Stamping Ground

We began the day by shopping at Ferndene Farm Shop for three more bags of compost, vegetables, and begonias. This was quite a quick operation, after which we drove into the forest.

At the top of Holmsley Passage another wrecked vehicle blocked the side-lane to a house. This was upside down and looked as if it had been overturned in an accident.

Many cyclists, singly or in various groupings, were about this morning. The trio and the two singletons wheeled up Holmsley Passage and the pairs sped along Bisterne Close.

Purple heather brightened the moors around the passage.

Much of the bracken in the woodland beside the close was still fresh enough to appeal to the ponies,

who were there in abundance today.

I was drawn further into the forest by a thudding beat which transpired as the stamping of a cluster of ponies with one bushy tailed foal retreating from heat or flies or both.

The higher rhythmic clopping of their iron-shod cousins pulling an historic carriage along the close chimed a different note.

A red haired walker blended with rowan berries above.

This evening we dined on Jackie’s flavoursome cottage pie; crunchy carrots, cauliflower and broccoli, served with meaty gravy and accompanied by Hoegaarden in her glass and more of the Rioja in mine.

85 comments

  1. More lovely photos, Derrick! So many ponies enjoying the day. I can’t understand why people abandon cars like that, it’s terrible and an eyesore. 😎

  2. That wreck appears to be deliberately placed on that side-lane to deter movement to the house. I love ferns. I’ve tried growing the maidenhair fern, one of my top favorites, without success. Didn’t know that horses feast upon the bracken fern.

    1. Actually I understand the bracken is not good for the ponies. We are lucky with maidenhair ferns. We have fairly neutral soil, if that is significant. Thanks very much, Rosaliene

    2. I found some native ferns near a creek and brought them home. They’ve done well. Seem to need a good amount of water to get started.

  3. The very black ponies look so sophisticated; they are all beautiful, though. With such a calm air.
    The car wreck was blocking the side passage to a house, but it looks as though it’s been there some time, so I presume the residents have not been able to use their side lane? How odd… is that the ultimate ‘traffic calming’ method?

  4. OH, MY! on another wrecked abandoned vehicle. 😮 🙁
    Your clustering horses photos are so beautiful! I especially like the B&W photos!
    The 4th photo from the end of the post…of The Trio of “Trotters” is my fave! 😀
    Good to see all of the Human-Beans out and about enjoying nature! 🙂
    HA! That’s some RED hair! She won’t get lost in the woods! 😛 Although, she could camouflage herself in a red berry patch and hide! 😉 😀
    (((HUGS))) 🙂

  5. An interesting post and photos. That rusty wreck contains some potential yard art if one only had the right tools and time to take it apart. “I was drawn further into the forest by a thudding beat…. a mysterious opening to adventure……

  6. You have been choosing dead vehicles in their various stages of decay of late, and they have the same psychological effect on me as deceased living beings. Perhaps I have a syndrome?

    The images of cyclists are lovely, the one pedalling into the sky is my favourite. The surfeit of ponies has been captured safely by your equipment.

    1. Thank you very much, Uma. Rather than a syndrome I think that is sensitive observation. Your cyclist choice would be mine. He was labouring up a steep incline up which most of them walk.

  7. Beautiful photos of ponies and landscape.
    That car is so odd–the way it’s been left blocking the lane. I wonder about the story, and if anyone was hurt. Or animals.

  8. What magnificent ponies you shared with us.

    To view your site today,instead of using my desktop compter I used my laptop. It’s just a few months old and I tend to use it only when I’m spending time in the kitchen. And because it’s so new it hasn’t got a large history or too many cookies stored.

    The default browser is Firefox and when I attempted to browse your gallery it froze just as did on my iPad. I tried Google Chrome and had no such problems. Nevertheless, I deleted the Firefox history and now I can browse your gallery without it freezing.

  9. I am sorry someone left another wrecked car, though some of the photos of it are rather artistic.

    I loved all the photos from your day, especially the ponies, and that backlit fern.

  10. At first glance the top left photo of the car looked to me like a ship, with the pointed piece jutting out and the hood up like a sail. It took a second for my eyes to sort it out, ha ha.

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