Scudding clouds mottled promising skies over Downton at dawn this morning. The first two of these images show the trees in our back garden; the third looks east along Christchurch Road.
By midday darkening clouds had largely squeezed out azure skies, after Jackie and I had shopped in a well stocked supermarket where the middle aisles surrendered a stair gate and a white Livergy XL cotton T shirt sporting a Lidl logo.
Ponies beginning to shed their winter shag pile cropped grass in woodland bordering Forest Road.
The pivotal post I converted to block editing, changing the header picture, and adding three more photographs taken by Vivien, will be largely familiar to my longer term readers, but informative to my most recent ones.
This evening we all dined on pork spare ribs in barbecue sauce, with Jackie’s colourful savoury rice and even more colourful fried peppers, with which I finished the Pays d’Oc with no assistance from anyone else.
Love the skies.
Thank you very much, Sherry
I love the fuzzy ponies! Beautiful pictures, Derrick.
Thank you very much, Dale
🙂
I love how you captured the three-dimensionality of the cloudscapes.
As usual you spot the detail, Liz. Thank you very much
You’re welcome, Derrick.
Finishing the Pays d’Oc with no assistance from anyone else sounds delightful with that scrumptious meal! I’d have helped you finish it if I’d been there!! As always I thoroughly enjoyed seeing your pony photos. You have such an abundance of interesting, photogenic animals in your area. What a blessing! Thanks for sharing, Hugs to you & Jackie. <3 <3
Thank you so much, Jan. Love to you both
Wow, those moody clouds are puttin’ on a show for you! And you’ve photographed them beautifully!
What sweet self-barbering equines!
I remember shag carpet! 😉 HA!
Your evening meal sounds colourfully delicious!
(((HUGS)))
PS…”Clouds are the sky’s imagination.” – Terri Guillemets.
Thank you very much, Carolyn. Another fine quotation X
PPS…Also, meant to ask…How is Jackie’s toe doing? Continued prayers for healing.
Thanks again, Carolyn. Jackie says “Probably broken, still very swollen, hurts” X
Oh, Jackie, I’m sorry you are going through such pain. I’ve had 2 twos broken in the past. SO painful. Bestest wishes for you for healing.
(((HUGS))) ❤️
Thank you so much from us both XX
Such stunning photos today, Derrick. I like the skies and the ponies, and I can’t pick a favorite.
Thank you very much, Merril
A very nice header picture today.
Thanks very much, Tootlepedal
Beautiful pictures today, Derrick. Moody skies and shaggy ponies.
Thank you very much, Jodie
My already grand perception of you has been further enhanced, Derrick …
Thank you so very much, Ivor. Our lives have not been dissimilar
Life is about coping through the tough times, as well as enjoying the good times…
Absolutely
I have a friend with horses who also have begun to change their coats, but the most dramatic shedding I’ve ever seen was on bison. My goodness, those animals have tremendous amounts of hair — so much so that some collect it and have rugs woven from it, just as they would from sheep or llamas.
Fascinating, Linda. Thank you very much
We have friends that used to run a bison ranch here in Oregon. They are impressive animals.
Beautiful skies! The donkies caught my eye too! Have a great day!
Thank you very much, Aletta
The ponies will doubtless be glad to lighten their winter load of hair.
Thanks very much, Anne
I presume that the ponies’ winter coats eventually finish up on the ground, bit by bit, so the chances are that a lot of it will be used in birds’ nests. Nature is a lot better than us at recycling!
A good point about the birds’ nests, John. Thanks very much
Such a lot of glorious pony images today, they do look funny when they begin to lose their winter coats.
I’m glad you showed the photos of you and Michael. It must have been an absolute nightmare for you. You were both far too young to suffer such tragedy.
Thank you very much, Sue. You are so right
I love the photographs of the ponies!
Thank you very much, Geetha
Lovely skies.
Thanks very much, Rupali
As always, I enjoy taking in my ponies and donkeys. But it was good to see your Michael again. The world lost him all too soon.
Your Michael and Derrick’s Michael both left this world too soon, GP.
I seem to not be able to like posts or comments for the most part now due to some automated WP “Like” policing software problem. Hopefully the problem will get resolved.
I understand. Glitches seem to be a way of life on-line (and not just wordpress – ugh).
Thank you so much, GP – and yours, as Lavinia says.
Thank you for that.
Lavinia has been so gracious planting trees for our boys.
Indeed.
Great pony pictures, Derrick.
Thank you very much, Robbie
I remember that post Derrick. Little Michael was adorable. His tree is still doing well here and the daffodils are coming up.
It is always a pleasure to see the ponies and those dramatic skies! One of the white ponies looks very thin coming out of the winter, or he or she might begetting old.
Thank you very much, Lavinia, especially for the tree and the daffodils
Wonderful pictures. Nice to see Micheal again. Agree with what Lavinia said about both your son and GP’s.
Thank you very much, Pat
Oh, that story of Vivien!
Thank you very much, Laurie
Moody, magnificent skies
Beautiful sky!
Thanks very much, Ribana
I remember this post, Derrick.
I apologize for being absent from WP, and I am afraid it will continue for another month. Simply working too much and non-stop.
Fully understood, Dolly. And relieved that you are OK. Thanks for letting me know, which will stop me being concerned
No assistance needed. Ha ha ha! Pedro and I are wrapping up a dry March and I am looking forward to my drinking days again. Sadly, I must wait till April 5 because I spent the first four days of March celebrating Margaret’s birthday with much champagne.
You did indeed Crystal. hanks very much