Tail End Charlie

When my struggles to pay a couple of bills on line, although ultimately successful, this afternoon had reduced me to a state of apoplexy, Jackie suggested a forest drive. This seemed a good idea.

We had driven up to and beyond Penn Common without finding anything of photographic interest until we found fauna galore down

Newbridge Road, where Jackie parked the Modus and I wandered

among the cattle in the woodland where winter- shaggy curious cows and calves roamed, scratched, canoodled and occasionally disrupted traffic.

Further down the hill was the domain of ponies, also sporting their extra thick coats brought on by our recent cold spell.

A few of these had crossed the road to converse with field horses at their gate.

As we approached Bramshaw a string of Saddleback piglets escaping from a pen somewhere streamed across the road in front of us. Jackie wound down her window for me to catch them rushing by on the muddy verge. I almost missed Tail End Charlie who had put on a spurt in an attempt not to be left behind. He had even missed out on the complete colouring carried by his porcine cousins.

Later this afternoon, with the usual help from SueW, I recovered pictures to the following posts:

This evening we all dined on tasty roast gammon, piquant cauliflower cheese, creamy mashed potato, crunchy carrots, tender runner beans, cabbage, and leeks , with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank Coonawarra Shiraz 2021.

78 comments

  1. Poor old ‘Tail End Charlie’ — even missed out on the coloring of his friends! He must have been the runt of the litter! Somehow, the cows all seem a little grumpy!

    1. Thanks very much, Janet. The cattle have a very fixed stare. Charlie certainly missed out

    1. I wondered who would pick that one up. Whatever we had for dinner that day would likely have earned a similar comment. Thanks very much, Merril

  2. It seems odd to me to see so many free-range domestic animals in the forest. I guess I expect photos of wild boars and bears or something. At any rate, the “Tail End Charlie” photo is a hoot!

  3. Loved the little pigs. But as for your first comments can you give me the link to ‘apoplexy’? I don’t seem to have it or I’ve lost it.

    1. Here you are, John. Thanks for asking:

      Dictionary
      Definitions from Oxford Languages · Learn more

      apoplexy
      /ˈapəplɛksi/
      Learn to pronounce
      noun
      noun: apoplexy; plural noun: apoplexies
      1.
      DATED
      unconsciousness or incapacity resulting from a cerebral haemorrhage or stroke.
      “Browne died of apoplexy”
      2.
      INFORMAL
      extreme anger.
      “the decision has aroused apoplexy among environmentalists”
      Origin
      late Middle English: from Old French apoplexie, from late Latin apoplexia, from Greek apoplēxia, from apoplēssein ‘disable by a stroke’.
      Translate apoplexy to
      Use over time for: apoplexy

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  4. It’s a good thing you have those forest drives with handsome, shaggy, and cute animals to cure your apoplexy. Nature is always good for technologically induced ailments.

    1. I’m pleased, Laurie. It wasn’t my best picture but I thought it told the tale. Thanks a lot.

  5. Well, a mighty fine choice of wine, Derrick! I’ll have more of the same with my vegetarian curry in a few minutes.

    To my surprise my cat loves chickpeas, which are part of the curry. And here I have been fooloishly buying kangaroo mince for her! She would never survive in the wild.

    Your Tail End Charlie looks like his dark girdle slipped over his svelt hips!

  6. Interesting I thought the post was going to be about a cyclone (hurricane) and the after effects as it arrived. We often have the weather people refer to something weather related as Tail End of Cyclone XYZ – recently early January it was Hale.

    1. Fortunately for us we don’t really catch even the end of a cyclone. Thanks very much, Catherine

  7. Being in nature can bring such healing, such peace, such joy. Time to breathe, experience, and just be. Your photos are lovely! What a great photo of Tail End Charlie! 🙂 In every group, for whatever reason, there is always one who brings up the rear. Ofttimes, especially on nature walks or hikes, I’ve been that person…I’m goin’ at a slow pace so I don’t miss anything! 🙂
    (((HUGS)))
    ❤️🐖❤️

    1. I once arrived late for the start of a Marathon race. This meant I had many slower people in front of me that I had to pass. “Late again” was one of the more perceptive comments this gleaned. 🙂 Thanks very much, Carolyn X

  8. From finding nothing of interest to finding just about everything. I love the images of the curious cows, such a mixture too.

  9. Your Jackie is very smart. I’ve been trying to do the same – electronic paying of bills – and when my screams get too loud, my guy suggests I go for a LONG walk. I just come across a few leashed dogs, and once two coyotes. Your “get away from the bills” drive is much more interesting.

    1. Public property, Dwight. Animals in the New Forest have right of way on all roads. Thanks for reading and asking

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