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A Perfect Afternoon (with pics)

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20:00 / 03.06.07

BABY HORSES!

/...melts

Do you live near the new forst?

11:05 / 04.06.07

*beams*

Yep, within cycling distance.

11:54 / 04.06.07

I' so jealous...

I have never been to the New Forest, I am told it is very beautiful.

Do you know the baby horses? Are they wild?

16:53 / 04.06.07

Those foals are mules actually (just look at those cute long ears! Aaaaw, squee!). And yes, they are feral.

There are very strict rules when it comes to letting stallions roam in the New Forest. Only a very small number are allowed each year and they are all stunningly beautiful. They are only out for a couple of months each summer. This is to ensure that not too many foals are born and that they can be sold as riding ponies rather than dog food.

But these rules don’t apply to donkeys.

Luckily for the mares, there’s Rambo. The most vicious and ugliest creature in the New Forest. And bloody noisy - you can hear him braying for miles. But he’s the only male in the village for most of the year. So what’s a mare to do?

19:27 / 04.06.07

I was in Burley last Summer in the New Forest area and it was spectacular to have donkeys and mares with their foals wandering around scritching themselves on street signs and the like. It was a wonderful wee vacation and I highly recommend it (and my lovely B&B hostess PM if you'd like her info). I plan on dragging the spouse with me next time.

I asked Barbelith travel mavens and took the bus from Gatwick so all together it was a very inexpensive trip. Seth was kind enough to give me a lift from Burley into London so I could hasslehoff folks at the Plough.

Mist, I think the link you are looking for is the one in which you found the spoof of Gorean SF done up in houseplants and I sent you a wiki link to the original work?

20:53 / 04.06.07

I've been pretty sick for the last few days, but I got outside and sat in the hammock in the woods. The hammock experience today was near perfect, except for the occasional wracking cough. While I was outside, I took a few pictures around the property. There are only a few flowers going in the woods right now, it's the slow time.

21:15 / 04.06.07

OH! BLISS...

What are those particularly beautiful and carnivorous-looking things in the lower two photos?

I wish I lived where you do.

21:46 / 04.06.07

Mist, I think the link you are looking for is the one in which you found the spoof of Gorean SF done up in houseplants and I sent you a wiki link to the original work?

Yes, Bold XK, that´s the one I´m looking for. : )

21:54 / 04.06.07

The third photo is Aristolochia, also called "dutchman's pipe". There are different species in this genus around the world, this is the one we've got. Same with Arisaema, the bottom one, called "Jack in the pulpit". They are pretty cool, aren't they?

22:18 / 04.06.07

They're gorgeous. I have a thing for organic, fleshy-looking plants that look as if they'd bite you if you went too near.

Seems they're interesting in herblore, too:

From "Dutchman's Pipe", also "Birthwort" wiki entry:

"Aristolochic acid is said to cure wounds or snakebites in a spectacular way. Decoctions of birthwort stimulate the production of white corpuscles and increase their activity. Furthermore, birthwort contains a disinfectant which drains off fluid from the wound. Birthwort was therefore highly regarded by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans."

And "Jack in the Pulpit" entry:

"Some accounts of the Meskwaki Indians state that they would chop the herb's root into meat and leave it for their enemies to find. The taste would not be detectable, but consuming the meat reportedly caused their enemies sufficient pain to be fatal. They also used it to determine the fate of the sick by dropping a seed in a cup of water. If the seed went around four times clockwise, the patient would recover, otherwise they would not."

... although I don't know if that's the same Jack in the Pulpit that you've taken a photo of, there are 4 different species in wikipedia listed with "Jack in the Pulpit" as a common name.

So there you go. The solution to your illness was staring you right in the lens...! Although Aristolochia is also apparently carcinogenic and Arisaema is completely packed with nasty oxalic acid derivatives...

I have learned something.

04:58 / 05.06.07

my lovely B&B hostess PM if you'd like her info

Ta, Breeches! I make mental note... though it may be while until I take you up on this offer, I'm fully A/L booked up this summer already, Wales, Arran, Bordeaux, in that order...

14:16 / 11.06.07

Wales...

Less searchable M0rd4nt

14:25 / 11.06.07

Woo! Also yay!

14:36 / 11.06.07

Wow, looks great. Whereabouts in Wales did you go?

14:38 / 11.06.07

It was gorgeous. I only went for 2 days, I should've gone for a week... I went tramping about barefoot in an ancient oak forest on old leaf-mould mud, not a speck of clay, not a shopping trolley or plastic bag in sight, soft, spongy, *clean* mud.

It was a really constructive experience, in fact, 9 or so sensible, organised hippies rather than the plastic dread-locked, soon-to-be-an-accountant university type, all getting together to talk about consent based decision making, life experiences, nurturing social environments and Green Stuff. I loved it.

14:45 / 11.06.07

archabyss - PMing you

Elijah, Freelance Rabbi

15:07 / 11.06.07

That isn't Wales, that be Middle-Earth!

A couple of weeks ago I got married. It was a lovely afternoon, although a bit bright.

Withiel: DALI'S ROTTWEILER

15:09 / 11.06.07

Sibelian - is that a Roger Dean-designed house? If it is, I totally fanboy you now. If not, I'll just envy you for going somewhere so lovely...

15:19 / 11.06.07

Congratulations, Elijah! Horray for sun and weddings! Blessings upon you.

15:23 / 11.06.07

Withiel -

It is a small village built by a friend of a friend entirely made of examples of "natural" architecture, focussing on sustainability and low impact living. It has 2 navajo huts, a roundhouse (how the ancient Brits used to live) a hobbit house, some log cabins and an adobe, all built from natural materials, preferably locally sourced.

I think I shall post some more pics...

Joy Division Oven Gloves

16:29 / 11.06.07

Congratulations Elijah, I hope the sun keeps smiling on you both.

16:44 / 11.06.07

Aaand some more...

A snake branch

More detail of the front of the adobe

A nice hot fire

Me relaxing in the sun...

Closed for Business Time

16:59 / 11.06.07

I believe this whole thread should copy'n pasted into the "gives me a happy"-thread. Sibelian, your Wales pix are heavenly.

17:29 / 11.06.07

Yeah, congrats, Elijah

17:30 / 11.06.07

Lovely piccys, Sib

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