ANY OLD IRON?

At Little Hampden, on the fast lane between Great Missenden and Chequers this forge stands a short way back from the road. The smith makes decorative ironwork pieces and this one of the two pieces currently on display.

Sometimes I haven't stopped to take photos but I couldn't resist having a closer look. As you can see this stag is made from old horseshoes welded together. I think it must be lifesize, too.

Here's the detail of how the chest area is tightly packed with parts of shoes and the body is whole shoes. Some people are so clever! I wonder how many shoes went into making this - and the time and patience.

The other piece which is currently displayed is this graceful ArtDeco flower piece

and few years ago there was a sculpture of kites circling, also on this sort of scale.

Perhaps when I go along this road next, if the forge is open, I'll go in and have a talk with him.

The cottage in the background of the top photo was lived in by a dinner lady at the school where I taught - but I didn't knock to see if she was still in residence.

CHILLY WINTER WALK

As it was a sunny afternoon, though a very cold wind, I went for a walk to see what I could find to photograph.

There were some snowdrops in the stables hedgerow but they're not fully out yet so difficult to see among the dead leaves and twigs. Walking back up the slope Helen arrived so I went in with her.

The horses were all at the top of the field which was lucky - I didn't have to walk down to them.

The grey (above) is Corinne and belongs to Helen's friend; the other is Jiggy, Helen's horse, and the photo below is Jiggy with Indy, her daughter. They are black, brown and white - just like the cat!

Indy will be three in June this year and she's already larger than her mum. She was smaller once - when she was about 4 or 5 hours old... Helen let the puppy, Bella, free to run about the yard and as Tiggy, aka Tigs, came to say Hallo, Bella rushed up to her with an excess of enthusiasm. The black blob is the puppy just arriving!
She took refuge on top of the hay bales. She's been part of the family for some years and hated it when the family lived in a rented house on an estate but when she was brought to the stables she took to it immediately. Fat and happy describes her now. Plenty of 'food on the hoof'.

A few of the chickens were picking over the ground and this is the best shot today. The hens are laying enough eggs for them to be put outside for sale and trusting to the honesty of passersby to put the payment in the letter box. Helen knows that eggs were stolen by people who were sledging during the snow and recently by some youths walking by.
On the way home I saw these hazel catkins which look OK against the dark background.
That all folks!! My 101st Post since August last year...