Avian Antipodeans

Ian joined us after lunch when Jackie and I bought provisions from Ferndene Farm Shop, where I

photographed their displays of bedding plants and cut flowers.

We then took a drive into the forest where daffodils enhance many verges.

Jackie caught me in her wing mirror returning from photographing a bank of them off Ringwood Road.

She also photographed a pheasant inspecting a log, while I focussed upon a group of fidgety rheas.

Flo has spent some time during the last two days raking up branches felled by recent storms and

piling them up at the end of the back drive.

This evening we dined on Becky’s succulent roast chicken; technicolour carrots; firm broccoli and tasty gravy; with Jackie’s crisp roast potatoes. Mrs Knight and Mr Steele both drank Côtes de Provence Rosé 2020; Becky and I both drank La Orphic Monastrell 2020.

66 comments

  1. Rheas seem such extraordinary animals to find in the UK – I wonder what they are kept for?
    You certainly have some very good help clearing your storm damage; and it sounds as though the Culinary Queen has help in the kitchen too! 🙂

  2. Autumn has arrived here and last week I planted pansies so I was fascinated with seeing pansies in the displays of Spring plants. Pansies are non-existent here at the beginning of Spring. How peculiar. Beautiful photos again.

  3. Pretty flowers, lots of good clean up work accomplished, and, well, those interesting rheas. We’re with Emma, why do folks keep rheas? (Meat, eggs, feathers?)

  4. The northern hemisphere’s spring time daffodils also fascinated me Derrick, when I was in New York and Philadelphia 3 years ago … hmmm .. it’s already been 3 years !!

      1. Yeah .. thanks Merril, I’ll chat to my Philadelphia cousins over the next couple of days, for St Partricks Day .. they are Irish decendants ..??

  5. Great pics..We have ostriches and emus on farms here in New England, but I had never heard of rheas. They seem a bit smaller than ostriches?
    -Julie

  6. How lovely to see the rheas. We used to know someone who kept a flock, though I never got closeup to them.
    I’m delighted that Flo is as happy in the garden as you and Jackie are,

  7. Your visitors take to gardening like a fish to water: such is the aura of your establishment. You have been caught with camera in the microcosm of the wing mirror. Some bipeds have really long necks.

  8. I couldn’t figure out the combination of avian and antipodean, so I sought a little information on the Rheas — now I’ve got it! I would have thought ‘ostrich,’ but no matter. The Rheas are equally compelling creatures.

  9. I love daffodil season and spring flower displays in garden centers. The flower photos are very restful to look at. The rheas are interesting birds.

    You have a good garden helper in Flo, Derrick and Jackie! Those are sweet photos of her.

  10. Your pictures give us an idea of why visits to Ferndene feature so regularly in your posts. Our local nursery is very small by comparison. It is wonderful having some extra help in the garden too 🙂

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