A Hanging Out Nest

Jackie spent a hot, sunny, cloudless morning continuing her planting while I dead-headed poppies and roses and pulled up a few weeds.

Flo joined us on a trip this afternoon beginning with a visit to Otter Nurseries for more plants, and continuing into the forest.

Foxgloves lined the verges along Warborne Lane where a burrow probably housed the rabbits which kept popping up along the way.

We visited the Hatchet Moor section of Hatchet Pond, where Flo and I both photographed each other photographing donkeys and foals. Individual authorship is, as usual, detailed in the galleries (mine don’t bear my name). This is also true of the next ones, including

cattle and calves;

water lilies, one bearing a damselfly;

mallards, swans and cygnets hanging out on a makeshift temporary nest.

Flo added foxgloves in the landscape;

also an oyster catcher while I pictured a black headed gull.

Finally, at East Boldre I focussed on a fly-tolerant pony with her sleeping offspring.

This evening we dined on Jackie’s savoury rice, with prawn preparations – tempura and hot and spicy – and gyoza, with which she drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Malbec.

66 comments

  1. Wow, you have so many cute critters in this post, Derrick! The flowers in the lilypads are gorgeous. Wonderful! ❤️??

  2. Beautiful photos by you and Flo. I can’t pick a favorite–each gallery holds wonders.
    Those donkey foals are not shy!
    Dinner sounds delicious.

  3. There is always something to do in the garden Derrick. It has been a good year for foxgloves both in the garden and in the wild this year.
    Have a great weekend both of you. <3
    And love those Donkeys.

  4. Oh, precious photos, Derrick! I love that last horse “bust” from the side. Just gorgeous. And the baby swans! (Cygnets, I have learned from you).

  5. Simply gorgeous Derrick … so many baby animal photos … your article returned some peace and happiness to my soul …. “our hearts are riddled with bullet holes , .. and Childrens’ blood is flooding our souls” – Ivor

  6. All the photos are beautiful. The little pony is sleeping peacefully and I remembered our grandchildren sleeping the same way. Thank you ?

  7. Neither you nor Flo lacked photographic opportunities and have made the most of them. I enjoy seeing foxgloves – which I have not grown successfully in my garden yet.

  8. You and Flo have duly recorded each other’s fascinations with the donkey foals. Water lilies, swans and cygnets by Flo are so beautiful.

  9. Thank you, Flo and Derrick, for the lovely photos!
    All those sweet faces bring joy! So glad the little donkey let you get up close! 🙂 The donkey and foal with shadows photos by Flo are fabulous! 🙂
    My grandkids saw some cygnets last week and sent me photos of them. 🙂
    (((HUGS))) 🙂

  10. The swans and water lilies are my favorites, although I must say those foals are terrifically appealing. What a fun afternoon you had!

  11. Foxgloves, foals and cygnets! You and Flo took a delightful set of forest photos. I love ponds and waterlilies, too. I grew up near friends who had ponds on their property. Spent a lot of time there, ice skating on them in winter, too.

  12. Always a pleasure to share your day via your blog. Thanks for all the fabulous photos. That donkey conversation was one I remember vividly. Wonderful creatures, aren’t they?

  13. So good to have good weather to do activities like this your photographs are lovely. I used to love riding on donkeys at Blackpool but I don’t think they’re allowed to do it now.

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