This morning Jackie drove me to Wessex Photography in Lymington to collect another batch of printing paper, and on to Pilley to investigate the state of the old quarry lake.
All was silent save the occasional distant bird call and traffic traversing Jordan’s Lane as I stepped out onto the stony, gnarled surface of the bed pitted and cracked from the best part of a month with no water.
There was no apparent sign of life on a landscape inviting NASA’s probing analysis.
As I turned to leave this potentially ankle-twisting terrain,
I discovered that slowly, soundlessly, two pairs of desperate ponies had arrived to attempt to prise some nourishment from their empty larder.
Only one of these creatures seeking a drink sniffed, curled up her nose, and left untasted the smear of stagnant pea soup that was all that remained of their customary liquid refreshment. She settled for a mud foot-bath.
I spent the afternoon completing the printing of Karen and Barry’s wedding pictures.
This evening we dined on succulent roast lamb; crisp roast potatoes and Yorkshire pudding; crunchy carrots; firm cauliflower and broccoli; tender runner beans, and meaty gravy. Jackie drank Hoegaarden; Dillon, Ribena, and I, more of the Rasteau.
The ground looks so parched, and the poor horse shouldn’t drink that pea soup!
The pony stayed thirsty, John. Thank you very much
Hate to see the ribs sticking out on that poor pony. I hope you guys get some rain soon. I know that parched, cracked look all too well. It’s scary as hell…
Thank you so much, Anna – especially for noticing the ribs
I hope you get some rain soon, for the animals’ sake.
Thank you very much, Liz
You’re welcome, Derrick.
It really is a genuine dry spell, isn’t it?
It sure is, John. Thanks a lot
The sadness of drought. Not just for our lawns and gardens and thirsty frogs. But for animals of all sizes and shapes. And the birds! In New England we’re thirsty for rain as well. But your photos put it all in such crystal-clear perspective (or should I say, pea soup perspective?).
Thanks very much, Pam š
Goodness, Derrick, those are sad looking ponies. I want to bring them some of our fresh Madison River water!!
Thank you very much, Jan
I hope you get some rain soon. We need it, too. I don’t blame the pony for not wanting to drink that “stagnant pea soup.” I hope whoever put those collars on them also has water for them.
I do wonder what the owners are doing about them, Merril. Thanks very much.
Aw. Poor ponies! š
I hope the rain comes soon.
I hope someone will take them some clean fresh water to drink.
(((HUGS))) ā¤ļø
PS…Great title. But it might be awhile before I can eat pea soup again. š
Thanks very much, Carolyn X
I see that the government has decided that you are not having a drought. You are just drought-ish.
True – at least that means we can water the plants. Thanks very much, Tootlepedal
Please, you are welcome to some, if not more of the rain some of our rivers, ;lakes AND towns are getting this winter.
I see, especially your east coast areas are dreadful. I trust you are not too close to the floods, Chrissy. Thanks a lot for reading
We are a little higher up then most. We are more affected with road closures to visit family. š
Sounds and looks more like southern California than England. Congratulations on finishing the wedding pictures if I read your statement correctly. Poor horses.
Thanks very much, Pat. I just have to trim the photographs ready for inclusion in the albums
Good luck with the final steps. Is this the wedding gift from you and Jackie? Lovely gift if it is.
Yes – it is a gift. They wanted to hire us. I said it would be our wedding present
Makes me think of climate change. We had a lot of rain last week. I wish I could send you some for the ponies. Hope you get some rain soon!
Thank you very much, JoAnna
It is looking dry there, Derrick. I am sorry this heat wave has hit your area and affected all life, especially the animals. Do watch your footing on that rough ground!
We are in some very hot, dry weather here, too, up in the 90s and low 100s.
Thank you very much, Lavinia, especially for the caution
The trouble with prolonged dry spells is when the rains finally start, we tend to get far too much rain than we need Derrick ..
We may be more fortunate – eventually. Thanks very much, Ivor
Poor ponies! I hope soon some rain will come!
Thanks very much, Ribana
I used to laugh when my English aunt complained of having had ‘no rain for three weeks’ when our drought periods sometimes stretch to years. Your photographs show so well the effect of no rain on that particular soil – ours would have turned to dust – and the stagnant water.We received an unexpected – an unseasonal – 6mm rain yesterday and so I rushed out to plant seeds!
It’s really sad to see how dry it is there! Hope for rain soon!
Thank you very much, Aletta
Hi Derrick, Photography is a great hobby to have when retired. Re drought, oh those poor ponies…Even here in Costa Blanca, Spain – where we have hot summers – it’s a bit ‘above and beyond’ for me. Phew! Hasn’t MN heard of moderation…Carry on snapping, and here’s to a downpour. Cheers.
No shopping trolleys, car tyres, general rubbish or even dead bodies seem to have been thrown up on account of the quarry lake drying out. That seems … unusual.
I hope you receive some rain soon.
The poor ponies had best be given a new source of water!!
Are there any road side troughs for the ponies as there were in years gone by?
Weāve been fortunate this week in my area of Yorkshire. Weāve had both overnight rain and some showers during the day.Perfect for the land and gardens, but not enough to stock up the reservoirs.
Oh, my gosh! So hope you get some rain soon. That “pea soup” looks disgusting.
Thank you so much, Laurie
Oh, it breaks my heart to see them trying to find some water. I hope it will rain soon and if not, I hope the people in charge of the town will find their brain and put up some ‘watering stations’ for the wild life.
Much appreciated, Bridget
My great pleasure, Ivor
Looks like you are very dry in your part of the world. Smart horse. I wouldn’t drink that green slime either!
Thanks very much, Dwight
You are welcome!
I hope rain comes your way soon. Seems the drought is taking its toll on the animals.
Thanks very much, Eugi. It is, indeed
Have you got a hose pipe ban yet?
Not yet, Andrew. Thanks a lot
Your allusion to NASAās investigations on the desolate Martian surface is apt, duly testified by the parched ponies.
Thank you so much, Uma. I’m pleased you noticed and appreciated that.
Poor ponies….
Quite. Thanks very much, Kim
Oh, the poor ponies. They look so hungry AND thirsty. I hope they are well treated when they go home at night, assuming that’s what they do. Hoping rain comes your way soon. We could use some too! That wedding album is quite the labor of love, Derrick. xo
Thanks very much, Jodie. These ponies stay out all the time. We hope their owners will visit them and help them – if not the agisters are sure to alert them.
I had to look up “agisters” – not a word I had ever heard. So glad you have them watching out for the animals.
I only learned it when I came here, Jodie. Thanks very much
Yes, it looked to be very specific to your region.
I wish we could share some of our tropical rains with you, Derrick.
Thank you so much, Dolly
You are very welcome, Derrick.
Is it always so dry at this time of the year?
Not at all. We are usually complaining about the rain. Thanks very much, Lakshmi.
NASA. So funny.
I’m pleased you picked that up, Crystal. Thank you very much