This silence-still, sun-bright, blue-sky, scudding-cloud, dappled-forest, dripping-leaved, clattering-chestnuts, wet-roads, reflecting-gutters, swimming-sward, morning had turned overcast by the time we emerged, brunch-sated, from Lakeview Café on our return home.
Sun-flecked tarmac and tree trunks along wet-bracken-flanked Holmsley Passage heard whispering, dripping, earthbound leaves carpeting the forest floor alongside emerging mushrooms and bouncing sweet chestnut shells bursting with fruit.
With golfing apparently rained off, a group of ponies tended the lush greens of Burley golf course.
On the opposite side of the road a solitary pony worked over the outfield beside a cluster of further mushrooms.
Leaves slowly drifted into the reflecting verges of Forest Road;
on the sunny side of which a curly haired grazing foal cast its shadow;
further along a trio of darker equines suddenly decided to cross to the other side.
This evening we all dined on Jackie’s wholesome chicken and vegetable stewp with fresh crusty baguettes followed by orange trifle, with which she drank more of the Zesty and I drank more of the Côtes du Rhône.
A soft breeze gently ruffled the still air this morning as we set off for a short forest drive culminating in brunch at the Lakeview Café.
Steam rose from the warmed wet tarmac of Holmsley Passage dappled by sunlight licking the browning bracken.
The winterbourne pool along Bisterne Close, so recently devoid of water, now reflected cotton clouds, overhead lines, spent yellow iris leaves, and a nearby gate.
The weather was now once more sultry enough to summon flies to pester ponies
already seeking shade from trees stippling hide and branch.
Hidden behind New Lane near New Milton are the manmade Orchard Fishing Lakes, permit holders of which enjoy the proximity of Lakeview Café which serves freshly cooked excellent quality food at most reasonable prices.
On such a lovely day enjoying warm sunshine filtered by scudding clouds, it was hardly surprising that soon after midday this family run business was packed out inside with room for other diners to bask comfortably at tables outside while watching the fishers’ quiet repose.
All ingredients, especially the real meaty beef burger, homemade coleslaw, and plentiful fresh salad in my gourmet burger choice, even on such a busy day, were of excellent quality, and strong cutlery was up to the job of cutting the food..
Jackie’s tuna panini was equally perfectly prepared and presented.
Including Jackie’s coffee, this meal set me back £21 to which I added a £3 tip.
Naturally we were warned of a wait, which did not bother us, so Jackie investigated the reading matter; the cakes and crisps to which, should we need anything else after our main courses, we could serve ourselves; and the ever changing artwork on the walls.
In the meantime I observed today’s other customers which included obvious retirees, visiting families, and local people, all contributing to the cheerful ambience generated by the efficient, friendly, and helpful staff.
As I have been off my fodder this week, the brunch was more than enough to satisfy me for the day, so I didn’t join the rest of the family as they enjoyed another of Jackie’s chicken and vegetable soups this evening.
Although the rain largely kept away today, the weather remained unseasonably cold and overcast as, after purchasing provisions at Ferndene Farm Shop, Jackie and I took a brief drive along Holmsley Passage and back.
Cyclists and dog walkers travelled along the disused railway track; walkers and ponies graced the moorland; and one runner jogged down the hill.
Ponies in particular foraged unconcerned with what went on around them, where
heather purpled the landscape despite the
glowering skies silhouetting the tree line.
The almost dried up stream beneath the road once more ripples, flows, and nurtures weeds.
On Burley Road a pony defied the traffic to encroach upon its companion foal.
Whatever the season is it is definitely not summer.
This evening we all dined on Jackie’ s fusilli pasta bake containing bacon, boiled eggs, and various vegetables, accompanied by baked gammon, with which she drank more os the rosé and I drank La Vieille Ferme vin rouge, 2021.
It was this mystery car we followed along the A35 on our morning forest drive that set the theme today. This is the full scene that I photographed through the windscreen as Jackie drove along, and its later crop.
I have been very happy with my Canon EOS 5D Mark II which was already second hand when I bought it from Jessops about 8 years ago, but it lacked a 35 mm lens. When, a year or so later, I decided to remedy that shortage, the sales assistant at the extremely reliable Wessex Photos offered the opinion that if I paid a little more for the compatible Sigma version I would be pleasantly surprised. She was not wrong. I have purchased two more different focal length models since, but today, by offering similar pairings, I want to show what can be achieved with the first little miracle.
When we reach the top of Holmsley Passage at the junction with Burley Road we have a choice of crossing over, or turning left or right to continue our meandering.
Today a string of cyclists gathered at this point. When we reached them they seemed to be still debating. We drew alongside them and I explained that we were waiting to see I which direction they would be going.
They were intending to turn left. “Right then, we will go straight across”, said I, causing general amusement. This shot from the open passenger window required no crop.
Our route then took us into Bisterne Close, where I produced several couplets, as follows:
The horse drawn trap was entering the close ahead of us.
Soon after we waved our way past them we came across a group of ponies. Jackie parked in the gravel drive so we would not hinder the horses, although in fact they must have turned off because we did not see them again. However, I was able to add to my collection.
The foal in this one was not readily apparent in the full scene;
here I wanted to catch the tail swish;
then a closer look at the foal;
closer;
and still closer.
Heather among the ferns along Holmsley Passage is turning purple;
groups of visitors were making their way up the hill towards the open stretch.
Nearer home, more groups of ponies and foals lined either side of Holmsley Road:
I just caught one of the youngsters lifting a leg;
there are two foals in this shot but I picked this one;
and then another scratch;
and finally this group containing two sprawling infants.
You may remember that I am being forced to operate the normal galleries, as opposed to the Tiled ones. This means that WordPress choose their own crops. Consequently they have messed with some of mine. Accessing each of the galleries of two with a click on either picture should demonstrate both this and my own intention.
This evening we all dined on Chicken & Bacon Melt and Magnificent Meat Feast pizzas with plenty of fresh salad; Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Shiraz.
I headed off the worst of the rising heat with an early dead heading session this morning, before Jackie and I set off for a sultry forest drive.
Beside dappled Holmsley Passage a splendid stand of Foxgloves could be spied through the trees. I wonder whether that ice warning sign will now be redundant.
The driver of ponies and trap on the equally brindled Bisterne Close pulled over for Jackie to drive past.
Marbled banks sloped on either side of Beechwood Lane where rooftop chimneys were discerned among lush undergrowth and a mossy log decayed on the verge.
Shade at the corner of Burley Lawn is at a premium on such a day.
A pair of ponies spooked by passing traffic risked losing their spot when they nipped across Chapel Lane and took their chances on the streaked tarmac.
Another troop, including a foal, heading for shelter were to be disappointed,
and forced to wait in the hope of chances of returns.
Further along stippled Chapel Lane cattle made do with the verge, occasionally spilling over to upset tourist traffic.
In addition to continuing his meticulous clearance of the gravel paths,
Martin this morning loaded his van with the bulk of the garden rubbish and took it away for us. He will do the same next week.
With the help of Wayback Machine I reinserted three missing pictures and added a header to the following post:
This evening we dined on Jackie’s first class beef and onion pie; potatoes sautéed with onions; crunchy carrots and cauliflower; firm Brussels sprouts; tender green beans; horseradish sauce, and meaty gravy, with which the Culinary Queen drank more of the Blume and I finished the Malbec.
It is normal practice for someone from New Forest District Council to mark areas of the tarmac for repair with white corner lines. These sometimes stay so long that they can be erased by traffic.
A BBC News item of 17th May concerning Lymington and its environment begins with “Potholes in neighbouring towns have been daubed with penis images in an apparent attempt to speed up repairs.
Hampshire County Council said the graffiti in Lymington and Milford-on-Sea would be removed when engineers assessed the holes.” (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-65623391#)
Varying opinions are viewed in the article.
Today I photographed one in Ramley Road.
This was at the start of a forest drive after a successful hygienist clean of my elderly gnashers.
Dappled lanes enlivened our chosen route;
sunlight splashed the banked verges of South Sway Lane, while
the dribble of the drying stream beneath the ford on Holmsley Passage scarcely rippled what surface remained, and
Healthy grasses elegantly bent their heads beside it.
Cattle cropped the verges of Holmsley Road.
Shadows stretched across Bisterne Close, where the yellow flag irises and white water buttercups were now rooted in a dried up pool on the bed of which I stood to produce the third photograph in this gallery.
While we were out a veritable proliferation of foals had sprouted on Wotton Common. I wandered among them at will but only photographed a sample.
This evening we all dined on Jackie’s classic cottage pie topped with potato slices baked with the mince; piquant cauliflower cheese; firm Brussels sprouts, and tasty gravy; followed by Flo’s moist and well textured mango cake and custard, with which the Culinary Queen drank more of the Asahi, and I drank more of the Malbec.
On the first bank holiday weekend of the holiday season in the New Forest there was much traffic on Holmsley Passage this morning: this took the form of
walkers, cars, and cyclists risking twisted ankles while negotiating potholes;
and a pony and trap I tracked approaching down the hill,
exchanging friendly greetings as they passed and travelled on to glide by a string of yellow-clad children on bikes.
A pair of horse riders clopping behind our parked Modus chose to diverge into the moorland rather than to confront either the small equines in harness or the vehicles following them.
Sensing that today would be hot, ponies on the moorland approaching Burley were already attracting visitors, with or without cameras, as they clustered together for their seasonal mutual protection.
Later, I finished reading the first volume of Dostoevsky’s “A Raw Youth”, then converted the following post from Classic to Block edit, changing its category to Garden:
For dinner this evening we all enjoyed succulent roast lamb; roasted potatoes, including the sweet variety; crunchy carrots; firm Brussels sprouts and broccoli; and meaty gravy, with which I drank more of the Côtes du Rhône and Jackie drank more of the Viognier.
Jackie drove me to Lymington where I spent the morning in the EE showroom. I had been two days without a service on O2. There is no other supplier’s showroom within several miles of us, and I could not telephone O2.
Cutting a long story short, I decided to transfer to EE, where it is possible to speak to a real person in an accessible building. My old Samsung, a good 10 years old, is now obsolete, so I also upgraded to the current model.
Miraculously, my O2 account worked this afternoon.
Late this afternoon, we took a short forest drive.
I stepped out on Holmsley Passage
and photographed autumn bracken in surrounding woodland
and undulating landscape.
Voices of the two young women on the winding road had carried way up the hill behind me.
Further on, I wondered for how many centuries had shafts of sunlight outlined the mossy mounds of the ancient hedgerow banks along Bisterne Close, or
the backs of generations of smiling young pigs,
gleefully guzzling
acorns on the steep slopes leading out of Burley.
This evening we dined on second helpings of last night’s takeaway with the same beverages.
I have been without a watch for a day or two. My Tissot needed a new strap and my Longines a battery. This morning Jackie found time to drive me to Robert Allan Jewellers in New Milton to have replacements fitted. We left the timepieces in the shop and drove into the forest before collecting them later from this excellent establishment which does the job quickly and efficiently.
Pastel skies streaked over the browning moorland flanking
the ever-crumbling Holmsley Passage
alongside which wild rose hips
rise above the rippling, reflective, stream.
From the passage we crossed Burley Road into Bisterne Close beside which the woods took on a decidedly creepy persona.
Beech nuts lined the forest floor.
The ditches
and the verge pool are filling up with the heavy rainwater we have been receiving lately.
A Travis Perkins lorry delivering bags of sand brought us to a halt. The driver was most apologetic. He had driven as close to the house entrance as he could, and would only be a few minutes. He underestimated how long it would take to tote one bag at a time up the drive. Having once been stuck on a verge with a similar drop to the one she would have to risk if we didn’t wait, my Chauffeuse reversed the Modus and took a longer back to New Milton.
This afternoon Dave, the plumber, visited to advise us on the replacement for our macerator which seems to be developing a death rattle; and Anne from Kitchen Makers advised that the handles we had chosen for some of our various new cupboards were not available and invited us to choose alternatives. After ordering the masticator of human refuse from Screwfit we called in on Anne and selected alternative grips.
This evening we dined on oven fish and chips, baked beans, and cornichons pickled in chilli. Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Fleurie.
We began the day by shopping at Ferndene Farm Shop for three more bags of compost, vegetables, and begonias. This was quite a quick operation, after which we drove into the forest.
At the top of Holmsley Passage another wrecked vehicle blocked the side-lane to a house. This was upside down and looked as if it had been overturned in an accident.
Many cyclists, singly or in various groupings, were about this morning. The trio and the two singletons wheeled up Holmsley Passage and the pairs sped along Bisterne Close.
Purple heather brightened the moors around the passage.
Much of the bracken in the woodland beside the close was still fresh enough to appeal to the ponies,
who were there in abundance today.
I was drawn further into the forest by a thudding beat which transpired as the stamping of a cluster of ponies with one bushy tailed foal retreating from heat or flies or both.
The higher rhythmic clopping of their iron-shod cousins pulling an historic carriage along the close chimed a different note.
A red haired walker blended with rowan berries above.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s flavoursome cottage pie; crunchy carrots, cauliflower and broccoli, served with meaty gravy and accompanied by Hoegaarden in her glass and more of the Rioja in mine.
