Birds of a feather Mosaic.

Birds of a feather Mosaic.
Originally uploaded by Missy2004.

A mosaic for the Birds of a feather competition.

Sunny but windy.

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We had very heavy rain overnight and some showers this morning. We walked at Ocknell and there were big puddles everywhere. It was also very muddy, so just as well there were some big puddles right next to the car. At times it was very overcast and threatening to rain, but then the sun would come out and warm us from the cold winds. Several times we saw deer, including a large herd on the slope above the bog.

Snshine and showers today, but we managed not to get wet on our walk

A herd of fallow deer on the slope

Reflections ina dew pond.


So many big puddles as we continue to get a lot of heavy rain.

Morning at Telegraph

Claypits Bottom


This morning we walked at Telegraph. Although mild it was very windy. There were also a lot of small flies about .After we had walked through the trees we walked along Homy ridge and then down through Claypits bottom , where there is a small stream . I do like some of these forest names. We met a herd of woolly cows and saw some deer.At times we had blues skies but we could see threatening rainclouds and several times it has rained.
Missy found a nice new tennis ball that someone had lost so she enjoyed her walk.

Swan Lake on Ice

For Valentines Day, John bought tickets for The Imperial Ice Stars production of Swan Lake, which we went to see last night. It was magical.The costumes were designed to be of the Romanov period and were beautiful. The skaters perform on an ice rink that takes 36 hours to errect and it is only 15metres square.
The special effects were wonderful,and included a snow blizzard and a ring of fire on the ice. Two of the skaters performed on stilts! Well worth seeing if you get the chance.

Round Hill Campsite and Beaulieu Heath

This is Round Pond at Roundhill campsite , on Beaulieu Heath. It is deep enough for the dogs to swim and the signs suggest that there are fish in the pond. We ended up walking here today as the carpark at Culverly was closed! In fact it was a good choice as there are plenty of gravel tracks(This was a wartime air field) and it meant we were not sliding about in the mud. After two dry winters and summers, this winter has seen a lot of heavy rain. It rained all dy yesterday and also in the night.There is standing water all over the forest and it is very muddy on most of the tracks. Many of the pats were under several inches of water but wth a firm base it was easy to splash through and of course the dogs loved it.The campsite is closed in the winter (just as well as much of it was under water) so it was fairly deserted with just a few dog walkers and some cyclists using the tracks.

A pony watches the dogs
Yellow Brain (Tremella mesenterica) This fungi is soft and jellyylike and can vary in colour from almost white to a deep golden yellow. It is edible.
Missy disappeared down this hole and came up with a tennis ball..I do nt know how she knew it was there!

After two very dry winters, this one has been very wet, much of the rain has fallen at night, but everywhere is flooded.

Signs at Round hill campsite........Taivas practices her reading skills

At Roundhill campsite

Yellow Mosaic

Yellow Mosaic
Originally uploaded by Missy2004.

Making my own sunshine on a wet miserable day!

Blue Skies Today

Today the skies were blue but more rain is forecast for tomorrow!

Milly ford on a damp morning

We walked at Millyford this morning. It was dull and damp, not a good day for photos. I did like this shot of the pony though. On our walk we passed the site , where there had once been a cottage and part of the garden can still be seen growing amongst the forest trees. The Daffodils are budding up and I made a note to go back in a couple of weeks time to see them.

Walking at Milly Ford on a dreary Winter day

A visit to Cadmans Pond.

This morning is a dull day, but very little wind and its dry. We walked from Cadmans Pond. A lot of geese and ducks were milling around and there were plenty of visitors feeding them. It is the start of the half term schol Holday so the forest seemed a little busier this morning. We walked a long the little stream called Dockens Water and then up and Down Ragged Boys Hill by holly Hatch Cottage.

Raffles looks a little surprised to see such a clear reflection of the bridge.

A white pony stand on ragged Boys Hill.

Holly Hatch Cottage is a keepers cottage right in the middle of the forest.


More Winter reflections in Dockens water

Dull grey and very muddy in the forest.

the forest is really very muddy at the moment , doesn't matter where you go there is mud and plenty of it. At Fritham there is a lot of heather and Missy and raffles had a great time running after balls. We didn't see any deer today , but we did meet two very big fat pigs out for a stroll.

John and Missy at Fritham


Two big pigs were out for a stroll, its a little late for it to still be Pannage season (This is when the pigs are let out on the forest to eat the acorns)

The sun is shining lets go for a walk

Its a beautiful sunny morning in the forest and we went to Pigbush for a walk. The forest is very wet and muddy and most of the time we were squelching through mud, or finding away to get through big puddles. The dogs were not complaining and I think they enjoyed laughing at the humans getting bogged down. We seem to have ahad a lot of rain recently and the Beaulieu River had burst its banks yet again. The last two winters have been drier a than usual , with dry summers as well and I think we had forgotten just how muddy the forest can get.Dogs of course are not bothered by a bit of mud!

Missy has spotted something in the bush and she wants it.
The Causeway at Pigbush

Silver Birch against the Blue sky.
Taivas surveys the Forest , looking for some mischief to get into.
Missy is enjoying the water and chasing her ball
The River beaulieu has burst its banks and the forest is very wet.
A pony quietly grazes in Tanatany woods

some more (e)Xcellent photos from my flickr friends

some more (e)Xcellent photos from my flickr friends
Originally uploaded by Missy2004.

Here are some more Photos that have caught my eye on Flickr. have a happy Valentines day everyone.

Matley Woods in the Rain showers

Today we walked from the carpark at Matley woods, It is a very long time since I last did this , so it made a nce change. We had showery weather and quite a cold wind blowing.When we got down to the beaulieu River we could see that it had burst its banks



Most of the ponies we saw today were sheltering in the woods rather than out on the open heathland.

Sunday Morning at Busketts

Its very muddy in the forests and the little streams are running high.