A leaden canopy stretched over our skies throughout the albeit warmer day.
During my running days I would often allow the flow of traffic to determine my route. Nowadays it is sometimes the flow of ponies. So it was this afternoon.
There wasn’t much point in staying in the Modus as an equine quartet idled their way along
Mill Lane, so I disembarked and followed them on foot while Jackie turned into a car park.
They soon turned off into a muddy field which they set about cropping. Apart from the quagmire there were plentiful heaps of pony droppings requiring negotiation and the land was attached to the Mill Lawn Sewage Pumping Station. I therefore didn’t follow them too closely, but turned my attention to other ponies.
This shaggy one was close at hand;
others more distant.
There were a number of small groups of walkers about the forest, like these, catching up and joining their dogs who waited by a bridge across
the weedy stream.
bearing reflections across which trees had fallen.
In fact it seems at the moment as if there are more arboreal carcasses littering the forest than still standing trees.
Nevertheless some mossy roots still hold firm on banks of streams,
and these lichen covered branches seem to defy gravity. The third of these photographs was produced by Jackie.
This evening we dined on more of Jackie’s delicious, spicy, pasta arrabbiata with which she drank Hoegaarden and I drank Torre de Ferro Reserva Dao 2017.
A good day then?
Yep. Merci beaucoup, Sheree
Excellent
That lovely dark, shaggy pony is wearing his ”Lockdown beard” very handsomely!
Beautiful Lichen pictures – very clever, the way the branch in your second image seems to lead onto that in Jackie’s photo, as though it were the same branch!
So pleased you spotted that, Emma. Thanks very much
What a wonderful place you live in where your drives/walks are determined by the flow of ponies!
I agree about the clever placement of the photos of the lichen branches. Defying Gravity is a song in the musical “Wicked.” 😀
Thanks very much, Merril. I didn’t know about the song.
I was wondering if you did. 😀
And to think I walked past the theatre showing it often enough 🙂
😀
It’s so different to see the ponies walking along the road, the homes look so nice! 😊🇬🇧
Thank you so much, John
I like the shaggy pony. He has a naughty face. I also enjoyed the “arboreal tree carcasses “ rather than “fallen trees”. 👏🏻😅
Thanks very much, Sylvia. I like a bit of variety 🙂
Ponies galore!! Looks like Spring might be close at hand, eh?
They’ll be shedding their winter coats soon. Thanks very much, GP
I do especially like that reflection picture. Good weather here, went to the garden centre. So expensive. Bought a 6 pack of tiny conifers for £10.
Thanks a lot, Andrew. That doesn’t seem expensive to me
that was the bargain bucket!
🙂
Quite a poetic turn this post. 😉
🙂
Quite a poetic turn this post. 😉
Thanks very much, Pat
Your images give a lovely sense of place, Derrick. There’s a feeling of serenity and quiet.
Thank you very much, Jane. I’m pleased that comes across
We were discussing the Lichens on the trees here just yesterday. I hadn’t notice them previously. They make for good photos.
They do. Thanks very much, Chrissy
Beautiful pictures. The snow here is quickly melting.
Thanks very much, Mrs W. So I guess you are warmer
It got to be 56 degrees Fahrenheit today. Even with a brutal wind it was a heat wave. I even took pictures on a drive in the country and there is no snow in them.
🙂
What a beautiful country side🙂
Thank you very much, Sylvie.
🙂
Wonderful photos today, Derrick. I love the young man’s bright yellow boots!
I was struck by those, too, Jill. Thanks very much.
I would dearly love to have seen Jackie when she turned into a car park. That must have been some magic trick.
🙂 Nice one, Mr T. Thanks a lot.
White ponies always grab my attention Derrick,,
“White Pony
If I were to be reincarnated
I’m sure I’d be a tall white pony
A flashy show jumping horse
Who knows his arduous course?
Hurdling coloured bars
And clearing hard brush fences”
Nicely done, Ivor. Thanks very much
I always love your sweet pony pictures, even if it is of their backsides.
Your language was especially poetic today.
And, if I am not mistaken, you and Jackie both chose the same exact branch in the forest to photograph, just from a different angle. That’s lovely. <3
Thanks very much, Jodie. You are not mistaken about the branch 🙂 X
I particularly like the weedy stream. It reminds me of Ophelia (not to be morbid or anything).
I hadn’t seen that, but so it does, Liz. Thanks very much
You’re welcome, Derrick.
I very much enjoyed this lovely collection of ponies and trees…. and the weedy stream with its layers. Jackie’s interesting perspective shows the holy branch reaching.
Thanks very much, JoAnna. I wondered what you would think.
Interesting photos of reflections and the fallen trees, Derrick.
Thanks very much, Dolly
You are very welcome, Derrick.
Following ponies seems like a great way to choose your route!
One of the benefits of free ranging, Laurie. Thanks very much.
“A flow of ponies” – I like that. I enjoyed your forest drive photos, Derrick and Jackie. The trees have a lot of character to them, too.
Thank you very much from us both, Lavinia
Another peaceful and interesting outing for you both; I enjoyed tagging along 🙂
I’m pleased you did, Anne. Thank you very much.
The ponies do “flow” at their own pace! 😉 Love that expression you created! 🙂
All your photos are beautiful and so is Jackie’s photo of the lichen-limbs…looks like a tree-monster’s arms! 😮
The reflection photos are always a fav with me! And those trees covering the sky, on Mill Lane, sheltering the road is beautiful!! 🙂
(((HUGS))) 🙂
Thank you so much from us both, Carolyn X
You are so lucky to have clear streams like that.
We are. Thanks very much, John
The Modus fits in the landscape like it was a star in the sky. You seem to have specialised in shooting lichen-laden arboreal fantasies. Jackie has caught up with you in the pursuit.
Thanks very much, Uma. Ever seeking variety
Beautiful photos. I really appreciate the closeup of the shaggy pony. And the trees and water! Two of my favorite subjects creating a magical forest experience.
Thank you very much, Cheryl
The ponies’ have a shaggy magnificence. On a long walk yesterday, we noticed signs on a stable gate asking people not to feed the horses. Never a good idea at the best of times, the owners said more and more people were doing this. The fewer attractions that are available to visit, the more walkers are looking for these small distractions. It’s well meant, but…
Quite so, Libre.
Thanks very much
Nice gallery but the fourth photo is quite special.
I’m pleased you liked that one, Rupali. We have often driven that lane, but I needed to be on foot to spot the potential. Thanks very much.
See, walking is good 😃
Oh, I do know. Up until 3 years ago I was walking 2-3 hours a day, then my knees went.
I was just kidding. I am sure you were 😃
🙂
I love the shots of the dogs, I can almost see their facial expressions as they wait for the owners to catch up.
I’m pleased you spotted that mini-story, Sue. Thanks very much.
Lovely photos Derrick, such a beautiful area. Love the tree photos.
Thanks very much, Agnes.
A cold but beautiful day ☺️
Yes. Thank you very much, Ribana
In your world, “a flow of ponies” makes a perfect collective noun! I enjoyed that, and the photos.
Thanks very much, Linda
Some great shots again. The fashion is now to leave dead tees to rot and provide habitat for insects. It does make the woodland look a bit derelict though, the sort of place where a witch might have lived when I was eight years old and reading Enid Blyton…
Don’t you know about our witches. Quercus? Thanks very much.
I do now. Google is a wonderful, though strange, thing. 🙂
🙂
I don’t know if you scrolled down to my pic on Google but this is the post they link: https://derrickjknight.com/2017/10/25/a-day-for-ice-cream/ It is one of several in which I have featured the village
I seem to have been theer before as I’ve already commented. My memory is really getting bad!
🙂