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.
Lovely way to spend the day.
Thanks very much, Pat
Two wrecks in two days! Life is dangerous out there. You have provided an interesting variety of unusual photographs today.
Thank you very much, Anne. Do you have the relevant phrase about waiting for buses?
This one? You wait ages for one, and then three come along at once.
Yep. 🙂
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. ?
It sure is, John. Thanks very much.
mmm – cottage pie sounds good –
and it looks as if the red haired walker also has on a nice red hat??
I thought it was a hat until I got it on screen, Yvette. Thanks very much.
😉
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.
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
I’ll have to check my soil type. Thanks for the tip, Derrick.
Apparently they like acid – and actually we haven’t got any – according to the Head Gardener. 🙂
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.
Thanks for the tip, JoAnna.
Is your beautiful forest becoming a damping ground from car wrecks, Derrick?
Two spotted in two days does make it look like that. Thanks very much, Dolly.
In my book, two is two many, Derrick.
You are very welcome.
I meant ‘dumping’ (autocorrect strikes again).
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?
Could be – There is another route for the residents. Maybe we will get an opportunity to learn more. Thanks very much, Emma
Interesting photo of the wreck, but I was hoping for a salacious story from the police files! Looks like it’s been there for a good while. Nothing left to salvage there.
Quite. I wondered why we had not seen it before. Thanks very much, Gwen
So it’s been moved there recently? Oooh, a mystery.
It looks like it
The black horse looks very majestic. The white horse looks like there’s a foal on the way.
An astute observation, Chrissy. Thanks very much
I hope someone comes to clear away that vehicle. Thanks for sharing the lovely photos of the horses!
Thank you so much, Jill
What a marvelous “three up” complete with matching team. Carriage for hire? I agree with Emma, West Sussex’s observation about the black equines.
Thank you very much, Maj. That sounds a good phrase for the carriage
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))) 🙂
That photo is one of my favourites, too, Carolyn. Thanks very much for all your observations.
I really like the close-up of the pony eating bracken. It looks like a formal portrait.
Thank you so much, Liz
You’re welcome, Derrick.
Great post. The overturned vehicle looks like it might have burned at one time. The dark ponies are beuatiful.
Thanks very much, Dwight. I wasn’t sure about burning bu it must be a possibility
You have no shortage of wrecked vehicles. Have you though of going into business as a scrap merchant.
JoAnna has suggested yard art. Perhaps the two ideas could be combined. Maybe our practical wives could set up the business. Thanks very much, Tootlepedal.
It certainly wouldn’t be any good if I set up a business. I don’t like charging more than things cost so a profit is unlikely.
Your penultimate photo enchanted my imagination this morning Derrick ..
I’m pleased, Ivor. Thank you very much.
Yep .. one for my ‘Derrick Photo file’
Wonderful Derrick.
Thanks very much, Gary
Where are the horses in the night? I always wanted to ask that.
The same places as during the day. They are often seen chomping away in our headlights – even wandering across the roads. Thanks very much, Bridget
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……
Thank you very much, JoAnna. A good thought about the wreck
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.
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.
That looks as if it must have been a very intense fire. Some poor person has lost the apple of his eye!
Maybe so. Thanks a lot, John
I am loving the detail pictures of the wrecked vehicle.
Isn’t it a bit late to be buying begonias?
Not here. We don’t expect a frost any time soon. Thanks a lot, Andrew
Kim is taking hers up and bagging them for winter sojourn.
Another wrecked vehicle ? Those ponies are so beautiful! Gorgeous photos Derrick!
Thank you very much, Ribana
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.
Yes, full of imponderables. Thanks very much, Merril
How nice to see people out and around enjoying nature! So, if things come in threes, I wonder if you will see another wrecked vehicle.
Who knows, Eugi? Good question. Thanks very much.
interesting find today, Derrick and the ponies are delightful!
Thank you very much, Lola.
Love the old carriage. We both do not like wrecked vehicles spoiling the landscape. Fortunately, there is more beauty to be seen than ugliness.
Thank you so much, Sherry. Quite so
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.
Dammit. But thank you for persevering, Sue
I have to delete history and cookies frequently, and often have to refresh many times to get the photos to load.
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.
Thank you very much, Lavinia
Love the photos, Derrick. And the way you cluster some of them makes even more of an impact.
Thank you very much, Luanne
Someone was a bit over-zealous in their attempt to brighten up the forest with that hair-dye job! 😀 … it is an eye-opener though. 😀
It certainly got her noticed. Thanks a lot, Widders
You are living life to the fullest, Derrick. Good for you.
Thank you very much, Alys
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.
Thanks very much, Crystal
The abandoned vehicle looks very much the worse for wear. How long do you think it had been there?
Amazing day in your life…
Thank you very much, Catherine