Humid, leaden, weather continued today, although there was no threat of rain. After a dozy morning I attempted to join Jackie in the garden. I bagged up one set of refuse before realising that this was far too optimistic following the night that had just sapped my energy. The Head Gardener finished her planting, then metamorphosed into my Chauffeuse and drove me into the forest.
We began with our photo report on Pilley Lake which the recent rains have filled a little. The second image shows that foxgloves and brambles still fill the foreground;
sections of road barriers suggest recent works of some sort; and the little pool that had been bone dry a couple of weeks ago now reflects Quarry Cottage on the corner.
The Hatchet Moor section of Hatchet Pond was populated by a pair of swans and their cygnets who circled the surface, weaving through the prolific water lily beds. The last of the avian pictures with lilies was produced by Jackie. We were not the only photographers on an outing.
The only sound in evidence on such a still day was the ponies’ teeth tearing at the grass at East Boldre, in an operation so delicate as to refrain from uprooting the sward.
Like the lake at Pilley, many of the ditches are filling up with rainwater which reflects ponies crossing at East Boldre. Unfortunately I missed a shot of the foal leaping, but he did well.
Although not a football fan I did watch the Euro 2020 championship match between England and Germany. It is, after all, mandatory.
This evening we dined on our second helpings of Red Chilli takeaway with which we both drank Kingfisher.
Beautiful pictures!! I love seeing the lily pads. Are the horses wild?
Thank you very much Meowscha. The ponies are wild, but owned by commoners who have ancient pasturage rights. They have right of way on the roads of The New Forest. Once a year they are rounded up, rebranded, and given a health check.
That’s so cool. We have some wild horses here in Arizona but you don’t get to see them very often. I’ve seen them twice in my 18 years here.
Fabulous pictures. I think you have a keeper, so keep Her. She sounds like a treasure.
Thank you so much, Pat
More wonderful photos, Derrick! I can hear the grass being torn. It’s kind of funny how we say Carryout, and you say Takeaway. Little differences!
In Italy it’s Porta via, which translates to ‘Take away’.
🙂
And in California it’s “take-out!”
🙂
https://youtu.be/G2wkO0DhpEY Thanks very much, John
Glad you took things easy today Derrick. Hopefully you’ll be back on top form tomorrow 🙂
Thanks very much, Sandra. I’m fine today 🙂
Beautiful pics shared
Thank you very much, Tanvir
your crap night was probably pre match nerves for the Anglo German stressfest… I couldn’t watch so listened while I gardened. Now that we’ve won, my superstitious nature means I will have to garden for the rest of the tournament, at least until we’re knocked out…
🙂 A small sacrifice, I’d say. Thanks a lot, Geoff
Everyone needs a dozy morning sometimes. Wonderful photos. I can’t pick a favorite. 😀
Thanks very much, Merril
Did your heart swell with pride at the result of the game?
Had it been rugby, perhaps 🙂 Thanks a lot, Tootlepedal.
Beautiful water lilies. Glad that you’re feeling better 🙂
Thanks very much, Rosaliene
I am sure i was mandatory; after all, England won.
I believe it’s the first time I have seen you photograph black swans, Derrick.
Thanks very much, Dolly. Actually the swans are our white ones, whose cygnets are brown until fully grown – hence Hans Andersen’s Ugly Duckling. As far as I know black ones are indigenous to Australia.
I didn’t know that – thank you for educating me. There were two black swans in Moscow. They lived in a pond until a couple of drunks caught and ate them.
I have missed seeing this beautiful blog of gorgeous nature and reading about your adventures. I am still sick with a cold and family emergencies. But I needed to get on wp to find some joy. And your lovely photos do just that.
So beautiful.
I am pleased to give you joy, More, but sorry about your circumstances. Get well soon. Thank you very much for visiting and commenting
You are very welcome
“The Sound of Tearing Grass” is a great title for a blog post! I could also see it as the title of a novel. The photo of the swan couple swimming in tandem is so perfect, one would think they’d posted for it.
Thank you very much, Liz
You’re most welcome, Derrick.
Lovely photos, Derrick. I loved the swan family and the close-ups of the munching ponies. I am glad you had a restful day and I hope you don’t have a recurrence of the pressure-headache anytime soon.
Thanks very much, Clare. NHS advice is to take painkillers with you when thunder is in the air. Although I prefer not to use them, for this I will make an exception 🙂
🙂
The reflection of the house in the newly-filled swale is delightful. I especially liked the photo of the paired swans. Such symmetry always does delight the eye!
Thank you so much, Linda. Swale is a new word for me, despite having a valley in Yorkshire called Swaledale which gives its name to a breed of sheep 🙂
The fauna of the area is wonderful — I love the swans on the lake, and the “sound of tearing grass” is perfect — the ponies do seem to be munching in unison! Hoping you continue to feel better as the days go forward!
I am fine today, Janet. Thanks very much
Not even the rain can stop them 😉 So cute!
Thank you very much, Ribana. They eat grass all day long
Beautiful pictures of swans and water lilies.
Thanks very much, Laurie
So many wonderful photos in this post! I like the pool reflecting the cottage and the swans and lily pads. And I love the ponies munching grass with the yellow flowers. Great title and focus on the stillness allowing us to imagine he sound of tearing grass. I hope you get good rest and feel refreshed and well.
I’m fine today, JoAnna. Thanks very much
This is just lovely. I have been inside too much.
I hope you have rested well now.
Fully recovered now, thanks Rose. I hope you can get out more again
I’ve been out 2 days in a row! Sunshine and less humid today, so today also looks promising. Thank you Derrick
That’s good
Beautiful photographs as usual, Derrick. The sound of pony’s teeth tearing delicately at the grass conveys a sense of tranquility and tenderness. It is also symbolic of the fine balance Nature has in its representatives.
Nicely put, Uma. Thanks very much.
That was a lovely forest drive, even on a grey, humid day, Derrick and Jackie. I like the grey horse. The color pattern is what I believe is called a flea-bitten grey, the flea-bitten designation coming from the freckles of color in coat.
We think that is why the horse we saw a while back is called Foxglove. (The field shared with Twinkle became waterlogged so they were moved). Thanks very much, Lavinia.
Good to see, you went for a little drive…and managed to snap some photos.
Here, I’ve not even stepped out of the driveway as the wind chill and the “polar blast” isn’t done with us just yet! Last night the temps in my fair city were colder than some places in the south where the 0 – 3 temps usually be. It was only 3 degrees Celsius when I finally lifted my head from the pillows this morning/7am. Of course there was a frost and then later the sun came out – and so I put on the washer, some of it got nearly dry. But the temperature still wasn’t nice enough to wander away from the “ranch” – maybe tomorrow.
Much colder than we get now. I hope it improves for you soon. Thanks very much, Catherine
Your captures are so lovely as always.
Thank you very much, Arlene
I wonder if those New Forest swans had 10 or so cygnets early on, and lost most of them, or whether they laid just two eggs. It seems to be different around here, with some pairs having up to 12 cygnets and losing only one or two.
Certainly two is quite a small number – a pigeon pair. Thanks very much, John
Shades of Monet with all those waterlillies
Thanks very much, Sheree
Beautiful photos, Derrick. The swans are gorgeous!
Thank you very much, Jill
Wonderful shots even on a gray day.
Thanks very much, Rupali
It is so hot and humid in New York City it is unhealthy to go out. I hope it isn’t that hot for you.
No. New York is much worse. Thanks a lot, Sherry
I told you to take it easy!! But I appreciate the effort of getting the pony shots – they’re all terrific!!
Thanks a lot, GP. For these I only had to get out of the car and wobble a bit 🙂
Wonderful pictures. That was a good read❤️😊
Thank you very much, Olivia
I am glad you were able to get out after you and Jackie have laboured for so long in the garden – we have all benefited from your lens!
Thanks very much, Anne
Wonderful to see some photos from your adventures.
Thank you very much, Mrs W.
Your welcome.
You have so many fascinating places close by. What a lovely area you live in.
We are very lucky, AnneMarie. Thank you very much
On I do love seeIng the ponies, they look very well.
I say Takeaway too, but I have a friend who always says it’s our Takeout Night. It sounds as though she’s about to take out the bins!
🙂 Thanks a lot, Sue