A tiny screw had escaped from my specs, meaning that I kept losing a lens. We took it to Boots Opticians in New Milton this morning. After a brief wait the problem was nailed. While we were in the small town which has a plethora of cheap eating houses, we stayed for brunch at The Garden Café.
This afternoon I accompanied Jackie on a visit to Ferndene Farm Shop to buy mushrooms for tonight’s dinner, and we continued on a forest drive.
The view of snowdrops along Beckley Road was blemished by the presence of crushed drink cans, so I looked skywards to bare
branches brightened by the emerging sun.
A pair of mallards now rivalled ponies for occupation of the winterbourne pool at the high point of Pound Lane. While the horses slurped their soup the ducks dived in search of sustenance.
Further down the road we glimpsed a pair of greys foraging in the darkened woodland.
On the road into Burley, her own pony tail swaying with that of her steed, and sporting a jacket bearing the legend TEAM HONG KONG CHINA, we fell in behind a young rider who let us know she was turning off and thanked us for our patience.
Controlled burning of gorse was under way on the moorland alongside Holmsley Passage.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s spicy merguez sausage casserole; boiled potatoes; crunchy carrots; firm cauliflower and its chopped up leaves, with which I drank more of the Shiraz.
A wonderful day, except for the litter. Great pictures. Loved the pony tales and ponytails.
Thanks very much, Pat. I like your pun
😎👍
How lovely Derrick.
Thank you very much, Cindy
Is it my imagination, or do all the wild ponies look pregnant?
I had that trouble with my glasses’ screw once. I put just barely a drop of super glue on it, screwed it in – and it never emerged again!
Thanks very much, GP. The ponies often do look pregnant. The stallions are allowed out for a brief six week period in May – June, and with the equine gestation period of 11-12 months their time could be coming up. All I ever stick with superglue is my fingers.
Thanks, Derrick. 👌
Mm dinner! 😋 Lovely photos, guys!
I can feel the chill in the air. Love the photo of the horse and diving duck 🙂
Thank you very much, Rosaliene
You have such a way with words. I loved the line ‘While the horses slurped their soup the ducks dived in search of sustenance.’
Thank you so much, Carole
So many beautiful photos today. My favorite is Ponies in Woodland. I think it’s stunning photo.
Thank you very much, Merril
That tree photos is stunning.
Thank you very much, Andy
You’re welcome.
Wonderful pictures!
Thank you very much, Robbye
You are very welcome.
I live the way you make each day count and enjoy the beauty of nature and enjoy a lovely dinner afterwards!
Thank you very much, Holly
Beautiful horses.
Thank you very much, Chrissy
I love the lacy tree against the sky!
Thank you very much, Liz
You’re welcome, Derrick.
Gorgeous tree! Lovely ponytails! Pretty ponies! (pregnant?) Glad they had some soup to drink…duck soup? Ha! (wink, wink) I wonder if that one pony wondered, “Why is that duck sticking his whole head and whole upper body in my soup?” 🙂
Darn litterers! Ughs! (sad face)
(((HUGS))) ❤️❤️ for you and Jackie!! 🙂
Thank you so much, Carolyn, for your usual full comments – I especially liked “duck soup” XX
A fine set of equine pictures today. I am surprised that it was dry enough for gorse burning.
Thanks very much, Tootlepedal.
Lovely images of the ponies and the diving duck.
Thank you very much, Sue
Lovely to see the snowdrops out Derrick and glad you got your glasses all sorted too..
Lovely Photos… Enjoy your week xx <3
Thank you very much, Sue XX
The branches in silhouette are especially striking.
Thank you very much, Laurie
The ponies look quite woolly, and I especially like the “bottoms up” duck photo. 🙂
Cheers, Lavinia
It must take a lot of training and/or a calm temperament for horses to walk well in traffic. I like the red/brown pony with the ducks.
Thank you very much, JoAnna. You are right
Great captures. Our youngest son lives in Hong Kong so after reading the title I was eager to see how HK fit into your post. <3
Thank you very much, Donna XX
Another country scenery that I love to see Derrick.
Thank you very much, Arlene
We are having ‘branch’, and I am smiling at your pony and duck captions while I’m slurping down my soup …
Thank you very much, Ivor
It was a really nice day, except for the garbage.
Fantastic photos.
Thank you very much, Luisa
As ever, you’re so very welcome, dear Derrick!
When you say, “after a brief wait the problem was nailed,” don’t you mean screwed? I don’t understand the littering problem – how is it that people don’t think about this?!
Nailed in the sense of did a good job of the repair – sorry, Mike, I couldn’t resist it 🙂
A lot of interesting photographs, Derrick. Thanks for sharing 💖
That is a nice tale of two ponytails.
Thank you very much, Uma
Really nice pictures Derrick!
Thank you very much, Diane
I love the upended duck, Derrick.
Thank you very much, Judy