sandbank – derrickjknight

CLICK ON ANY IMAGE IN A GROUP TO ACCESS ITS GALLERY, INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF WHICH CAN BE VIEWED FULL SIZE BY SCROLLING DOWN AND CHECKING BOX AT BOTTOM RIGHT. THE TWO SINGLE, IMAGES CAN BE ENLARGED WITH A CLICK

The apparel of the people in today’s photographs demonstrates that, although dry, the day was once more cold and dismal.

Those walking along Mudeford quay or on the spit were well wrapped up.

We have never seen the water so low at this spot, where the burnt sienna of the exposed sandbank blended with the indigos of the Isle of Wight and The Needles.

It was Jackie who realised the purpose of the red and green buoys was to guide seafarers like these jet skiers, who obligingly arrived to prove her point, round the sandbank.

Gull with crab

A gull made off with a crab.

Not far from the quay is Avon Beach, where, again, those who had ventured onto the sands were swathed in warm clothing.

Crow

A menacing crow lurched awkwardly across the sand.

This evening we dined on a pepperoni pizza topped with additional cheese and tomato, accompanied by salad, with which I drank more of the merlot.

This still life arrangement needed no tweaking from me. Even the January morning sunlight was warm enough to defrost the bread.

After lunch Ian drove us through the forest until we arrived at Rockford Common which we eagerly explored.

Ian left off his conversation with one pony to warn me that another was rapidly advancing on me from behind.

The creature was momentarily nose to nose with me, but moved off and continued chomping grass,

with companions spread around the area.

I wandered around on my own for a while,

until spotting Becky, Ian, and Scooby on top of the sandy hill.

Our daughter and her dog followed Ian back down.

Becky then led me back up to the top where we walked along a footpath,

then returned the way we had come. We looked down on the ponies with which I had earlier been communing.

Back in the car, on the way home we stopped for a pleasant drink at the attractive Royal Oak pub in North Gorley.

This evening we reprised yesterday’s macaroni cheese meal, without the asparagus. Jackie and Ian both drank Peroni, and I started on the last bottle of El Sotillo.