After buying three large bags of compost at Ferndene Farm Shop Jackie and I took a brief forest drive.
Obscure figures beneath a railway bridge outside Brockenhurst, seeming to create traffic chaos, caused me to disembark and walk
along the heather and bramble lined verge
for a slightly clearer view.
Until I adjusted my vision and lightened the camera’s view the first two shots of this pony and foal’s mutual grooming were reminiscent of the days before single lens reflex equipment helped us cope with parallax and subjects were decapitated or only showed their legs (only those of a certain age will understand this).
For those too young to know this is what could happen in the 1950s.
The pony looked as if it had either wallowed in a mud bath or had been dowsed with the contents of a paint can.
Meanwhile, traffic in both directions, their passengers smiling and aiming their mobiles, carefully negotiated the ponies and each other.
Soon, what I took to be equine reinforcements arrived.
No. This was a stand-off resulting in a forced eviction.
Flo, Dillon, and Ellie having taken a late lunch to set them on their way to a three day house hunting trip to Scotland did not join us for tonight’s dinner consisting of a repeat of yesterday’s flavoursome Fusilli Bolognese with which Jackie drank more of the French rosé and I drank François Dubessy GSM 2021.
To have one’s trip halted by ponies or other animals is far more preferable than being blocked by other cars or – heaven forbid – an accident. I am pleased to read that the people in the vehicles were smiling 🙂
Probably tourists 🙂 Thanks very much, Anne
Anne is right, I would much prefer horses blocking my way opposed to a traffic jam. A trip to Scotland sounds very nice!
Thanks very much, John
You’re welcome!
The horses have stood under that bridge blocking the traffic for years, especially when it’s raining, its very funny how drivers react to the road blockage.
Thanks a lot, Rob. Since it wasn’t raining I wondered why they were there – maybe the humidity?
I was wondering how long you might have house guests. Love the ponies.
It all depends on whether they can buy what they want, Pat. Thanks very much.
I love the purple heather!
I have been rather tardy (Recurrent headaches) so I am just checking in. I do so love the heather. And the muddy coloured foal. Thanks for that.
I am so sorry you are still getting those, John. I would find that very difficult. Thanks very much
After I wrote that I went out in the rain and cold to take some photographs to clear my head.
Oh those beastly vehicles, when will they ever stop invading our favourite places …
Thank you very much, Ivor
You’re welcome Derrick
A pony traffic jam is the one kind of traffic blockage that I would look foward to!
Thanks very much, RR
I agree with the previous comments about not minding this kind of traffic jam. It’s an interesting setting. I especially love the third photo of the pony and foal mutually grooming.
Thank you very much, JoAnna
Evicted from an underground shelter. Oh! How harsh it is to be homeless. Even worse to be decapitated. I was gifted a second-hand box brownie when I was eleven. I no longer have the camera, but still have the photos from my first roll of film. I didn’t do too badly, although none were close-ups.
Thanks very much, Gwen
In the 190s and 1960s, getting a photograph properly focused could be quite a problem too!
Indeed. I don’t know who took that one, John. Thanks very much
What a sweet little pony and such sweet pony portrait photos!
So glad amongst it all, the Human-Beans and the equines were patient with each other and safe! Glad you could get out of the car and snap these beautiful photos! 🙂
Ha on the only legs-photos and “decapitation photos” of the ’50’s and ’60’s!
Best of luck to Flo, Dillon, and Ellie! I hope all goes well for them. ❤️❤️❤️
(((HUGS))) ❤️❤️
Thank you so much, Carolyn XX
My Mum always chopped people’s legs off if she was allowed to use the camera. It used to really annoy me.
Thanks a lot, Andrew
Nice observations
Thank you very much, Rupali
Beautiful photos and delightful commentary. The heather is so pretty. It’s good to know that the drivers were smiling about the delay. I agree with others it’s much better than other traffic delays. Our friends were complaining about geese in the roads, but I just stop and wait.
It will such a change for all of you, if/when they move to Scotland!
It will – they will almost certainly go in time. Thanks very much, Merril
I can understand how the ponies would look for sun relief under the bridge.
Yes. They are probably not confused by cloud cover as we may be
Glad to see all the humans were smiling. It must be cooler under that bridge.
I guess that’s it. (I will be publishing Doctor Zhivago review this evening)
Beautiful photos, Derrick, and I would prefer ponies blocking the road rather than vehicles.
Yes indeed. Thanks very much, Eugi
Most welcome, Derrick.
That is an especially endearing foal with an unusual coloring! Seems his or her companions are teaching this youngster how to successfully stall traffic. 🙂 These little ones are growing quickly, and it will be interesting to see how tall they are in another month or two.
Thank you very much, Lavinia
The old “decapitated” photos are quite amusing. So is the equine traffic jam. It is gratifying, though, to see the drivers’ calm and good-natured attitude towards animals.
Thank you very much, Dolly
You are very welcome, Derrick.
However did we manage before SLRs and TTL Metering? And film and developing and all the costs? Two loys of developing stand out for me – one a passing out parade of the South African Army and one containing lovely sunset views of Swiss chalets. I’ve never been in the army and never been to Switzerland. The developers took them back, but I never did get my photos . . .
Shame – the Swiss shots were lovely.
Thanks very much, Quercus. What a mix-up
Smart gee-gees.
Thanks very much, Chrissy
Eviction notice! Love it 🙂
I’m sorry that the little family is planning on moving so far away, even I will miss them.
Thanks very much, Sue. It may be a while yet
Nowadays there are really impressive cameras 🙂
Thanks very much, Ribana 🙂
Gorgeous colouring on that foal
Thank you very much, Sheree