Tag: dry lake bed

Stagnant Pea-Soup

This morning Jackie drove me to Wessex Photography in Lymington to collect another batch of printing paper, and on to Pilley to investigate the state of the old quarry lake.

All was silent save the occasional distant bird call and traffic traversing Jordan’s Lane as I stepped out onto the stony, gnarled surface of the bed pitted and cracked from the best part of a month with no water.

There was no apparent sign of life on a landscape inviting NASA’s probing analysis.

As I turned to leave this potentially ankle-twisting terrain,

I discovered that slowly, soundlessly, two pairs of desperate ponies had arrived to attempt to prise some nourishment from their empty larder.

Only one of these creatures seeking a drink sniffed, curled up her nose, and left untasted the smear of stagnant pea soup that was all that remained of their customary liquid refreshment. She settled for a mud foot-bath.

I spent the afternoon completing the printing of Karen and Barry’s wedding pictures.

This evening we dined on succulent roast lamb; crisp roast potatoes and Yorkshire pudding; crunchy carrots; firm cauliflower and broccoli; tender runner beans, and meaty gravy. Jackie drank Hoegaarden; Dillon, Ribena, and I, more of the Rasteau.

Necking

This afternoon we drove to Lymington to collect a prescription for Elizabeth and delivered it to her at her home in Pilley.

Hairdressers have been unable to open since the beginning of the lockdown. It seemed to me that neither of the models decorating JW’s window in Rashley Mews was looking forward to the opening which will be possible from 4th. Observant readers, especially after bigification, may notice that the photographer could do with a visit.

We noticed two more knitted carer tributes on Pilley Street.

Contented ponies on the now virtually dry Quarry Pit lake bed grazed terrain over which they would normally be slaking their thirst.

Before leaving my sister’s village we encountered other happy croppers in Jordans Lane and Wooden House Road.

More ponies and a foal gathered by a stream on Beaulieu Road. Much tail twitching was in operation. Notice how the foal splays its legs to graze.

Foals, including a necking pair were also in evidence on the banks of Beaulieu River.

Cattle occupied the roads outside the village.

We wondered what breed exactly was this diminutive equine sampling the grass outside a field alongside South Baddersley Road?

This evening we dined on Jackie’s classic shepherd’s pie with tasty gravy accompanied by well cooked carrots, cauliflower, and cabbage with which she drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Cotes du Rhone.