scarecrow – derrickjknight

No Intention Of Budging

This morning I posted https://derrickjknight.com/2021/10/10/a-knights-tale-48-the-housing-market/

This afternoon we took Jessie on a forest drive.

I stepped out on Rhinefield Road and wandered among the autumnal woodland.

Ponies at Mockbeggar basked and dozed on the green, ignoring flies;

one, claiming its right of way on the road, forced traffic, including cyclists, to take a wide berth. It had no intention of budging.

As we drove down Roger Penny Way another equine string stampeded from one side of the moorland to the other. Motorists who had not anticipated the unusually active ponies dashing across the road sped past us and screamed to a halt in order to avoid denting their vehicles.

A young female scarecrow waited beside a telephone box just outside Lyndhurst.

This evening we dined at Lal Quilla where my main course was Chicken Jaljala; Jessie’s was Butter Chicken; and Jackie’s Hariali Chicken. We shared Bombay Aloo, pilau rice, and a plain Naan. The ladies each had ice creams. Jackie and I drank Kingfisher and Jessie drank Diet Coke.

Torment

On this bright and sunny morning here was I working with WordPress innocently oblivious of just what the Head Gardener meant by tidying up Félicité Perpétue and the shrubs she had been swamping. I had picked a few tomatoes.

Assuring me that the rose would be glorious in a couple of years, she proudly showed me how far she had got, ensuring that my tomatoes featured in the photograph to cheer me up.

By the time we visited Everton Post Office and continued for a forest drive the temperature had become quite hot.

I have already featured Robert Gill’s scarecrow in http://derrickjknight.com/2020/08/20/more-water-for-the-animals/ The notice attached to this home in Everton Road advises that this witty and well-made offering is one of six entrants, the list of which is available on line. We drove round for a while looking for the other four, but didn’t find any. The annual trail is clearly a Covid casualty.

Cyclamen, like these on Barrows Lane, are now lining the verges. Ours, incidentally, are already over.

Longslade View, where I stopped for these photographs, is just outside Brockenhurst. It is such a shame that it should be necessary to display notices throughout the forest forbidding overnight parking, barbecues, and fires.

Outside Pilley Community Shop constantly twitching tails demonstrated what torment these clustered, patient, animals were undergoing as flies encircled their heads, backs, nether regions, and eyes. No sound did they make as they absorbed the airborne assault.

This evening we dined on Mr Pink’s excellent fish and chips, Garner’s choice pickled onions and Tesco’s tangy gherkins with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Rioja.

Hordle Village Fair

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Those who had worked so hard to create today’s Hordle Village Fair woke up to a forecast of rain from 3.00 p.m.. The event was to begin at 1.00 p.m.. In fact, although we were beset by heavy clouds, rain held off until soon after four. Jackie and I paid a visit.

A yellow clown, reminiscent of Barrie Haynes’s pink bunny persona for Bournemouth Lions fundraising events, entertained children and adults alike. I’m sure Barrie could identify the classic car standing on the left, and the others lined up in the background. The round balls seen atop one of them light up when the occasion arises. It is a Belgian hearse belonging to the creator of the Pied Piper of Hamelin scarecrow.

People of all ages toured the wide open spaces and visited the well spread out stalls around them.

There were quite a number of dogs towing their owners.

Plant sales aroused plentiful interest.

A couple of woman span happily in their tent;

other handicraft included knitted hand puppets,

flannels,

and various textile items examined by these young ladies.

A long colourful caterpillar was a children’s maze;

and there was a rubber slide.

Boys

and girls had stereotypically different approaches to the downward trip.

Although the scarecrows were mostly still displayed outside their homes, one Rapunzel had found her way to the recreation ground.

One very popular tent was that of the Liberty Owl, Raptor & Reptile Centre. Jackie and I

just had to investigate the occupants like these hawks

and the White Headed Vulture.

As soon as an announcement was made that there would be a handling display of these raptors, a crowd gathered around the showing enclosure,

and were entertained by a most eloquent and informative handler in complete control of his birds. Even the clown was rapt.

A photographer on the other side of the enclosure, like me, waited for the hawk to take off.

The bird man did his best to convince us that the White Headed Vulture was not as ugly as she was painted.

Music was provided by the Clayesmore Pipe Band of Christchurch.

Army cadets provided an information tent and were responsible for gathering up stray monkeys.

This evening we dined on pork and jalapeno sausages and colourful carrots from the monthly farmers’ market in Everton Nurseries, pork belly from Tesco, new potatoes and cabbage from I don’t know where, with very tasty gravy by the Culinary Queen. I drank El arte de vivin Ribera del Duero 2015.

Patrick’s Patch Revisited

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We enjoyed a productive drive through the forest this morning.

On Hincheslea Moor the horizon still bore the early haze, as one man and his dog disappeared into the bracken,

whilst the sun’s rays illuminated the rest,

especially the bright purple heather.

Venturing into the wooded area at the edge of the moor, I became aware that I was being observed.

A number of Highland Cattle glided among the trees,

and sailed majestically into the sunshine beyond.

These great shaggy beasts have roamed the rugged landscape of Scotland since at least the 6th century AD, possibly having been imported from Scandinavia by invading Vikings.

Forage is easy to come by in The New Forest,

and they probably don’t need their extra overcoats.

They really are light on their feet, silent, and really quite elegant.

On my way back through the forest this one became more interested in my presence;

raising her head, she licked her chops;

and attempted a kiss, which, deftly avoiding tripping over a fallen trunk, I politely declined.

Moving on, the Lymington River at Brockenhurst was as smooth and effective as glass.

From there we travelled to Beaulieu for a visit to Patrick’s Patch. Although this gem of a community garden has featured in a number of posts, the link from 25th November 2013 explains its purpose.

Today, the garden was enjoying one of its peak periods. This path, to one of the many scarecrows, is flanked by sweet peas, dahlias, and globe artichokes.

Butterflies, like this comma, punctuated the hedges;

bees raided the echinacea;

at their peak were flowers like the dahlias above, this zinnia,

and the globe artichokes that bore the evidence of the irrigation of

Rachel, the Head Gardener, who worked over the whole plot with a snaking hose.

Before we left, this friendly young woman cut us a bouquet of flowers, including the zinnia pictured above. Jackie was quick to place them in a vase on the kitchen table.

This evening we dined on the offerings of Mr Chatty Man Chan at Hordle Chinese Take Away. I finished the last inch or two of the Slovenian white wine.