“National Block The Road Day”

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On another gloriously warm day on which soft cerulean skies swept the landscape, Jackie drove us to Nomansland and back via Hockey’s Farm shop where we happily brunched.

Accompanied by the odd sheep, dozy donkeys diced with death on Roger Penny Way, a major route through the forest on which annual animal deaths often reach three figures.

By the time we reached them two silhouetted equestriennes, moving onto the village green, left the road at Nomansland, where Jackie parked and

I wandered into the forest where sunlight streaked through the trees, backlighting bracken and splashing shadows across the leaf strewn floor through which thrust fungi, some nibbled by unknown fauna.

Grazing ponies desultorily lifted their heads to inspect me, then continued the important business of consuming the 1% of their body weights each day. It really is a wonder that they have time for anything else.

Accompanied by a cyclist, another young lady riding one horse and leading another was our next middle of the road encounter; round the next corner we waited for a couple in a horse-drawn cart to be finished with their lane.

The road to North Gorley, however, belonged to a group of cattle and their calves. Having watched, first an amused cyclist, then a motorist, engage in a slalom around the bovine impediment, Jackie announced that it was “National block the road day” and took her turn through the barrier.

Jacqueline has come to stay for the weekend so she can visit Mum. She brought  positive report on progress and joined us for dinner. For this, Jackie produced succulent roast chicken: sautéed potatoes and onions; crisp Yorkshire pudding; crunchy carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli; with tasty gravy. My wife drank Hoegaarden, my sister drank Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2017, and I drank more of the Minervois.
 

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  1. I love your photos of the forest – particularly the landscape shots as I can biggify them and they fill the screen of my laptop in a most satisfying manner. They are so lovely to look at I am hoping you won’t mind if I save one to use a screen saver? I’m glad to hear your mum is still doing okay – and lovely that the family is rallying around. We may as well have a ‘National Block the Road Day’ as we seem to have days for everything else – something floated past my eyes fleetingly a day or two ago – National Lemon Pie Day or something just as silly ….. 😀

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        1. Here is a snippet from Wikipedia suggesting that when it was simply a hamlet it didn’t belong anywhere: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
          Jump to navigationJump to search
          For other uses, see No Man’s Land (disambiguation).
          Coordinates: 50.955°N 1.641°W
          Nomansland village green showing the Lamb Inn pub and the Methodist Chapel
          Nomansland is a small village in Wiltshire, England, close to the county border with Hampshire. It is part of the parish of Landford and lies about 3.5 miles (6 km) southeast of Redlynch and 10 miles (16 km) southeast of the city of Salisbury. The village is within the boundaries of the New Forest National Park[1] and is close to Pipers Wait, the highest point in the New Forest.[2]
          In the early 19th century the settlement was a hamlet, no more than a group of cottages on common land. At first part of Downton parish, by 1841 Nomansland had been excluded from the parish and was deemed an extra-parochial place, then in 1857 became a civil parish which was joined to Redlynch parish in 1934. More houses were built in the later 19th century and the 20th century.[3] A community governance review effective 1 April 2017 transferred the eastern portion of Redlynch parish, including Nomansland, to Landford.[4][5]
          The local school is the New Forest Primary School which has two sites: for younger children at Landford and older children at Nomansland. The latter began as a National School of 1867 on Hamptworth common, then in the 20th century the village of Nomansland expanded to surround it.[3][6]
          A Primitive Methodist chapel was built in the mid-19th century and replaced by a new building on the green in 1901.[7] This became Nomansland Methodist Chapel and was still in use in 2015.[8]

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  7. Your forest photos are gorgeous, Derrick. I love the lighting. After dealing with completely crazy and frightening drivers on the road, this evening I told my Derek that I’d like to go back to horse and buggies. Perhaps I need to move to England! 🙂

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  9. This is an amazing gallery of photographs. You have not only captured the tranquility and pristine beauty of the forest and adjoining land in its idyllic aura but passed down the feelings your happy readers also.

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  15. Oops! I didn’t know it was that holiday…sorry I missed it! I would have blocked a road! 😉 😀
    I’ve always loved the light and shadows in the forests!
    Those dozy donkey faces and cute cow faces make me smile! 🙂
    HUGS!!! 🙂

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  18. When I ask for animals, you sure deliver! I would love to have to maneuver around animals on the road, but I wouldn’t want them hurt either! It’s a shame so many are killed.

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  19. Such splendid photos, Derrick. I love the donkey that looks like he’s standing on sentry duty, but the forest scenes are really beautiful. As others have remarked, the way you captured the light is wonderful. That green glow is extraordinary (though the black and white shot is also cool–it looks like some primordial creature.)
    You live in a beautiful part of the world where you are forced to slow done and savor. 🙂

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  21. Lucky is the guest who stays with you! As for block the road day…so true! Not surprising the fatalities are so high. In some ways, it’s surprising they are not higher. So many animals roaming free.

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  22. Great lighting effects and lovely leaves. I keep thinking of getting a chain for my glasses (I keep putting them down in the shop and losing them) but from your pictures it looks like that’s no guarantee of not losing them.

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  26. Your forest photos are so artistic in this one. For some reason I especially love the close up of the leaves and mushrooms carpeting the forest floor. Great capture of light in several shots too. Of course I love those donkeys. Jackie has a great attitude about all the interruptions: make a joke out of it.

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