Tag: shadows

Chill Sunshine

After a morning of more reminiscing with Becky and Flo, Jackie and I took a forest drive early this afternoon. On this sun-bright-cool day we followed the easterly route via Lymington, Undershore, Pilley, Norley Wood and East End.

A woman walked her dog along the lane approaching Portmore, where a chirpy chaffinch contributed to the trill of flitting songbirds, and still shaggy donkeys foraged on the verges.

Basking cattle chewed the cud while ponies chomped the grass on Bull Hill.

At Norley Wood Ponies cast shadows across greens, while trees cast theirs across somnolent cattle,

and a pair of donkeys soaked up the sun at Norleywood Road junction.

This evening we all dined on more of Jackie’s spicy arrabbiata followed by gooseberry and apple crumble and custard according to choice. Becky and I finished the Monastrell; Ian drank Hoegarden; Flo drank Elderflower cordial; and The Culinary Queen drank Carlsberg.

Alfresco Dining

Much of this sunny morning was spent reminiscing with Becky.

Jackie and I lunched at our normal time. We then joined the others for theirs at The Beachcomber Café, Barton on Sea.

Flo took this photograph on the approach to the café.

Jackie and I enjoyed drinks while the others were impressed with the quality of the food served. Because the albeit extensive establishment was so full we had to dine alfresco and wait in line for that. The service of this family-run business was nevertheless friendly and efficient. As can be seen, Ian occupied himself with Sudokus, while Becky and Flo conversed happily. The final picture in this gallery is our granddaughter’s.

She also photographed me reacting to the apparent seizing up of my shutter while I was trying to capture

shadows of other diners. Fortunately the problem was resolved before they departed.

When we had finished at Beachcomber the others drove back to the house while Jackie and I continued into the forest. Foraging ponies grazed on the soggy turf or tore at hollies on Honey Lane.

The ford across Forest Road flowed faster than we have seen it before.

This mossy bank beside it looked decidedly damp.

Just outside Burley a bay pony also dined alfresco on the contents of a garden refuse sack.

For this evening’s meal Jackie produced roast lamb; sage and onion stuffing; Jersey Royal boiled potatoes; crunchy carrots; firm Brussels sprouts; tender runner beans, and meaty gravy, with which she, Becky and Ian drank Portuguese Rosé, Flo drank Apple and Mango juice, and I drank more of the Monastrell.

Buying A Tablet

This morning I posted https://derrickjknight.com/2022/03/12/a-knights-tale-115-why-i-no-longer-drive/

This afternoon Becky, Flo, and I visited Currys at Christchurch for Becky to buy her daughter a tablet.

Once the choice had been made and the two ladies needed to wait for the sale and paperwork to be completed I wandered out into the car park with my camera.

First I photographed the bright gorse bushes planted around the industrial estate, with the ubiquitous discarded face mask.

I then focussed on the posts and shadows in front of the store,

and the car body reflections.

We then drove on to Highcliffe Castle for refreshments. While Becky was

parking the car Flo and I looked down at the sea through trees casting long shadows.

Unfortunately the kitchen had closed and the establishment would only be open for another twenty minutes during which we could take drinks outside. Becky insisted on our staying inside because it was so cold outside. The only food available was a packet of crisps and the last piece of cake. I am not sure what the woman or her Basset Hound who followed my daughter and granddaughter into the tea rooms were able to obtain.

This evening we dined on second helpings of yesterday’s Red Chilli Takeaway with the same beverages.

A Little Light Music

While I was seated in the sitting room this morning, blinded by bright sunshine reflected from Jessie’s present of a solar light creating its own moon and star-scape, I became inspired to wander round the house playing

a little light music.

After lunch I posted https://derrickjknight.com/2021/11/21/a-knights-tale-68-the-mans-fingers-still-clutched-the-ball/

Otherwise much of the day was spent clearing my desk and other areas of our entrance hall, in readiness for the start on the floor tomorrow.

This evening we dined on Jackie’s Special Foo Yung; Angela’s flavoursome spring rolls; and Co-op pork spare ribs, followed by mince pies and ice cream; with which Jackie drank more of the non-alcoholic sparkling rosé while I drank Pierre Jaurant Special Edition Merlot 2020.

Bridge Over Untroubled Water

This morning I posted https://derrickjknight.com/2021/10/16/a-knights-tale-53-a-stormy-birth/

After lunch on this warm and sunny day we took a forest drive.

A solitary Highland cow was in possession of Whitemoor Pond.

Sunlight dappled the landscape; cast shadows across the banks of Ober Water, its bed and rippling surfaces; and backlit the leaves. Dog walkers led sometimes dripping pets; other photographers stood on Puttles Bridge or crouched before their subjects.

Rhinefield Ornamental Drive was also popular with walkers.

This evening we dined on lamb chops; roast potatoes; Yorkshire pudding; gravy; mint sauce; cauliflower, carrots, and green beans, with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Zinfandel.

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.

Garden News

Although the sun shone most of this dry day, the overnight winds remained decidedly brisk.

This afternoon I was swept round the garden in search of plants still enough for me to photograph them without panning.

These cosmoses now greet us across the kitchen door.

The patio planters and pots, as usual have caught the worst of the gusts that burst round the side of the house.

Our most rickety shed has happily survived.

Many blooms, like the nicotianas, now lean over paths, and we are still finding broken stems, such as this cosmos in the rose garden. Nevertheless this more sheltered spot still bears

intact examples alongside For Your Eyes Only.

Fuchias, such as the white and purple Delta’s Sarah; the blend of pinks Garden News; and the red and purple Army Nurse, are pretty hardy here.

Begonias, impatiens, and mina lobatas are not yet frostbitten.

Dahlias and Japanese anemones are enjoying their season, and still attracting bees.

Quite what this hollyhock rising from its bed is still doing up I do not know.

This evening we dined on Jackie’s spicy chicken jalfrezi and flavoursome mushroom rice, with which she drank more of the Pino Grigio and I drank more of the Comté Tolosan Rouge.

Hunting In Pairs

“The Bishop” was the penultimate story that Anton Chekhov wrote while seriously ill with tuberculosis from which he died at the age of 44. This is a deeply emotional tale of the main character’s life and death, and his effect on family, prelates, and congregations alike. I finished reading it last night, and with it my Folio Society 1974 edition of translator Elisaveta Fen’s selection from the author’s prolific output of short stories.

Fen’s introduction to the book is informative and insightful. She includes a specific section for each story and it was interesting, after almost half a century in which to forget my first reading, to study these pieces after I had revisited their relevant story and to compare my thoughts with hers.

Nigel Lambourne’s occasional full page aquatints are well drawn, but on the heavy side for some of the characters.

It is perhaps appropriate that ‘ ‘Don’t disturb His Eminence,’ Sisoy told Maria’ should be the last of these illustrations.

Much of this warm day was spent on continuing garden maintenance consisting of weeding, pruning, dead heading; and bagging up for removal or adding to the compost bin all the resultant refuse.

Towards the end of the afternoon, while Jackie, sharing views with Florence sculpture, surveyed the fruits of our labour, I wandered round with my camera.

Hanging baskets and other containers now bear, for example, various petunias, geraniums, cineraria, calendulas, hot lips, Erigeron and their shadows.

As can also be seen in the foreground of the Florence picture above, geranium palmatum is prolific throughout the garden. One of our Rosa Glauca bushes blends nicely with the geranium in the first of this pair of photographs.

Here are a few more of our various day lilies, the first bearing a hoverfly.

I traverse paths like the one named Gazebo quite regularly. Today I also ambled along the Back Drive and selected for attention

roses white Félicité Perpétue; a yellow climber; pink Doris Tysterman; paler pink rose from Ringwood’s Pound Shop; and rich red Ernest Morse.

Wedding Day is now coming into flower on the Agriframes Arch which it shares with a deep mauve clematis.

Magpies hunt in pairs in our garden. This evening, as we took our drinks on the patio, the enjoyable, sweet, birdsong was interrupted by

the raucous rasp of these predators communicating their casing of the joint from the branches of the copper beech. All of a sudden they took wing and sped off in another direction. Soon our own avian friends came back to life.

Our dinner consisted of chicken marinaded in a tangy mango and chilli sauce topped with yellow and green peppers and onions; new potatoes; firm cauliflower, and tender green beans, with which Jackie drank more of the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and I chose more of the Australian Cabernet Sauvignon.

Spare Ribs

This morning we drove to New Milton to collect my new specs from Boots and dry cleaning from Whites, then, on a hot and sunny day, continued into the forest

Some way outside Burley we stopped for me to photograph a trio of ponies, including a clinging suckling foal, cropping the roadside verge. I have noticed how the new mare mothers all seem to have bony ribs.

On the approach to Wootton Bridge, Jackie parked beside one of the many hawthorn trees that inhabit the woodlands, and I crossed the road to visit another foal and its family. The dam was another who displayed the spare ribs effect.

These recent mothers all seem to spend time taking in their own nourishment whilst supplying their persistent offspring, Maybe that is why this one led her infant across the road for apparently richer pickings.

I wandered down past bright buttercups, daisies, and young ferns, and crossed to the stream becoming drier by the day. Blown seeds rolled among the shadows; a child kicked an inflated ball while her carers sunbathed.

This evening we enjoyed a second sitting of the excellent Hordle Chinese Take Away, with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Cotes de Gascogne.

Starburst

Today’s weather was warm, sunny, and dry.

Jackie drove us to Tyrell’s Ford Hotel where we enjoyed a reunion lunch with Helen, Shelly, and Ron. We all missed Bill, who was unwell.

Jackie photographed her sisters and Ron.

We all enjoyed the welcoming environment, the friendly service, and the excellent food. My choices were whitebait starter; a main course of chicken and leek pie, chips, and peas; and Eton mess for dessert, with which I drank Flack’s Double Drop. I had no need of further nourishment later.

I photographed a magnificent rhododendron beside the car park.

On our return home, we meandered into the forest.

We stopped on a verge at the high point of Burley Road. To our left, a lone tree with bright gorse in the foreground stood out against the sky. The pairs of blue arrows lining the road are effective traffic calming measures no doubt designed to protect ponies such as the seen on the surrounding moorland. A may tree can be seen on the left.

Beside Forest Road a solitary cow stopped for a drink in the reflecting pool bearing water crowfoots and starbursts of windblown seeds.

The warm sun played with shadows among the almost human trunks and fallen limbs of trees, the pony-cropped grass, and the bright young bracken stems of Bisterne Close’s woodland.