On a gloomier and warmer afternoon than yesterday we took a drive into the forest.
The pannage season has this year been extended into December.
A group of snuffling, snorting, competitive, piglets on the muddy verge at Ibsley burrowed as far into the leafy coverlet as they could to emerge with acorns from the tree above. The little fellow in the road in the last picture was making his way to plant a round snotty kiss on my trousers.
Further along, at North Gorley, much of the green was now under water which reflected the trees, one of which had now lost all its leaves; ponies grazed beside a Winterbourne stream.
The recently filled ditches of South Gorley did not deter a pair of Gloucester Old Spot sows from unearthing acorns. Sloshing and grunting they nose-dived, grabbed their mast, and rose to the surface dripping, grinning, and crunching. The year 2020 has been lucky for pigs.
Half way down Pentons Hill at Stockton, a thatcher’s straw ducks waddled across a roof he had produced.
This evening Jackie reprised yesterday’s delicious roast chicken dinner with her savoury vegetable rice and green beans. She drank Hoegaarden and I finished the Merlot.
I was wondering the reason for the pannage extension. Nice photos, they really give a feel for the muddy conditions.
Thanks very much, Maj. I think it is a combination of the mild weather and good crops of mast.
What is ‘mast’?
Hi guys! 😂
🙂
My mother just adored pigs! She might hop out of the car to greet these piggies!
Many people do, John. Thanks very much.
Wonderful photos, Derrick–pigs and landscapes. It certainly seems like the pig in the header was right in your face!
The straw ducks are quite striking.
Thank you very much, Merril
Love the piggy photos but am a bit unnerved by the glint in the eye of the last porker. Was she eyeing you up Derrick?
I do hope not, Sheree 🙂 Thanks very much.
A very nice excursion, Derrick!
Thanks very much, GP
PIgs seem to be the only ones 2020 has been lucky for.
Indeed, Dolly. Thanks very much.
You are very welcome, Derrick.
That’s a wonderfully gnarly tree above the piggies in the first shot — and the pigs look pretty healthy!
They are doing well, for sure. Thanks very much, Janet
Oh, those pigs are so lovely – beautiful photos… I can imagine the cheeky porker planting a ‘snotty kiss’ on your trousers – you’re honoured, I’m sure! Having spent the last few weekends tirelessly raking up buckets of Acorns, I’m wondering if there is a better way?!
Could you keep pigs? 🙂 Thanks very much, Emma
We could, Derrick – I’ve always loved pigs, and they’d be perfect for this time of the year – but they do like to turn grass into mud and I’m not so sure about that… perhaps I should just start supply acorn rich autumn feed to other pig keepers!
🙂
Last year 2019, was the Chinese year of the Pig, so that means they will have to wait ’til 2031 for the next year of the ‘Pig’ Derrick…
I enjoyed the all photos from your day in the forest, Derrick and Jackie, especially the pigs! At least the year was good for someone. Their time on Earth is short, and I am glad to see them out and about enjoying acorns. Gather ye acorns while ye may…. 🙂
🙂 Many thanks from us both, Lavinia.
Those sure are some happy pigs!
Thanks a lot, Jill
I think I prefer my piglets of the Winnie the Pooh variety. Much cleaner. I love the straw ducks on the thatched roof!
Thanks very much, Liz.
You’re welcome, Derrick.
That oak tree is extraordinary. I wonder how old it is?
It is a comparatively young one – perhaps 200 years – not that I am an expert. Thanks very much,Sue
I am told that it has been a great year for acorns down south. We have had some but not an astonishing amount. A fine collection of pig photographs today.
Thanks very much, Tootlepedal
It really does look like pig heaven.
Indeed. Thanks very much, Peggy
the pig crossed the road to kiss you.. your magnet was draggin’ he/she had good taste!
Thanks very much, Dymoon 🙂
I bet those water logged acorns tasted good. You must be special to get a snotty kiss on your trousers.
🙂 Obviously the piglet thought I was a nut. Thanks very much, JoAnna.
Happy creatures, they roam free?
Just during the pannage season when they eat up acorns and other autumn fruits – the acorns are poisonous to ponies. Thanks very much, Arlene
I am glad you escaped the kiss. Tangled skeletons of the trees and reflections on a gloomy day have resulted in moody exposures. The procession of straw ducks is cute.
Thanks very much, Uma. My trousers have gone in the laundry basket 🙂
Still amazes me to see those animals wandering about.
🙂 Thanks very much, Laurie
I love the straw ducks.. what a clever addition to his skillfully artful thatched roof.
Thanks very much, Judy. All thatchers leave a similar signature on their roofs.
I have never seen that intricate form of thatching before. Could you show us more examples? I’m fascinated.
There are quite a few. Try these two, Judy: https://derrickjknight.com/2017/06/06/snaffled-by-a-swan/ and https://derrickjknight.com/2019/05/28/rockford-end/
Thanks so much. I made a comment on the first one but somehow got directed away from the second before I could comment. The second one has so many excellent photos in addition to the thatching–the pretzeled heads of horses, the cows munching the greenery. Did you enter those in the competition? Thanks for these photos of thatching. if they did this sort of work in Mexico I’d probably have to have my domes thatched, but they’d be a danger during the yearly fires upon the mountains. There were none this year, however. Perhaps later when the green of the rainy season dries up and becomes combustible.
Thanks very much, Judy, especially for o;;being the links. I didn’t enter either of those others. We were limited to 3 and they should be clearly from The New Forest.
Derrick, I am so pleased you explained about the rings in the snouts of the pigs the other day – not a practice I have observed here. Some time ago when you paid a visit to the pigs I discovered what the season of pannage meant; and today I have added a different meaning of mast to my vocabulary – again it is not a word that crops up here, or if it does then not often enough for me to be familiar with it.So, thank you for enriching my understanding of my home language – and thank you for these fascinating photographs of so many pigs!
I am very pleased, Anne. So thank you as well.
Wonderful piggie photos…they are adorable 😁.
Thanks very much, Sue
Lovely rural day.
Thanks a lot, Sherry
Wonderful photos…ALL! 🙂
And it looks like a snorty, swiney, porciney day! 😉 😛 We should all go hog wild! 😀
But, no celebrating with bacon or pork chops! 😉
You know I really love your tree and reflections photos! SIGH 🙂
HOGS!!! Er…Uh…I mean (((HUGS))) 😀
🐷 🐖 🐷 🐽 🐖 🐷 🐖
🙂 Thanks very much, Carolyn X
I imagine those pigs can do a lot of damage. My sister lives in Forest of Dean where the wild boar can destroy a domestic garden overnight and many village cricket pitches are beyond repair.
Not so good. Thanks a lot. Andrew
The family of ducks was very appealing. In Cornwall they have “witch balls” I think they’re called, which are on the ridge of the roof, usually two or three of them about half way along. If you have them, then there’s no need to worry about witches landing on your house during the night. Which is a comfort to many!
The pigs are truly adorable. I hope you appreciated the snotty kiss 😊
Piglets = mud 🤪🐷
Luckily no kiss 🤪
🙂 Indeed, Ribana. Thanks very much
That looks like the perfect roof topping for me.. 😀
Yep. Thanks very much, Jessica
I loved seeing the pigs wallowing in the glorious mud.
We kept a few pigs here once, on loan from a neighbour. We needed an area of overgrown weeds and grass digging over. Those few pigs cleared it no time. Fascinating to watch too.
It is fascinating, Sue. Thank you very much.
Such a carefree life of foraging, with snouts and trotters getting muddy, sloshing through puddles, and slobbering kisses on passing humans. 😘
x
Great description, Melanie. Thanks very much X
Pleasure
x
My pleasure in the fascination of the New Forest grows with each one your knowledgeable dailly publications, Derrick.
Thanks very much, Roland. I’m pleased
Reading your posts is so refreshing. I love the little pigs.
Ponies are OK, but you can’t beat a good pig photo. Thanks for cheering my day Derrick. There seem to be more thatched decorations about than theer used to be – a case of people taking more pride in their work, perhaps?
Thanks very much, Quercus
I was completely ignorant about pannage, and all of the history and traditions associated with the word. Now I’m sort of up to speed. When we have a mast year, I always think of our deer and squirrels enjoying them, as well as some of the birds. It never had crossed my mind that pigs would root for them, too. We have quite a feral hog problem here, and I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that they enjoy the acorns, too. Their meat is quite good, and there are so many that you can hunt them any time, any place. Well, except for your neighbor’s suburban back yard and such!
That is news for me, too, Linda. Thanks very much.