A Tiresome Task

Yesterday I experienced a muzzy-headed relapse – enough for me to turn down a trip to the forest for the first time ever. This morning we made up for it.

The mournful expressions of the dogs in the back of the SKODA trailing a pair of led horses bore evidence to our slow progress along Hordle Lane.

Our next hold up provided a lengthier photo opportunity in the form of the

four way traffic control on the A35 at Holmsley. There was ample time to study the different streams of vehicles as they were permitted to approach us while we sat at the red light. As previously reported the completion of the bridge refurbishment scheme has been delayed, but at least this narrow thoroughfare has been opened.

Further along our progress was hindered by Highway Maintenance work clearly designed ton keep heavy lorries off the gravelled lay-bys. Filling the holes that they churn up is very soon necessary, so there seems to be a comparatively new policy of blocking access with rows of posts.

As we continued along the forest roads I photographed some of the ancient hedgerows and fenced woodland, eventually turning my attention to

horses in the landscapes to our right. Jackie didn’t miss the opportunity to catch me on the job.

Thirsty ponies drank at the winter pool on Forest Road. The amount of yawning that was displayed suggested this was perhaps a tiresome task. A group of young cyclists became quite excited at the sight. The last four of the photographs in this gallery are by Jackie. Please don’t miss the reflection of the extended tongue in the second of these images.

This evening we dined on second helpings of Jackie’s choice chicken and vegetable stewp with which I drank Barossa Valley Shiraz 2017

72 comments

  1. Turn down a forest drive? I’m surprised Jackie didn’t whisk you off to the doctors. I love the mouth and tongue expressions of the gray/white horse. I’m getting more tongue slurping from the donkeys and goats these days. Lovely pictures.

  2. That photogenic grey horse is quite the yawner. I did note the reflection of the tongue in the water. 🙂 Thank you for a pleasant virtual day in the forest, Derrick and Jackie!

  3. Sorry you had a relapse, it looks as though today’s trip made up for it. Can’t decide whether I am drawn more to the trees or the horses. Both, I guess!

  4. When I clicked on your post and saw the horse, I thought he was yelling at me at top volume. Come to find out, he was just yawning. I’m wondering how old that ancient hedgerow would be.

  5. I’m glad you are feeling better today, Derrick. The white horse is funny, those teeth! I’ve never heard of a Skoda car, had to go look it up. We don’t have that brand here.

  6. That header photo is wonderful! (I thought he was yelling, too.) I’m glad you’re feeling better.
    I love the photos of the ponies reflected while they’re drinking–Jackie’s photos of you and the reflected tongue (🙂) are wonderful, too.

  7. Glad you felt like getting out today. The yawning horse images are wonderful, as is the forlorn expressions on the pooches. Animals are so expressive!

  8. Some people’s busy day slows other people’s day down. 😉
    Great photos, Jackie and Derrick! 🙂 🙂
    Love the three ponies reflected in the pool!
    Glad Jackie photo-ed you working! It’s evidence you are up and about and rarin’ to go! 🙂
    The open-mouth pony…talkative, tired, tired of talking! HA! 😀 Oh, how clear that tongue is in the reflection! A little, but mighty part of the body! 😛
    (((HUGS)))

  9. I’ve never heard of a “muzzy-headed relapse.” That made me laugh, Derrick. Not the relapse, but the fact that it was “muzzy-headed.” 🙂 I loved the photos today! You looked dapper in your red vest!

  10. Good to hear you’re feeling better to enjoy an outing the next day. Horse poking its tongue out with the reflections image is interesting.

  11. It looks like this forest trip was well worth the wait. I like all those nooks and crannies in the mossy roots. i wondre if the grey horse ate something disagreeable.

      1. That would be Shane, he’s CEO of a mighty big wine consortium in South Australia. Folks like us keep him off the streets, eh?

  12. Congestion on the road has presented excellent candid photo opportunity which you have capitalised fully. The journey ahead has been vividly photographed, the trees, foliage and ponies. For a while I was alarmed at the yawning of the grey one thinking it was undergoing some emergency. It turned out to be a bout of yawning —a rare capture.

  13. You both brought a smile to this face this morning. You caught such different expressions from the ponies!!

  14. That header photo brought an out-loud laugh when I opened your post. I had the sense he was either ‘yelling,’ or expressing a firm opinion. When I was out and about in seach of wildflowers this past weekend, I had the dubious pleasure of coming across similar road construction delays. It’s always a puzzlement: accident, or construction? There’s often no way to tell until a person moves to the head of the line. At least you knew what you were coping with!

  15. Quite a potpourri of pictures, Derrick. Was the white pony yawning or complaining that the brown pony was positioning its rear end in his direction? Nice weather always brings out the road crews.

  16. a relative of mine who had Omicron said that her doctor says it will be around 3 months before it’s all “gone” – she still has a scratchy throat. And another friend of mine, said he needs more “naps” and he’s only just 50.

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