An unusual phenomenon is evident in our front garden this year. We have crab apples, normally stripped by blackbirds long before now – still suspended from their branches – standing alongside a winter flowering cherry.
When I endured my flexible cystoscopy on 13th December I was given a form to send back after a fortnight in order to report on whether or not I had an infection. Now I know why. Today Jackie drove me to the GP to obtain some antibiotics.
Before then we took a drive in the forest.
The two ponies always seen at the door of Greatham House near the junction of Sway Road in Brockenhurst, and various attendant donkeys
attracted quite a crowd of visitors, many with cameras. The grey pony, in particular, tended to poke her head through the open front doorway when the owner appeared with goodies.
Several donkeys on the opposite corner of the street attracted their own admirers.
Soon, occasionally coming to an abrupt halt, either to doze or to enjoy a scratch, crossed the road to join their relatives.
As most photographers will know, it is necessary to stand well back from your subject when using a long lens. This becomes rather difficult when your prey – in this case a small donkey in search of treats – is intent upon investigating your camera. One gentleman attempting to flee his moving subject was compelled to wait until the animal became distracted in order to take his opportunity for a shot. Otherwise, each time he turned round the creature continued to bear down upon him.
Jackie, who tried out her new camera today, reprimanded me for standing in the road “like a donkey”. These are two of her images. The woman I was conversing with was telling me that the local council were engaged in a long running feud with the owner of Greatham House who refused to stop feeding the ponies. She said that the two regular equine visitors were a mother and daughter, and that the younger, grey, animal was pregnant. As Jackie said, “she’ll be bringing her foal along soon”.
In the skies over Bransgore a mini murmuration wave swooped, turned, ebbed, and flowed low above the trees.
This evening we dined at Lal Quilla. My main course was lamb Ceylon; Jackie’s Lal Qilla Special; Ian’s chicken tikka masala; and Becky’s Murg something I can’t remember. We shared onion bhajis, various rices and a peshwari naan. Becky drank rosé wine while the rest of us enjoyed Kingfisher.
Thanks for sharing your encounter at the corner of a particular street!
Thanks very much, Halbarbera
Looks like the ponyparazzi were out in force. Wishing a very happy 2019 to you and yours!
Many thanks, Susan. And to you and yours
“Standing in the road “like a donkey”…LOL! That’s hilarious. Happy New Year to you and Jackie, Derrick!
Many thanks, Jill. And to you and Derek
🙂
That Jackie has a sharp wit and a steady hand with her new camera – it’s a great shot and caption too. LoL indeed! Happy New Year to you both – and to your lovely extended family!
Very many thanks, Pauline. And to you and yours – may Danella be skipping about soon
That’s a corner with a lot of action. Great photos, Derrick (and Jackie). I almost felt like I was there. Happy New Year to you and Jackie!
Thanks very much, Merril. And to you and yours
We’ll have things blossoming here soon as well unless it turns cold. It’s predicted for mid to late January. We’ll see. Had more rain today. Must be at 70 inches. I loved the horse at the front door.
Many thanks, Lisa. It doesn’t seem to wander inside 🙂
Delightful donkeys. I would be thrilled to have one trundle up my front steps and nose open the door.
Happy New Year to you and Jackie!
Many thanks, Susanne. There are many such hospitable houses in the forest. In this last hot summer they put water out
That council needs disbanding, and a proper council, representative of all creatures, be installed That grey pony can take the chair
Hear! Hear!
I second that motion. 😉
Good!
🙂 She could hand it on to her foal when the time comes. Thanks very much, Brian
Sorry to hear about your infection Derrick, I hope the AB’s do their stuff – remember to take something to return your stomach bacteria to full health once you’re sone! 😉
I love the pony and donkey pictures – even the two legged ones! 😉 Just wonderful to know there are still places like that in our world of technology and never-ending change. Your posts give me some hope for the future. I’m very glad to have made your acquaintance in 2018. 🙂
Wishing you and Jackie a very Happy New Year and only the best for 2019!
Thanks very much, Bob. Me, too, and your good wishes reciprocated
Birds can be choosey when the weather is mild and there is plenty of food available. They have only just begun to pick up the rowan berries that fell in my garden several weeks ago.
Happy New Year to you all in the New Forest!
Thanks very much, Andrew. And to you and yours
Thanks Derrick, glad to have met you, I always enjoy your posts!
🙂 Likewise
Those are rather insistent crabapples, ponies and the latter’s admirers. I smiled at the long brewing dispute between the feeder and the local council. You have closed the post with a sentence that is a glorious audio-visual expression: a mini murmuration wave swooped, turned, ebbed, and flowed low above the trees.
So pleased you liked that sentence, Uma. Thanks very much.
Happy New Year!
Very cute little donkey. There was a dog that did that to me once. Every time I tried to take a picture, it would come up and put its nose on my camera lens. As a result, I have some extremely close up photos…way, way too close!
🙂 Thanks very much, Mary. Your good wishes reciprocated
A happy 2019 to you and Jackie Derrick!
Thanks very much, Arlene. And to you
Happy New Year to you and yours, Derrick.
And to the council and to the owner of Greatham House. May all their arguments be little ones.
🙂 Very many thanks, John. Same to you
Thank for taking me with you and jackie to this fantastic place!!!! Wish you and all your family health love peace and many many shots of you!!!!!! Happy new year!!!!!!
Thanks very much, Efi. And the same to you.
I hope your infections goes quickly and easily.
How fun the donkey story was!
Thanks very much, Helen
Wow, nice one. Get well soon and do have an amazing 2019.
Many thanks, Cheche. Happy New Year to you, too
Jackie does better with her camera than I do with mine!
(Do you normally stand around like a donkey?)
She thinks so, GP. Many thanks
Hope the antibiotics work fast. Happy new year
Many thanks, Sherry. You, too
Derrick, I am always amazed at the animals, large animals, roaming wherever they want. It is so funny. I would be a typical tourist, snapping pictures. I hope your test results are what you want. Waiting is always the worse part, don’t you agree. I wish you and Jackie a very, very Happy New Year. Last night, we dined at home. My wife, Cheryl, made delicious shrimp scampi (plenty of them), cauliflower, yellow & green squash. We both drank water and desserted (is there such a word? I thought it sounded refined…English, if you will) on an ice cream log (vanilla, strawberry with chocolate syrup and sprinkles nuts) . We finished all of it (little piggies, eh). I look forward to reading more of your words and eyeing your photos in 2019. Thank you for your friendship.
Many thanks, Steve. I, too, appreciate our friendship. I would have liked your meal and dessert, which, unfortunately doesn’t seem to be a verb
I forgot, we also had ciabatta bread, roasted (maybe baked) with a garlic topping. Yummy. I knew it wasn’t a verb but it sounded so good. Happy New Year!
🙂
A fascinating post, Derrick. I love the pictures. Q: Who owns the donkeys? And do cars know to slow down in that area?
Thanks very much, Cynthia. The animals are owned by commoners with historic rights to allow their animals to roam within the New Forest. Car drivers do know to slow down. Unfortunately they don’t always do so.
You always get me with the ponies and donkeys, Derrick. Happy New Year!
Many thanks, Adrienne. You too
Happy New Year. Get better soon. You know that when Council starts picking on people for feeding donkeys they are trying to find distractions from what they ought to be doing. Best donkey picture yet. 🙂
Very many thanks, Mary
Happy New Year to you and Jackie, Derrick. Thank you for the wonderful photos of the ponies and donkeys. They are so delightful to see!
And to you, Eugenia. Thanks very much
Ahhhh, the endless joy of observing (and photographing) animals! Whoever is feeding treats to the ponies, by the way, may not have wakened to the fact that they have created a ‘pest’ for life! Once fed, the little tyrants will never give up!
They have apparently been doing this daily for years
Great Pics Derrick. Happy New Year.
Thanks a lot, Gary. May the next year be better for you
It’s nice to see those schmoozing traditions carry on down through the generations. 😀
Thanks a lot, Widders
Sorry to hear about the infection – I hope the antibiotics do their job. Will we be having more photographs of you now Jackie has a new camera?
I think my next post has answered you question, Quercus. Many thanks
That’s good. I had three infections during my adventures in urology and they weren’t pleasant.
Thanks for that, Quercus. Demonstrating that it is not unusual
Thank goodness for antibiotics!
🙂
I thought the horse was going to walk inside that house! How fanciful to see horses and donkey’s wandering about the street. Great photos, Derrick. Happy New Year. 🙂
Many thanks, Diana. You, too
So sorry to hear about the infection. 🙁 Hope it clears up promptly!
Love the friendly ponies and donkeys and all of the attention they are getting!
Ha…tell Jackie you were in good company as you stood in the road! 😉 😀
2019 HUGS and Happy New Year to you and all The Gals in your life! Especially your Mum! 🙂
PS…Thank you to you and Jackie for making 2018 a wonderful year with your lovely garden and your amazing photos! 🙂
Very many thanks, Carolyn. May our friendship continue in 2019. X
You’re welcome, Derrick!
I hope so! 🙂
Love the ponies in a doorway! It’s rather silly of the city council to try to eliminate such a tourist attraction.
🙂 Thanks very much, Dolly
My pleasure, Derrick
Wild donkeys? They look well fed.
Thanks very much, Donkey Whisperer. They are all owned by commoners who have ancient pasturage rights in the forest. They are allowed to roam, but generally stick to their own territories. Such a mild year has meant that there is plenty of food for them
I know what happens trying to photograph cats in search of treats – I get a lot of nose closeups. The donkeys and ponies must be particularly challenging. 🙂
They are, indeed, Lavinia. Many thanks