decorated letter collection box

Shifting The Bale

This afternoon, taking advantage of a temporary cessation of the heavy winds due to return tonight, we took a drive to the North of the forest.

We couldn’t be sure about the theme of the latest yarn decorations on the Tiptoe Post Box, but the heart on the chest might indicate the upcoming Valentine’s Day.

As we approached Rockford Sandpit we needed to avoid a bale of hay which had clearly fallen off a farmer’s load and now occupied the middle of the road. When we returned an hour or so later it had been moved onto the verge and two forest ponies, their feet on the tarmac,

were chomping away and causing chaos to passing vehicles, one of

which was driven by Debbie Riley, who, perhaps because she works with horses, brought common sense to the situation.

As I said to her, even if I had thought of what she did I could not have managed it, because I would have lost my balance and fallen over.

Aware of the possibility of being bitten, Debbie lifted the bale, no mean feat in itself, carried it across the road and through the trees to the bank of the stream. Fortunately the strap was still attached. This meant that the ponies, their numbers certain to have been increased, could have continued their consumption, being safe in the darkness of the unlighted road.

These first two watched Debbie carry away their spoils,

hoovered up scraps, and wandered off, simply accepting that their find had been removed. We had both expected them to follow, but they didn’t.

This evening we dined on Jackie’s tasty pork casserole; boiled new potatoes, moist spinach; crunchy carrots; firm Brussels sprouts; and tender green beans with which she drank Diet Coke and I drank Viña Albali Gran Reserva 2017.

Who’s Up Here?

Whoever has again begun to decorate the letter box on Pilley Street must have applied this before the recent Women’s World Cup Soccer final.

It was a most unusual herd of cattle grazing on the green there that, instead of displaying their customary curiosity and approaching me for a better view, quickly moved off at a trot and showed me clean sets of heels and bony hips.

Shetland ponies on the opposite side of the road simply pressed on with their important pasturage business.

Who was perched upon South West Cradles’s crane in New Road, Blackfield but Superman and Wonder Woman?

This evening we dined on Jackie’s colourful fried vegetable rice with tempura prawns, two hot and spicy types of the shrimps preparations, and vegetable spring rolls, with which she drank more of the chardonnay and I drank more of the GSM.

A Photographer With Two Assistants

This afternoon Jackie took Flo and me for a drive.

We passed walkers among the grass of Saltgrass Lane, along which we

viewed low clouds giving the Isle of Wight the appearance of high mountains fronted by the Hurst Lighthouse and medieval castle; and

figures on the spit continuing along the low tide flats.

Unbeknown to each of us, while Jackie photographed a conversation with an ice cream vendor I focussed on a couple enjoying one of her wares.

The elder Assistant Photographer also photographed a perched black headed gull.

An abundance of wild flowers now carpet the verges of our lanes.

The anonymous decorator of the letter collection box on Pilley Hill has given us an Easter theme.

The last two of these pictures of a pony drinking in Pilley lake were Flo’s work.

Gentle donkeys took care of each other at East Boldre.

Tonight we dined on Jackie’s rich red chicken jalfrezi and equally colourful savoury rice with which she drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Shiraz. Hard boiled eggs were added to the curry for Flo, who did not imbibe. She remembered that once when she was smaller I had made her a boiled egg curry.