Late this morning Jackie drove me to Birchfield Dental Practice in New Milton for a routine check. Mr Hefferen pronounced no treatment required. We continued on to brunch at Hockey’s Farm Shop. There is always a bit of a wait there, but everything is cooked from scratch and is of very good quality. And we are seldom in a hurry.
These donkeys dozing in the shade at South Gorley were not thinking of going anywhere fast.
The Fighting Cocks on Roger Penny Way at Godshill enjoyed its usual entourage of asinine attractions
for visitors with an array of cameras.
After a series of strokes one foal found a little grooming was in order.
This little chap had been performing the cartwheels that seem to be necessary for new babies, but steadfastly refused to repeat it for my camera.
Another was more interested in lunch, until becoming unplugged when sated.
Probably the youngest new arrival
flopped not far from its mother who was hungry herself.
This creature vainly sought shelter in a rather narrow gap.
Many forest pools, like this one across the road from the pub are drying up in this prolonged warm spell of weather.
Having stepped out of the car to photograph the area around the pub, I decided to walk along this rather uneven terrain for approximately half an hour. Despite the numerous warning signs along this road there is still hit and run appeal for witnesses involving a pony fatality further along.
Taking paths trampled by the animals,
I made a few diversions into the surrounding woodlands,
where a Red Bull can nestled among the buttercups.
When I’d just about had enough, the Modus in the car park of The Fighting Cocks still seemed far off. I became somewhat slower. Eventually I looked up and spotted Jackie in the car on the opposite side of the road. She revealed that she had had her binoculars on me and had liked the look of neither my gait nor my face. I was certainly pleased to see her.
Continuing the journey along Roger Penny Way by car, as usual we were wary of ponies stepping out. The group at the bottom of the hill would be bound to be followed by others. They were.
In order to avoid the bottleneck that is Lyndhurst, we took the Minstead route where sunlight illuminated these ferns.
Cattle and ponies, one suckling, shared pasturage at Boldrewood,
until the bovines decided the grass was greener on the other side.
This intrigued an approaching family of cyclists.
A solitary deer had no competition along Rhinefield Road.
The mother of this foal sporting a typical Mohican foraged behind the ferns, while her offspring was being photographed by a gentleman behind a tree, and another from a car window.
Ponies sharing the sheltered pool outside Brockenhurst with Highland cattle clearly see it as politic to allow the larger, hairy, beasts first paddle while they patiently wait their turn in the shade.
One poor unfortunate was not having a good day. Attempting to take a drink, it had been butted away by another equine, only to find itself nose to nose with a Volkswagen.
Normally reasonably full, this animal paddling pool currently has no deep end.
This evening we dined on Forest Tandoori Lamb jalfrezi, chicken shashlik, and pilau rice; Tesco’s vegetable wontons; and paratha fried in oil from a little shop in New Milton. Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank an excellent Angelica Sur Malbec 2016 given to me for my birthday by Shelly and Ron.