I was nominated by my friend Judy Dykstra-Brown to post one favourite travel picture a day for ten days without explanation, then to nominate someone else to participate. That’s 10 days, 10 travel pictures, and 10 nominations. Now I nominate Crystal Trulove . Please link to me so I know you have participated. If you are not interested, no problem. Nowhere in the rules does it say you can’t guess where the photo was taken and that I can’t agree if you are right. Derrick
Month: December 2020
Just In Time To Catch It
I spent much of this day of sunshine and showers writing Christmas cards and making prints at my desk which has a direct
view into the kitchen.
It wasn’t far off sunset when we posted the messages, but we just had time to catch it at
Mudeford. Note that the capsized boat I spotted a week or so back has still not been righted. The penultimate picture in this gallery is by Jackie who also photographed
me at work,
and gulls in flight against the golden light.
My gulls were generally basking in their reflected glory until, squawking in a squabble over breadcrumbs,
they auditioned for a remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds”.
I also photographed a cameraman who may have produced an image like
this one of Jackie’s incorporating dusky masts, buildings, and darkening clouds tinged with pink.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s spicy hot pasta arrabbiata with garlic; and stir fried garlic with three coloured peppers and green beans, with which the Culinary Queen drank Hoegaarden and I finished the Malbec.
Travel Challenge, Day 6
I was nominated by my friend Judy Dykstra-Brown to post one favourite travel picture a day for ten days without explanation, then to nominate someone else to participate. That’s 10 days, 10 travel pictures, and 10 nominations. Now I nominate Rupali . Please link to me so I know you have participated. If you are not interested, no problem. Nowhere in the rules does it say you can’t guess where the photo was taken and that I can’t agree if you are right. Derrick
A Nippy Little Pig
When I ran regularly across London to work I would adapt my route according to traffic conditions. This is what Jackie did early this morning as we took a drive in what we knew would be the very small window of reasonable light when she had to follow
a huge vehicle negotiating its way along Hordle Lane which was difficult enough without the Mums’, Dads’ and Grandparents’ school run. At the junction with Everton Road the large motor turned left so we continued straight on once the school crossing lollipop man granted his permission.
The stream meant to run under Holmsley Passage flowed fast over the ford. Having dropped me on the far side Jackie drove back through the water to present me with a photogenic splash.
I also pictured woodland with a fallen tree, and a grey pony more interested in us than in its relative trotting behind it.
On the moorland stretch of the road a burnished bay blended with browned bracken;
and billowing clouds soared above hazy landscapes.
There is always a large reflective pond on the left up Clay Hill.
Today a winterbourne stream provided another mirror on the right hand side.
In order for mobile phone masts to be permitted in the forest they are required to adopt an arboreal appearance. There is one at the bottom of this hill.
Pigs at pannage snuffled-snorted, as they burrowed their eager way into heaps of autumn leaves and muddy ditches, occasionally trotting backwards and forwards across Holmsley Road. The last three pictures in this gallery represent the slobbering mobbing to which I was subjected when I emerged from the car in order to photograph the mobile pork in search of a different kind of mast. It was difficult enough to dodge the trotters and keep focussed without being nipped in the back of the leg while attempting to capture the little Gloucester Old Spot. Fortunately neither my trouser nor my skin was penetrated.
The rain set in for the rest of the day after we returned home.
For this evening’s dinner Jackie produced a minced beef pie with a topping of potato slices; crunchy carrots and cauliflower; firm Brussels sprouts, and meaty gravy with which she drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Malbec.
Travel Challenge, Day 5
I was nominated by my friend Judy Dykstra-Brown to post one favorite travel picture a day for ten days without explanation, then to nominate someone else to participate. That’s 10 days, 10 travel pictures, and 10 nominations. I may not make it to the end of ten days, but for now I nominate Paol Soren. Please link to me so I know you have participated. If you are not interested, no problem. Nowhere in the rules does it say you can’t guess where the photo was taken and that I can’t agree if you are right. Derrick
“Some Soggy Ponies”
On this dismal, dank, afternoon Jackie suggested: “let’s go find some soggy ponies”, so off we drove and the animals obliged.
Foxglove and Twinkle were nowhere to be seen, for their field was under water and there was no room for them in the hen coop.
Much of the moorland was similarly submerged, sometimes with rippling windblown surfaces.
The Norleywood band of Shetlands ignored the rain seeping into their hides and blended into the bracken occasionally decorating their dripping manes.
Paddling in ditchwater, reflecting in leaf-strewn puddles, swaying onto the glistening tarmac, or burrowing into tempting hedges, their larger equine cousins were equally focussed on fodder.
This evening we dined on tender roast lamb; crisp Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes and parsnips; crunchy carrots and cauliflower; firm Brussels sprouts, and meaty gravy with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank Western Cape Malbec 2019.
Travel Challenge, Day 4
I was nominated by my friend Judy Dykstra-Brown to post one favorite travel picture a day for ten days without explanation, then to nominate someone else to participate. That’s 10 days, 10 travel pictures, and 10 nominations. I may not make it to the end of ten days, but for now I nominate Sheree. Please link to me so I know you have participated. If you are not interested, no problem. Nowhere in the rules does it say you can’t guess where the photo was taken and that I can’t agree if you are right. Derrick
Christmas Is Coming
Becky had stayed over yesterday evening in order to drive me to Lymington Market to buy some presents which cannot yet be named.
Many others thronged the High Street with no possible social distancing and not always wearing masks. I managed to buy most of what I had come for and take a few photographs of stalls I could get near.
A Nativity scene graced the Children’s Charity window.
These are samples of the stalls.
After lunch we enjoyed a happy conversation until, just before sunset, our daughter set off home for Southbourne.
We then took a short drive hoping to catch the last of the light. The sunset was rather uninspired.
On Everton Road we stopped and chatted with Robert Gill as I photographed his Christmas display. I told him I had been posting pictures of his scarecrows for some years and was happy to give him the link.
This evening we dined on more of Hordle Chinese Take Away’s tasty dishes with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Malbec.
Travel Challenge, Day 3
I was nominated by my friend Judy Dykstra-Brown to post one favorite travel picture a day for ten days without explanation, then to nominate someone else to participate. That’s 10 days, 10 travel pictures, and 10 nominations. I may not make it to the end of ten days, but for now I nominate Cindy Noake . Please link to me so I know you have participated. If you are not interested, no problem. Nowhere in the rules does it say you can’t guess where the photo was taken and that I can’t agree if you are right. Derrick
“I’m Going Shopping”
Determined to comply with our current Covid constraints Danni and Ella, to be joined by Elizabeth, for whom entry to the house was forbidden, were on their way for a tour of the garden when
a very heavy downpour dumped a damper on the proceedings. Raindrops dripped from solanums, crab apples, weeping birch, and pelargoniums. Even Absolutely Fabulous hung her bedraggled golden locks.
Fortunately the rain had ceased by the time they arrived. Ella made directly for the house in search of her favourite mice and other toys. Danni made an effort to explain restrictions and her daughter
diverted in search of monsters. She had to emit the roars herself.
Jackie led her to the dragons, but she became more engrossed in the unicorn and the Waterboy.
When Elizabeth arrived, her granddaughter introduced her to me.
Jackie had placed dry cushions on the benches on which Danni, Ella, and Elizabeth sat while opening one of our presents to our great niece. Like any other self-respecting child not yet two, Ella handed the enclosed parcel to her grandmother, and set off with the bag announcing “I’m going shopping”, leaving her mother to admire the Sloth Christmas jumper.
The sound of the horn on our coffee trolley alerted us to the fact that Ella had escaped into the house and was now repeatedly striking the reception bell with the flat of her hand. We enjoyed a reasonably intelligible conversation and she turned her attention to the toys strewn about the sitting room.
The sun made feeble attempts to throw light on the proceedings before it was time for
little tarts and departure.
Becky joined us for the weekend. The three of us dined on Mr Chan’s excellent Hordle Chinese Take Away fare with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and our daughter and I drank Mendoza Malbec 2019.