Following a suggestion by Yvette Prior, I spent the morning changing the categories of my “A Knight’s Tale” series of posts. They are now categorised as A Knight’s Tale, thus giving readers who may wish to view earlier episodes easier access. The first three also contain my diary entries for their days. I have still to work out how to separate that material from the narrative.
On another unseasonably warm and sunny afternoon we took a drive into the forest.
Cattle and donkeys shared the green at Ibsley, the equines sometimes spilling onto the road to annoy the traffic.
One calf sat beside a pool formed from the recent rains now covering the soggier sward, reflecting the trees above, and bearing fallen leaves.
The greens at North Gorley offered cold soup from similar winterbourne pools. One pony, it’s hooves beneath the surface on which it sent ripples, remained dining for some time.
A few pannage pigs and piglets were once again released onto Newtown Lane.
On our way back through Ibsley we noticed a woman photographing toadstools. Jackie parked and I disembarked to join the other photographer. She told me that her friend had sent her in search of these poisonous Fly Agarics and she was delighted to have found them. I said that had we not seen her in action we would not have spotted these gems and would have driven straight past. I asked her to thank her friend from me, too.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s very wholesome stewp with fresh crusty seeded bread and butter. The Culinary Queen drank Hoegaarden while I drank Chevalier de Fauvert Comté Tolosan Rouge 2019.
And so another day in the Enchanted Forest has passed into the evening.
Thank you very much, Pat
Why do some people own so many donkeys? What are the used for?
Lovin’ all the animals today!
Thanks very much, GP. As far as I can tell they are owned to keep the ancient tradition alive.
Good for them!!
Magnificent mushrooms and delightful donkeys!
Nice alliteration, DeDe 🙂 Thanks very much
Lovely animals roaming about, the toadstools are attractive but deadly! ❤️🇬🇧
Thanks very much, John
Those toadstools look as if they were specially created for fairies. I love the reflection series. My favorite is the first one with the unexpected, contented calf.
Thank you so much, Liz
You’re welcome, Derrick.
Equipsblog is right, the forest and its animals as viewed in your photos is enchanting.
Thank you so much, Sheree
😎
Beautiful toadstools!
Thanks very much, Helen
Your post (1 : “A Sneaky Weekend”) is set to private. I could only read and view it in my “unread” column. This post is fine. I’m gong to read it now.
I don’t understand that. I have A Knight’s Tale (1: “A Sneaky Weekend”) marked Public. A blip of some sort? Thanks very much, Chrissy
I just tried it again and searched your home page. I don’t even see the post there. Maybe it is a glitch.
Grrrr
Actually, All of a Knights tale are gone. I don’t see any of them.
Thanks a lot Chrissy. I must try to find out what has happened.
OK. I did some surfing around and I did find you new category – A Knight’s Tale and I think it let me “like” but there’s nowhere I can leave a comment and there’s no comments visible on any of those posts. I can’t see any comments on any of the past posts in the new category.
Thanks very much for persevering, Chrissy. I’ll get Max to have a look at it.
Here is a further solution from Sue W. If you scroll down to the end of Archives on any post, you come to Categories. They are all there under A Knight’s Tale – you should then be able to like and/or comment on any one you select I didn’t know that myself :).
I’ll try this later today after church and a street picnic. 🙂
Enjoy the rest of your day, Chrissy
The donkeys are really cute. I love their colours.
Thanks very much, Chrissy
I enjoyed the pictures of the sipping horse, and the toadstools were a good spot.
I thought you might like them, Tootlepedal. Thanks very much
Spectacular Amanita Muscaria mushroom patch.
Thanks a lot, Sherry – for the name, too
Easy to get. Searched online for red mushroom with white spots 🙂
Pigs and donkey…my favorite! Thanks for taking us along, Derrick.
I’m pleased – much appreciated, Jill
Those toadstools are amazing. I agree with Liz that they look like there were created for fairies–they look like they were painted by or for fairies.
It took me a minute to see the calf, and the reflections are lovely. I love all the animal photos.
Thank you very much, Merril
Love the toadstools! Their bright red color says, “Look but don’t touch!”
Yes – a definite warning sign. Thanks very much, Rosaliene
A toadstool ring, so beautiful, yet so dangerous.
Yes, indeed, Bridget. This group are right opposite a school. Thanks very much.
Your Toadstools were indeed a wondrous discovery Derrick .. and I have stored the photos in my “Derrick File”, and I’m sure there is a story to be told about this magical and colourful patch …
I wondered whether you might do something with them, Ivor. Thanks a lot
Yes .. they’re fascinating images 😊
The donkeys seem so sweet. I would be tempted to get out of the car and give them a friendly nudge. The toadstools are fantastic! I’m glad you photographed the photographer so we could see how big they are.
Thanks very much, JoAnna. A woman walking a dog did shoo the donkeys away as I was trying to photograph them.
I would not shoo them away until you were done photographing. 🙂
Exactly what I thought. Well understood.
Beautiful pictures. Sounds like a lovely day.
It was, Mrs W. Thanks very much
Your welcome.
You made me miss our horse ranch back in Oklahoma, our horses and our mini donkey, Kevin.
Sorry about that, Laura. Thanks very much
The depth in the top three photographs pulls in the viewer. Is the 16:9 format an option in your Canon? Watery forest parts look good, the ponies savouring the brew look even better. The toadstools appear to be right out of a fairy tale book.
Your question had me googling 16:9 format and reading all about aspect ratio which I had never considered. I haven’t explored the camera’s possibilities yet. Those top three photographs were all taken with 35mm lens and cropped to shape. Thank you very much for this and your other comments, Uma.
That sounds like mighty posh wine you are drinking.
We have those fungi in our yard; they are so pretty.
Thanks very much, Yvonne. Actually it is one of Lidl’s cheapest, yet scores highly in their rating system
I enjoyed your forest drive photos, Derrick and Jackie, and I always love to see the animals. The agaric mushrooms are beautiful, though deadly.
Thank you very much, Lavinia – from us both
Amazing mushrooms. We seem to be getting more every year around here and such curious looking ones they are.
Thanks very much, AnneMarie
As regards the donkeys, I think that they are suffering from a limited gene pool and could do with an injection of some outsiders’ new blood. They are far too pale and occasionally even white, which is a classic sign of a limited gene pool. It’s seen in captive bred pheasants with a white ring round the neck, and it’s often the same thing with mallards. It would certainly be a very great pity to see the donkeys die out, they’re really lovely.
An interesting observation, John. Apparently there are only about 200 donkeys loose in the forest. Thanks very much
The animals all look happy! Donkeys always make me smile! 🙂
Glad you were alerted to the fungi circle! Those mushrooms are so pretty! 🍄 🍄 🍄
Love the reflection photos today!
(((HUGS))) 🙂
Thanks very much, Carolyn X
I think I’ll borrow DeDe’s comment: “Magnificent mushrooms and delightful donkeys!” Hah! Yup…
Like daughter, like mother 🙂 Thanks a lot.
The auburn / golden grown of the ponies drinking has such a warming Autumn glow to it – very endearing!
What a happy coincidence that you saw the photographer and were able to enjoy the mushroom growth too – the message passed on silently like Chinese Whispers! It is wonderful how fungi appear, so varied, and then quietly disappear again – we have a lovely ring of something I’ve never seen before standing so proudly by our gate just now!
Thank you very much, Emma
Fairy toadstools! I’m so pleased you spotted the photographer. I wonder if her friend will get to hear that they fungi images have been shared with and enjoyed by so many. Beautiful animals today, especially the little black calf sitting quietly.
Thanks very much, Sandra.
What a lovely drive in the forest today. I loved the ones of the pony and the ‘soup’. Oh and toadstools are so magical!
I looked at your last published Knight’s Tale, and under the categories at the end of the post, I was able to view the ones under a Knight’s Tale. I scrolled down through a good few but didn’t go all the way back; instead, I typed in a search for ‘The Sneaky Weekend’ it came up straight away. If it had been marked private it would have been impossible to look at it no matter how we attempted to view it. BUT number 2 was not there, it went from number 1 to number 3.
Thanks very much, Sue. I’m off to check on number 2
I hadn’t unchecked Uncategorised for number 2 which must have overridden A Knight’s Tale which I had checked. I hope it is OK now. Thanks again for the alert.
My pleasure, Derrick. 🙂
Ooh, Derrick – you were helped to find a wonderful group! I’m so happy for you. A great mix of flat and rounded ones too. I’ll link my post to yours, so anyone who wants to see how they flatten can come here. I’ll also change my mentions of mushrooms to toadstools having been inspired by you to look up the difference.
Thanks very much, Susan – for these comments and for the link
Thank you for this, Susan X
I’ve never seen toadstools like that. Magical! Faeries could dine on them with ease
Thank you very much, Rose
It’s unfortunate the colorful toadstools are poisonous. They have a magical look about them. I’m amazed there are that many donkeys that roam freely.
Thanks a lot, Eugi. Maybe that is why the toadstools carry a warning sign 🙂
Most welcome, Derrick.
It such a privilege to get to see these beautiful sights. Thank you Derrick.
And thank you so much, too, Gary
Your donkeys and ponies always delight, but those mushrooms are magical! I’ve never seen even one of them. I believe they do grow in this country, but mushrooms and prairies aren’t such a congenial pair. I need to spend more time in the woods!
Thanks very much, Linda
The pictures of the pony drinking and the mushrooms are great!
Thanks very much, Geetha
Most welcome Derrick 🙂
The Forrest is such a beautiful place and you capture the moments of nature so beautifully in your photos
Thanks very much, More
You’re welcome Derrick
Always a joy to find those fairytale like mushrooms.
Yes. I’ve never seen them before. Thanks very much, Lindsey
Toadstools are very colorful, Derrick, but I am more impressed with the drinking pony set.
Thank you so much, Dolly
My pleasure, Derrick.
Another beautiful day in the nature! Those mushrooms may be poisonous but are very pretty 🍄
They are, indeed, Ribana. Thanks very much
As always, a delightful collection of photographs.
Thanks a lot, Laurie
Such pretty mushrooms with the ugly name.
Indeed, Byung. Thank you very much
Great suggestion from Yvette! Those mushrooms are GORGEOUS.
Thanks very much, Crystal
Thank you, Derrick, for allowing us to follow your activities and know which book you are reading. 🙂