Soggy Saturday

I have just come back from a weekend in my favourite place, the New Forest. Unfortunately it poured with rain. Bad weather never stops us enjoying our walks through the forest, although, on this occasion wellies would have been more practical than walking boots because as you can see from this picture even the paths were giant puddles.

We tried to base most of our walking in woody areas for shelter and because that is where most of the ponies and deer go when it is wet. Inevitably we got lost a few times (there are so many tracks in the woods it is hard to tell which is an animal track and which is a human track) so our short walks always ended up as very long walks. On one of these unplanned detours we came across this lovely old tree that had bracken and a holly tree growing out off one of it's branches.

It put me in mind of the gravel area in our garden. The idea was to have an area, free from plants, for the clothes line but the plants had other ideas and have self sown themselves all over the gravel and seem to thrive there a lot better than in the flower beds:-)

Talking of plants, now the weather is a bit warmer it is time I started sowing some seeds. I had great intentions of starting the sowing earlier this year but because the weather has been so cold and my husband doesn't like heating the greenhouse I have put it off. The consequence is that I have loads to do all at once (including my 150 Lavender seeds) and very little time to do it. It will be worth it though when I can sit back and see the bees and butterflies enjoying the results of my hard work.

We have just this minute taken delivery of a new, up to date, computer so if I don't post for a while it will be because of teething problems (I have no faith when it comes to new things working first time, especially computers). Thank goodness we have a son (with a Computer Science degree) still living at home:-)

New Forest Return

My visit to the New Forest was as lovely as ever. The spring foals are growing rapidly and spending lots of time playing with each other; the mares are filling out and looking a lot fitter and there is the usual plethora of wildlife round every corner. What a wonderful place. I wish I didn't have to come home...maybe one day I won't:-)

When I got up this morning I became aware of a very strange bird call. I grabbed the binoculars and darted from window to window trying to see what was making the noise but then I realised that my daughter had left her i-phone here and it was that giving her a wake up call (nice way to wake up). lol.

I did hear another welcomed bird call just as we got back from the New Forest. It was our Buzzard pair who have been absent for a few weeks. They were circling above us and very tenderly encouraging an offspring with its flying skills. Great! It shows things are going well with them. Unfortunately they were too high up for me to get a decent picture with my little camera.

While we've been away not only have the dreaded weeds grown again but I'm pleased to say that all our fruit and veg have too. We are eating runner beans and courgettes with every meal and giving them away to anyone who passes by. The cob nuts are ripening nicely and we will soon be racing against the squirrels to harvest them.

The plum tree was so laden with fruit this year that unfortunately a branch broke with the weight of the fruit while we were away. I wonder if they will still ripen enough for us and the birds to eat them.

Anniversary in the New Forest

The New Forest never disappoints when it comes to wildlife. We get off the beaten track and usually walk miles further than intended because we get lost but we always come back having seen something special that compensates for the aching legs. Add to this there is an abundance of my favourite animal, the horse, and I am in my element. I love it down there.

Going at this time of year is particularly enjoyable as there are so many baby animals.

Shortly after I took this photo a stallion started rounding up her and about 30 other ponies and driving them into a valley. Another young stallion was trying to join them but the 'boss' stallion wouldn't let it get anywhere near and kept chasing him back up the hill. This happened time and time again and at one point, after chasing the young stallion, the 'boss' stallion got down and rolled, something horses don't often do when alone unless they are feeling very confident. He then got up and went back to his mares. It was a definite signal saying, ' don't mess with me.' The young stallion went over and smelt where the 'boss' stallion had rolled and after that, although still following and smelling the air, he kept his distance. It was fascinating to watch. The reason for this battle of wills was this lovely mare who was in season, not a typical New Forest pony but beautiful all the same.

There were so many other interesting things; lots of birds, dragonflies, reptiles and flowers, too many things to go into in one post so here are just a couple more pics of babies we came across.

A lovely way to spend our 33rd wedding anniversary.