Greener Graveyard Grass

This morning we visited Shelly and Ron with a birthday present for our brother in law. We enjoyed a pleasant conversation over coffee and biscuits, then returned home for lunch, after which we took a forest drive.

Hightown Lane begins alongside a stream at ground level. Here, as in all the other lane verges

the wild plants are fading and turning to seed.

A pair of field horses, eyes protected by masks, stood nose to tail offering each other twitching tails as further insect deterrents.

Gradually the sinuous trail winds uphill,

cleaving its way through ever steeper dappled banks bearing mossy trees with exposed talon-roots.

Residents of the properties at the top of the slopes, like many others, have laid log barriers to prevent visitors parking on their

woodland.

While one grey pony stretched over Cross Lanes Chapel graveyard wall seeking greener grass at Mockbeggar, another ambled over the crossroads. Perhaps other such equines have tilted the railings over the years.

It was the turn of donkeys with foals to hold up traffic at Ibsley.

In vain a pair of hopeful hounds sped after a hare never to be overtaken on Blissford Hill.

This evening Jackie finished last night’s Red Chilli takeaway and I enjoyed a thin pepperoni pizza with fresh salad. My wife drank more of the Pinot Grigio and I drank Torre de Ferro Reserva Dao 2017.

79 comments

  1. It always amazes me, how such large trees can survive with such exposed ‘talon roots’. Astonishing.
    I love today’s title and header image, which illustrates it so perfectly!
    A lovely weather vane – but this one is not on a thatched roof, so not the signature of the thatcher?!

  2. Missing our country drives. Well, all drives really. The whole of N.S.W. & VIC are still in lock-down with Covid – Delta 5km travel restrictions. Most places we visit are 10 to 20km away. And, because of big city suburbs with defiant residents, we shall continue in lock-down at least until mid October.

    I enjoy your drives. They do help. I was thinking the same thing about the fence before I even read that far. I like the weather vane. UK TV show “Escape to the Country” often show different weather vanes on their travels to find a client a new place to live. Great Post, Derrick.

      1. Norm and I have watched Escape to the country since it came on Australia TV years ago. Also Bargain Hunt. Norm was born in Surry and immigrated here when he was 9 with his parents and 3 siblings. He’s only been back once to visit some of his family between connect flights to France on a 3 week management or project for RAAF. We love the countryside there. We don’t have colourful fields or one lane roads between villages. We don’t have villages or those beautiful period buildings. We have very few historic buildings and they’re only 200 years old. Why wouldn’t we be interested in UK shows like that? We also prefer English mystery/detective shows. I’m also a big fan of Sherlock Holmes. 😉

        Keeping our dreams to visit alive.

          1. I’m not sure of the oldest but I believe Captain Cooks Cottage is in Melbourne but I don’t think he ever lived in it. There were a few cottages built on the Hawkesbury River near where our son lives. Every visit time we visited our son, a small pieces had fallen off one of the older cottages. For a long time the floor and roofing were just balancing on the brick chimney until it final collapsed https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5643029/Sydney-landmark-collapses-stood-150-years.html on Friday April 13th 2018. it was 150 years old after 10 times under water by floods.

  3. Horses seem to always find a place to “lean over” to reach that elusive morsel of greenery! A beauty of a pair of draft horses coupled with the other images makes, as per usual, a delightful gallery you have shared. Thanks, Derrick!

  4. Mossy trees with exposed talon-roots entice my imagination. I would love to spend time among those dappled banks, gray ponies, donkeys, and shaggy field horses. Thank you for sharing them all with us.

  5. A forest drive sounds lovely. I’m also noticing signs of approaching autumn. I think most seeds and seed pods are beautiful. It’s lovely seeing the horses and those meandering trails.

  6. This has been an interesting outing through pretty views and narrated beautifully. You would make an excellent tour guide, Derrick.

  7. One delightful shot after another today, Derrick–and I like your comments, too.
    Once again, the lanes, the horses and donkeys, that weather vane–I can’t pick a favorite.

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