Early Spring In The Forest

Before lunch I recovered the pictures to

Jackie then took me on a postprandial forest drive, where the floor, like this along Bisterne Close was now,

its splendid beeches having let fall

last autumn’s leaves nestling around fallen branches, some moss-covered, some well camouflaged, pretty dry.

Shaggy ponies, still sporting their cold weather protection, crunched and thudded around.

Glittering catkins swayed in neighbouring gardens.

Logging crews engaged in controlled burning created bonfires in Anderwood.

Landscapes became more hazy as the afternoon rolled on.

This evening we dined on succulent chicken in Nando’s medium peri-peri marinade and Jackie’s flavoursome and colourful savoury rice with which she drank Hoegaarden and I finished the Frappato-Syrah.

55 comments

  1. May I ask what, ‘Nando’s medium peri-peri marinade’, is? I’m always looking for new chicken recipes.
    (and you know I love the ponies!!)

  2. Thank you for taking us along on your postprandial drive. 🙂 That beech really is splendid! I hope the burning is quite controlled in the dry conditions, but the hazy landscape is lovely.

  3. Early Spring 🌱 is more subtle than the flamboyance of later blossoms like tulip 🌷. Always loved the term postprandial. Often used with the word 😴.

  4. Love the glittering catkins! They decorate the tree so beautifully! 🙂
    Always wonderful to see the sweet ponies! 🙂
    The hazy haze is otherworldly and fascinating! 🙂
    I always enjoy a postprandial drive or walk. Then I REALLY enjoy the necessary postprandial nap! 😉 HA! 😀
    ((((HUGS)))) ❤️❤️
    PS… “In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.” – Margaret Atwood 🙂

  5. Especially beautiful woodland ponies. I like those glittering catkins, too. But my favorite is the big, wide trunk with mossy roots. The markings on the trunk remind me of hieroglyphics, but I’m guessing they are natural.

    1. I think they are natural, JoAnna. Your favourite was included for you, as you probably guessed. Thanks very much

  6. I love reminding me of the word postprandial. I will remember to use it with our grandchildren to keep them on their vocabulary toes. My grandfather always referred to his postprandial walk as his “constitution.”

  7. The catkins are beautiful. Until the last few years, I had associated them only with pussy willows, but now I see them on a variety of trees: none so splendid as these, however.

  8. Apologies, Derrick for my late catchup this week.
    I love the images of the ponies and Catkins always remind me of my childhood.
    The landscape photo is quite beautiful.

  9. The Catkins have been excellent this year in the woods near me too Derrick… I took many photos of them shining dangling in the sunshine…
    Sending Love and loved all the photos <3

  10. I enjoyed the scenes from your forest drive, Derrick and Jackie. Those ponies still look very woolly! The hazelnut catkins are hanging long and golden here, too. On a sunny day with a light breeze, they shimmer.

    We had an Internet and phone outage all day yesterday that was not resolved until after midnight. Just catching up..

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