This morning I read more of ‘The Berlin Diaries’.
By mid-afternoon, with the warm sun vying with the cotton clouds for dominance of the skies,
I wandered round the garden with my camera. The Virginia creeper has reddened up beautifully in the last 48 hours. Each of the images bears a title in the gallery.
Later, the sun having defeated the clouds, we visited Ferndene Farm shop to buy various food items and three more bags of compost for which I now have to avail myself of the trolleys provided.
We continued into the forest where we tracked a group of young
Tamworth pigs as they left the road for gleeful chomping on heaps of crunchy apples.
Ponies along Forest Road formed an orderly line along a wall in the shade; while
others disrupted the traffic on Tiptoe Road.
After drinks on the patio we dined on Jackie’s tasty liver casserole; boiled new potatoes, carrots, runner beans, and broccoli, with which I drank more of the Malbec.
Wonderful way to spend the day. I loved the pannage piggies and the ponies. I bet there was also a lot of chuffing and snorting as they inhaled the applefest.
There was, Pat. Thank you very much
The cloud picture is wonderful.
Thank you very much, Bridget
I still find it amazing that the piggies and ponies run freely about, Derrick. You won’t see that here. The garden looks fantastic with so many lovely flowers! ❤️
Thank you very much, John
You’re welcome! ☺️☺️
Your images, as always are simply wonderful!
All of them
Thank you very much, Luisa
You’re more than welcome, dear Derrick!
As if the horses and donkeys walking all over the place don’t bring me joy enough all year long. It’s the time for free roaming pigs that I find amazing❤️
Thank you very much, Donna X
Lovely flowers especially those clematis.
Thank you very much, Rupali
Especially love the stunning red Virginia creeper and the clematis 🙂
Thank you very much, Rosaliene
Your words poetic! Your photos fabulous! What a lovely day of sights and sounds! 🙂 Especially enjoyed seeing the bright vibrant colours, the porcine, the equine and Tiptoe Road. 🙂 (((HUGS))) ❤️❤️
Thank you very much, Carolyn XX
What a fine array of pigs.
Thank you very much, Tootlepedal
Lovely to see the pigs doing their autumn job.
This afternoon I began reading Richard Osman’s new book that I pre-ordered (first addition). I was pleased to find that for the moment it’s set in your neck of the woods. I recognised many of the place names thanks to reading your blog. I believe the characters travel abroad later in the book.
Thanks very much, Sue
The Virginia Creeper looks quite splendid, Derrick …
Thank you so much Ivor
The flowers look beautiful, Derrick and Jackie, and those red petunias look especially nice. I bet you get some hummingbird activity on those blooms! Pannage pigs and ponies are always a favorite.
Thanks very much, Lavinia. The only hummingbird activity we get is the moths
The Virginia creeper is gorgeous with its red foliage. Here is a bluegrass instrumental by Bryan Sutton called Virginia Creeper. I don’t know if you will be able to view it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yG4ikFVHAQ
Thanks very much, Lavinia. The video worked fine. Mick O’Neill of https://www.waguitarfestival.com.au/players/bluegrass-parkway
is Sam’e father in law.
Thanks for the link, Derrick! Great music, and I have sent it on to Rick for a listen.
Your garden is still so pretty. Mine is definitely past its best. I can’t help but hope that some of those pig’s get away. Probably not much of a chance, is there?
Probably not, Laurie. Thank you very much.
Stimulating literature, beautiful garden, Tamworth pigs, ponies and another tasty meal. No wonder I return to your blog again and again!
Thank you so much, Donna
Yay for the sunshine! The pigs look quite happy and healthy.
Thank you very much, JoAnna
Pigs roaming free? Yours is an interesting “neighbourhood”.
Thanks very much, Brian. This is the pannage season when the pigs are freed to eat up acorns which are poisonous to ponies.
All right. So it is a long-established custom. Probably dates back to the Middle ages… (I know places where the pigs would be stolen…)
Didn’t know that acorns are poisonous to ponies… I hope THEY do know…
Have a great week Derrick.
I’m not sure they do
It is fun to see the pannage pigs again.
Thank you very much, Anne
Thank you for all the beautiful photos. In my place we do not see pigs or ponies. I am reading Berlin by Sinclair McKay. A very interesting book. Earlier I read The Wall Christopher. That too was very good. After being in Berlin, I could relate to all that had happened there. But seeing Berlin as it is now, both the books helped me imagine those times. Berlin is a fascinating place.
Much appreciated, Lakshmi
So amazing to see the pannage pigs. I think they’d be happy with their photographic portraits. I like the whimsy of the owl with the petunias. Tasty and liver casserole would never go together to me, 😉 (though I’m sure everything Jackie makes is wonderful), but Malbec on the patio sounds lovely.
Thank you very much, Merril
Great post, Derrick. Thank you for saying what the red leaves were, I could not see a title when I clicked on the pictures, The pigs sure are fattened-up for being on a fruit diet (just kidding). My ponies how to avoid heat stroke!!
Thanks very much, GP.
Beautiful photo of the clouds, Derrick. I enjoyed seeing the pigs and ponies since I don’t see them roaming free where I live.
Ha, Ha, Ha, I can’t believe they are walking there like that!
This, to me, is a perfect day. Your garden is still so beautiful and lush and that Virginia creeper just pops!
Love that you have pigs and horses roaming about 🙂
Derrick, I’ve never seen pigs roaming freely and these seem to be contently feasting away. Your garden is a beautiful collage of colours, flowers and leaves -isn’t it lovely how the plants just keep giving us such joy?! 😀
I have tons of Virginia Creeper but it never gets red. Do you have lots of hummingbird moth caterpillars in yours?
I do love Virginia creeper when it reddens! Those pigs are quite handsome creatures. (Not something I normally say about pigs.)
Thank you so much, Liz
You’re welcome, Derrick.
A group of happy pigs I can’t think of the collective word for pigs off hand 😱
Those red leaves are stunning.
Thank you very much, Andy
You’re welcome.
Terrific Tamworth piggies
Thank you very much, Sheree
The head image is stunning.
Thank you very much, Dolly
Gorgeous photos! I would love to sit on your patio sipping some drinks and admiring such beauties too! And what a delicious dinner!
Thank you so much, Riba