Tag: Furzey Lane

Occupying The Roads

On a warm and largely overcast morning we took a forest drive.

After I had photographed this young lady in her unusual laptop station, we exchanged thumbs up signs.

Many cyclists are on the roads at weekends in September, often with bikes attached to their vehicles. The two in the background had just emerged from Furzey Lane,

variously occupied by ponies and conversationalists. When enlarged in the gallery a fly can be seen making a bee line for the right eye of the pony blocking our way. The couple engaged in chatting with the car driver all seemed content to block one side of the road in either direction for quite some time. We had already veered round them on our way down the lane and it looked as if the man with his hand in the air was indicating we should do so again. Jackie and others were thus forced to encroach upon the opposite dwelling’s gravel entrance.

A group of ponies sheltered beneath trees alongside Beaulieu Road.

This afternoon I watched the women’s rugby match between Scotland and Fiji on BBC iPlayer; and later the highlights of the men’s T20 cricket match between England and Australia.

As I indicated yesterday, this evening’s dinner was a variation on last night’s – I enjoyed Jackie’s portion of the Peri Peri chicken kebabs, while she baked her own chicken pieces sprinkled with Batt’s BBQ seasoning – taken with her colourful savoury rice and similar vegetables.

The Last Rays Of Summer

After their meal last night everyone came back here and we enjoyed a pleasant continuation of the birthday celebration, including Flo’s firm and moist mango flavoured cake.

While the others slept in this morning Jackie and I took a trip into the forest. As it was another warm and sunny day beneath a clear cerulean sky featuring clustered cotton cloud we experienced an influx of visitors enjoying the last rays of summer.

This meant a gentler pace gained along our lanes and thoroughfares:

we followed cyclists along Undershore, so sinuous as to make passing dangerous;

horse riders ambling oblivious along Furzey Lane;

and slow moving traffic, their progress halted by ponies on various roads – all part of New Forest retirement life.

The clipped tails of some of the ponies betrayed their recent attendance at Drift annual roundups and health checks.

Dozing donkeys basked in shade on the verges of Pilley Street

alongside the former telephone box book exchange attached to the village shop that has now moved to the new Community Hall.

The aforementioned horse riders on Furzey Lane travelled beneath

horse chestnuts soon to bounce on the tarmac

and maple seeds preparing to execute rocking helicopter descents.

This afternoon I watched the rugby World Cup matches between Portugal and Georgia, and between England and Chile.

Becky and Ian returned home before dinner this evening, which consisted of Red Chilli takeaway fare. My choice was prawn pathia, enjoyed with Becky’s doggy bag prawns and coconut rice from yesterday’s Thai meal. Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank Montepulciano D’Abruzzo 2020.

Tortoises?

Our afternoon drive into the forest took us through Bull Hill.

Although certainly not tortoises, groups of serious walkers we watched from

Furzey Lane leading to Furzey Lodge, carried their temporary homes on their backs. Some of these were passed by cyclists,

more groups of whom wheeled along Cripple Gate Lane, where,

bluebells, ferns, ivy, and other wild plants cluster around the roots of oaks now spreading parasols overhead.

It is best to try to ignore cans lobbed from passing cars and fly-tipped larger containers possibly decanted from small vans.

This evening we dined on Jackie’s superb savoury rice with a rack of pork ribs in barbecue sauce and small spring rolls. The Culinary Queen drank Hoegaarden, while I drank Moravista Merlot Bonarda 2018.