Attempting To Take A Drink

This afternoon I posted https://derrickjknight.com/2021/10/24/a-knights-tale-56-how-i-became-a-team-leader/

Early this morning I had raced around the garden at dawn in my dressing gown and slippers in order to keep pace with the fast moving clouds enhanced by a splendid sunrise which turned out to have been the brightest part of an otherwise largely overcast day.

Smoky indigo and old gold hues didn’t quite manage to obscure the glimpses of bright blue or the peeping moon not yet ready for bed. Copper beech, weeping birch and New Zealand flax were all nicely silhouetted and the house at the corner of Hordle Lane and Christchurch Road bore burnished bricks.

After I posted the aforementioned Knight’s Tale episode we took a trip into the forest.

The only pannage pigs that seem to be loose at the moment are those at Pilley, where the little ones are becoming bigger.

Donkeys queued for a go at this scratching post.

Ponies grazing at East Boldre were passed by a friendly cyclist taking his dog for a walk.

Nearer East End a cow with three calves, one looking older than the others, occupied the moorland. I am still battling with the uploading of photographs. The last, most difficult, attempt was of this younger twin attempting to take a drink.

This evening Elizabeth came to dinner and brought with her various papers, including Mum’s will, which I need for my executorship; and this mirror that Vivien and I brought back for her from our Cornish honeymoon in March 1963.

Our meal consisted of succulent roast lamb; sage and onion stuffing; mint sauce; crisp roast potatoes and Yorkshire pudding; piquant cauliflower cheese; tender green beans; and crunchy carrots, with tasty gravy. Jackie drank Hoegaarden and my sister and I drank more of the Fleurie.

90 comments

  1. It looks as though all the beautiful New Forest animals have their warmer winter coats on!
    The sky was indeed spectacular – well worth an early morning run.
    How lovely to have your special ships mirror back – and such an ingenious shot! 🙂

  2. Those sky-and-cloud photos are marvelous. Well done! Those little calves are especially appealing. Pigs are nice, but I do have a soft spot for calves.

  3. The early morning sky photos you got were worth you going out in your slippers and dressing gown. I laughed because yesterday, I raced outside to see a huge, splendid rainbow. I was in my socks, which got completely soaked! ?
    The animals are sweet, but the mirror/reflection photo is so intriguing. I love the hands together in it.

  4. Gorgeous! The sky put on a show just for you! And you captured it beautifully! 🙂 The showy sky is a wonderful backdrop to the moon, trees, branches, leaves, etc. 🙂
    Love seeing the bovines, equines, canines, porcines, human-ines! 🙂
    The piglets and calves are delightful! So cute! 🙂
    What a beautiful mirror and reflection photo!
    (((HUGS))) 🙂

  5. I’m seeing the image of you racing around in your dressing gown and slippers to chronicle the dawning of a new day. It would make a good opening scene for a movie, I think. The first photo and the moon one are my favorites out of the series.

  6. Sunrise was beautiful there, Derrick! Thanks for catching that for your readers. I also enjoyed the forest drive, especially my favorite piglets and the calf attempting to get a drink. It gets harder as they get taller!. 🙂

    That is a beautiful mirror, and I am glad it came home to you and Jackie.

  7. I Didn’t get up early enough to see the sunrise, and I think it would have been obscured by our thick cloud cover anyway … and besides, I have no idea where I have stored my old dressing gown Derrick …

  8. What brilliant early morning pictures, such colour! I love the calves too.

    Sorry to hear that you’re still have problems with your image uploads.

    We are all coming up with different reasons and probably confusing you more than helping.

    It’s odd that this slow upload began when you purchased a new computer. It could be a faulty processor, I should definitely ask Peacock Computers to check it out for you. And hopefully they’ll make it a priority job seeing as the machine is brand new and within the fourteen days time frame to change your mind .Or is that 28 days?

    Out of interest Is the old computer still working? If so it might be worth trying to do a comparison upload. Oh, What about Jackie’s machine, have you tried logging in to your account and uploading a few photos from hers?

    1. Thanks very much, Sue. You are right about my confusion. However, I am reassured that I am not the only one with the problem. Most interesting was how Tootlepedal’s improved with the new computer. Peacocks still have my old one intact and won’t wipe the hard drive until I am satisfied with the new. They phoned me on Friday to check that everything was in order. I mentioned the WP problem and said I would call today if there was no improvement – which there isn’t. I appreciate your continued interest.

      1. Ah, now I’m not surprised at Tootlepedal’s new computer. I would expect a new one to be twice as fast as the old one.
        My fingers are crossed that someone from Peacock’s sorts the problem.

          1. Excellent, we can eliminate that one.
            Let’s hope Peacocks can help. Failing that,
            if ever you wanted to try resizing a batch of photos all at once, I’m more than happy to ring you and talk you through the online process. It’s easier than you think. All my Mobile calls are free.

  9. Yes yes yes… a gorgeous sunrise! You did what you had to to get those shots! Love the calf coming in backwards for a drink… and the donkey!

  10. I love that little mirror that came back to you. You must be looking forward to an end to all of the executor responsibilities. Another lovedly day in the woods. You must live in a special little paradise there!

    1. Hi, Uma. If the cyclist is coming towards us, and that is in England, then he/she is on the correct side of the road, I think.

  11. That is one beautiful mirror and one busy mama cow. I enjoyed the thought of you racing around the garden at dawn to capture the sunrise with your wonderful enthusiasm for nature.

  12. A beautiful sunrise or sunset is worth making an effort for and your results are pleasing for all of us to see. I also enjoy your description of “smoky indigo and old gold hues” – you use words beautifully. The final image of the mirror is meaningful indeed.

    1. Thank you very much, Anne. I, of course, had forgotten all about the mirror. Apparently Mum kept it on the wall of her spare bedroom which I didn’t go into.

  13. “Early this morning I had raced around the garden at dawn in my dressing gown and slippers in order to keep pace with the fast moving clouds enhanced by a splendid sunrise which turned out to have been the brightest part of an otherwise largely overcast day.”
    Besides all the other things I so like about you, the image of you thus, is the penultimate best. This is stuff I do all the time in the early morning, and just tonight, with the bats at The Holler, who may well have rabies. The photo of the calf is brilliant.
    People like for good reasons.

  14. Magnificent photos today, {{{Derrick)))… especially the silhouetted ones captured my attention. Thank you for the time to take and post them. I’m glad you’re managing to get the items surrounded your mum’s affairs in order. Hugs to you and Jackie!

  15. Wow, remember the old days when your knees wouldn’t allow you to race around following clouds?
    Lovin’ the animal photos, thanks!!

  16. The photos of the sky are spectacular and wonderful reflections of mother nature’s moodiness. The photo of the calf wanting to take a sip is priceless.

  17. Such a show of sun and trees…love those shots. It was a pleasure to wander around your countryside once more. Must do it more…the business after the funeral is not an easy bunch of tasks…warm thoughts your way.

  18. Oh you remind me. I must, really must, begin a will. After Tara’s father died earlier this year without one, we have both decided that we need to come up with something right away. I keep putting it off. The sunrise photos are spectacular! Sometimes the photo opportunity doesn’t afford one the luxury of changing clothes first! ha ha.

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