Tag: ponies

Landscape And Woodland

This morning, among his other tasks, Martin installed our new waterbutt; and assembled and set up

the new arch for the wayward Compassion Rose which was determined to plough its own furrow. Having accepted that the plant would insist on its own direction we have given it a new support, since the last one had blown down. It has now been well trained.

At lunchtime Craig from Tom Sutton Heating came to check on the recently blown through pipes to the radiator beside my chair. He is of the opinion that the problem concerns the diameter of the pipes. It will need to be discussed with Ronan, who is on a week’s holiday.

After lunch we drove to the pharmacy at Milford to collect medication, and afterwards to Everton Post Office for cash, spring onions, and orange juice. We continued on a forest drive.

An interesting cloud formation appeared over the heather landscape

in which various ponies foraged.

More, including an almost full grown foal from earlier in the year, enjoyed the moisture of the seasonal pool along Bisterne Close.

Tiny yellow mushrooms pierced the ancient bank of Mill Lane among the exposed roots and ferns in the dappled woodland.

Further along the lane one of the several groups of young campers out today checked on Mill Lawn.

Later, I didn’t quite finish “4.50 From Paddington”.

This evening we dined on maple barbecue belly of pork; fried potatoes and onions; crisp carrots; firm broccoli and cauliflower; and tender cabbage with cauliflower leaves.

Decidedly Damp

I have realised that the persistent discomfort I have been feeling since my catheter removal has been the consequence of an infection, which I discussed over the telephone with my GP who ordered antibiotics for us to collect after lunch.

As we left for the Pharmacy, raindrops thundered on our car roof and swept across the windscreen.

The rain continued from early morning throughout the day until a brief respite later as we returned home.

We had returned to splashing along the wet roads.

The few ponies we did see on our trip were decidedly wet.

The freshly washed woodland colours brightly glistened.

and reflecting pools were filling up again.

We have learned that when the weather is stormy gulls tend to venture further inland.

This one, complete with bag of filched chips, is perched on the Tiptoe postbox.

Tonight we dined on Parmigiana crispy chicken breasts; piquant cauliflower cheese; boiled new potatoes, carrots, green beans, and spinach, with which I drank Georges Duboeuf Fleurie 2022.

The Good Samaritan

Late this morning we took a trip to the north of the forest in order to brunch at The Potting Shed Café at Hyde. We had enjoyed it so much on Saturday with Jessie that we wanted to go back.

From Holmsley Passage I photographed some heather scenes for John Corden;

Dog walkers and cyclists made way for us to pass on the road.

We pulled into Smugglers Road carpark to picture standing ponies and a prone foal.

We were some way from our goal when I spotted that we were about to run out of petrol. The only chance of finding any more was to make it to the busy main road to Ringwood. Which we did. And turned left. And ran out of Petrol. Opposite a bus stop.

As we sat wondering who to call,

with the tailback building up behind us while we blocked traffic in each direction while oncoming vehicles paused to allow

those behind us to pass and continue on their way, David came to our rescue. He was on his way home from Ringwood. He turned round, drove Jackie back in the direction from which he had travelled, stopped at a garage where she bought a can and a gallon of fuel which he poured into our tank having driven her back to me sitting in the Hyundai, and waited until our engine fired up at first turn of the key. We couldn’t thank him enough. Next time we travel to Hale from whence he hails we hope to meet him again.

Ponies gathered on the green at North Gorley, and those forcing traffic onto the sward don’t seem to have moved since the 17th.

Splendid sunflowers tower above the fence to The Potting Shed Café, where Jackie produced photographs of both establishment and meals:

she chose very fresh and tasty blue cheese and walnut salad; I enjoyed a repeat of my last meal there:

The Full Works breakfast, with best quality ingredients, and water. In the first picture the hash brown is obscured by the authentic black pudding, and the herby sausage by the bacon in the second.

On our return through Bransgore Jackie photographed Tom and Jerry decorating a postbox.

For a late, light, supper Jackie chose asparagus soup and salad; mine was scrambled egg on toast. I drank water.

No Protection But Each Other

On an increasingly warm late morning we took Jessie for a forest drive and brunched at The Potting Shed at Hyde.

The heather-filled landscape off Holmsley Passage reminded our friend of her childhood home in Scotland.

Ponies crowded along the road outside Burley.

We tracked a veteran vehicle until entered The Elm Tree car park.

At South Gorley the usual donkeys played with the traffic.

Ponies on the green at North Gorley enjoyed no protection from marauding flies but themselves;

others found shade at Frogham Hill;

a further group forced traffic onto the green on our way back through North Gorley.

After another afternoon’s pleasant conversation we dined on tender roast lamb; crispy roast potatoes and Yorkshire pudding; crunchy carrots; firm cauliflower and Brussels sprouts with meaty gravy. I finished the merlot. Later we reminisced more.

Relief In Shade

On this cooler, pleasant, summer afternoon, after a visit to Ferndene Farm Shop for the purchase of vegetables and salad ingredients,

we took a forest drive via Beckley Common Road.

After passing ponies in shade alongside Pound Lane, we turned off into a car park whence we admired the

landscape with heather

and a variety of daisy slightly larger than normal but smaller than marguerites.

Further down the road we turned into Burley which

was pulsating with visitors.

Cattle having slaked their thirst in the stream under the ford on Forest Road wandered slowly up the road frustrating some drivers while

ponies further along sheltered beneath the usual trees,

adopting their customary head to tail fly whisk technique.

This grey seemed to have caused a kerfuffle resulting in thudding head butts, sudden scattering, and clopping on the tarmac. I was pleased I was no nearer these heavy animals whose hooves could have landed on my sandalled feet.

Along Holmsley Passage on our way home we followed a cyclist climbing the hill. When he reached the top, he pulled over to the gravel on his left and we exchanged waves.

This evening we dined on baked smoked haddock; piquant cauliflower cheese; tender green beans; boiled new potatoes and carrots al dente, with which I finished the Tempranillo.

The Power Of The Web

As we set out on a still warm, but generally overcast, morning for a

forest drive I noticed a feather hanging above a myrtle bloom.

A pigeon was in no hurry to move out of our way along Lower Pennington Lane, alongside which, from a five barred gate

Jackie photographed moorland, and, on the way back,

I photographed walkers pushing a small baby in a buggy.

Before then, we had watched distant geese approaching, then flying over a walking family. The birds travel every day each way between Christchurch and Lymington, presumably finding regular sustenance. (Enlargement by access to the gallery may make them more visible).

Along St Leonard’s Road Jackie photographed me approaching and leaning on a tree in order to

picture a field horse and foal.

Blackberries are ripening along all the hedgerows.

Jackie also photographed this five-barred gate and its view.

Outside the ancient barn ponies cropped the grass on the verge;the animal in the first picture of this gallery hopefully wet-nosed me as I disembarked; finding I had no treats on offer she

stuck her nose through the open passenger window.

This is what it looked like to Jackie inside, while I wandered off.

Joggers along these narrow lanes take their lives in their hands. Those in the first picture were in Lower Pennington Lane. The woman decided to wait until the two cars had gone by; the one in the second was about to be passed by a large tractor towing a long container vehicle.

When, after an hour and a half, we returned home, the feather, despite the stiff breeze had not detached itself from the almost invisible, sticky, thread that held it. Such is the power of the web.

After lunch I posted

From The Saga Of Dietrich Of Bern

This evening the Culinary Queen served up a meal both colourful and flavoursome consisting of lemon chicken on a bed of rice packed with peas, fava beans, red and yellow peppers, onions, and mushrooms, with which I drank Bajoz Tempranillo 2022.

An Exceptional Year For Magpies

Knowing that we were in for a cool day of continuing rain we took an early forest trip before the showers had begun, therefore before a planned visit to the new Antiques Emporium behind Redcliffe Garden Centre.

Outside Brockenhurst we stopped to watch ponies and foals.

We are accustomed to seeing crows pecking about among the pony droppings, but magpies foraging there is unusual;

one foal, young enough to bear the vestiges of the umbilical cord wondered what the black and white bird was doing perched upon it. Accompanying adults ignored it. It has been an exceptional year for these birds – we even have one nesting in or near to our garden which could be one reason why we have fewer small birds this year. In our Newark Lindum House magpies would come one year and there would be no small birds. The next year the predators would be gone and eggs had a chance to hatch.

Our timing was good. Drizzle began as we turned towards Redcliffe Garden Centre and had begun beating a tattoo on the roof.

It is a fairly long trek through the Garden Centre,

beyond Warman’s Architectural Antiques Area,

to the Emporium, which looks like a resurgence of

(Dammit, I published too early so I am continuing with this addition)

the now defunct Molly’s Den, featured in https://derrickjknight.com/2014/08/22/her-very-own-seaside/

Jackie can be seen studying the contents of some of these antiques cubicles.

On my way round I met a man walking with a stick. Having by now found the unaided walk a real struggle I mentioned that I was regretting having left mine in the car. He said he had done the same thing and bought one here. I decided that it was better to put up with the pain of perambulation than paying for a prop I wouldn’t use again.

This evening we will dine on a roast lamb meal which is already tickling my nostrils.

I Remained In The Car

This morning first Max then Nick of Peacock Computers took remote access to my computer to resolve some issues with the landline phone.

Later on this cooler and greyer afternoon we drove to Milford Pharmacy for repeat prescriptions then to New Milton for a repair to Jackie’s specs at Boots.

A hold-up in traffic caused by the centre traffic lights returning to red

enabled me to focus on Station Road shops and shoppers.

Like us, a motor cyclist waited for his turn to travel on.

Around the corner a cyclist in Ashley Common Road risked entangling her dress.

Regular readers who recognise how narrow, winding, and potholed is Holmsley Passage will understand how difficult it was to negotiate a family car surrounded by children and mother while father knelt changing a punctured tyre. It seemed unkind to photograph the very tempting scene, but one little boy on one side was called to the other in order for Jackie to risk the car’s undercarriage while spanning a deep dip between nibbled tarmac and undergrowth.

I settled for a shot of the bracken and heather moorland.

The paucity of ponies noticed on our trip suggested that they may know something we don’t. It was certainly rather gloomy when we

met these ponies on the verge just outside Burley. One creature seemed to be sheltering behind a car, while the other two had no need for the head to tail protection from flies.

It will possibly be apparent that in the interests of taking it easy I remained in the car throughout.

This evening we dined on Ferndene Farm Shop pork and chives sausages; flavoursome Portobello mushrooms; creamy mashed potatoes; firm carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli; tender spring greens, and meaty gravy.

Fly Whisk Technique

I spent the morning completing my reading of The Nibelunglied.

On a warm, sunny, afternoon we took a forest drive on which ponies were out in force.

On the road outside Brockenhurst I disembarked to visit ponies on the verge.

One indulged in a scratch, while another pair, taking advantage of the

shade of trees practiced the fly whisk head to tail technique.

When I stood a bit close for their comfort, they crossed to the other side of the road, testing the patience of drivers, but not cyclists who can skirt round them.

This year’s foals are growing into their gangly legs.

On the way into Burley another cyclist rounded ponies on the road.

On our return home I published

The Nibelungenlied

This evening we dined on second helpings of Jackie’s cottage pie, fresh carrots, cauliflower, broccoli stems, and green beans with which I drank more of the Malbec.

Cattle, Ponies,Donkeys

A couple of weeks ago I had not even been able to reach Elizabeth’s Bed against our southern fence, such was the jungle beyond

the Shady Path.

In addition to all else he managed yesterday, Martin completed his

clearance of this area, around which I walked with ease on this cooler, breezier morning. The top centre of the last image shows that he has also continued into the Rose Garden.

This afternoon, after buying a cucumber and other vegetables at Ferndene Farm Shop, we continued into the forest.

Burley was swarming with both ponies and tourists.

How, I wondered had this grey received slashed flanks.

Jackie produced this image of a foal sleeping beside the War Memorial.

We followed a veteran vehicle along Gorley Road until it turned off in the direction of Fordingbridge.

The donkey family at Hyde hadn’t moved far since our last visit.

Ponies in traffic at North Gorley amused a pair of cyclists who had to ride round them.

Cattle, ponies, and foals shared the green, although

the soggy pools were left to equine adults.

This evening, seated on the sofa while watching the Gold Medal Olympic rugby sevens competition between France and Fiji; then the highlights of the second day of the third Cricket Test match between England and West Indies, we dined on pizza and plentiful salad with which I finished The Reprobates Italian red wine.