stag definitely steals the show, even though I did like the rheas quite a bit…something hypnotic about that stare!

  4. I am glad that the stag decided on flight rather than fight. I was charged by one in the rutting season in the Highlands which left a considerable dent in my car.

  5. Yes Derrick, I think you are right, that big bird is a Rhea, but they are very similar to an Emu.. the emu’s beaks are broader, and their eyes are a distinctive orange colour…

  6. Thank you for sharing the link! I enjoyed Flo’s photos! πŸ™‚
    Your photos are all wonderful, too! When you photograph animals, I love those face-to-face with the camera shots. πŸ™‚
    HA! on what you said about nose rings. Okay, that made me snort-laugh. πŸ˜€
    And I do, I do, I do love that curly piggy tail! I bet those pigs have tales to tell when they settle down for the night…like, “Oh, Mom, guess what?! I had to stop eating for a minute so all the Human-Beans could pet me today. Gosh!” πŸ˜›
    HUGS!!! πŸ™‚

  7. Is the pumpkin for cooking some delicacy? Looking at the stag near the hedge I wonder if it could have easily camouflaged in the overgrowth rather than sprinting away?

  8. Pumpkins are one of the visual delights of the season, their pleasantly round shape and bright orange color.

  9. Yes, that is a cracking stag, and the rheas a bit of a surprise, I would think.
    It always seems so bizarre to me that after years of Women’s Lib and vast clouds of hot air from bra burning, as soon as the battle is won, it becomes a fashion for women to put a ring through their nose.

  10. Wonderful captures, Derrick. I like the stag most of all – mainly for it’s wildness and not being domesticated like the others. It’s always a special treat to catch shots of wildlife. Hope you and Jackie are well, wishing you a lovely week ahead!

  11. Beautiful photos! The rheas seem to be posing for you. And your granddaughter Flo takes some very beautiful photos, too. πŸ™‚
    The pannage porkers are entertaining as always. πŸ™‚

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