Stagnant Pea-Soup

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.

71 comments

  1. 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…

  2. 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?).

  3. 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.

  4. Aw. Poor ponies! šŸ™
    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. šŸ˜‰

  5. Sounds and looks more like southern California than England. Congratulations on finishing the wedding pictures if I read your statement correctly. Poor horses.

  6. 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!

  7. 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.

  8. The trouble with prolonged dry spells is when the rains finally start, we tend to get far too much rain than we need Derrick ..

  9. 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!

  10. 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.

  11. Are there any road side troughs for the ponies as there were in years gone by?
    Weā€™ve been fortunate this week in my area of Yorkshire. Weā€™ve had both overnight rain and some showers during the day.Perfect for the land and gardens, but not enough to stock up the reservoirs.

  12. 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.

  13. 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

    1. 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.

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