Sweet nothings

He gathers windfalls and leaves them on the white washed gate post. I used to think it was an invitation to help yourself. Now I know it's a stash he's keeps for the horses.

As the evening sun sparkles on the lake, he takes a few in his pocket and wanders down towards the waterside field. I was there tonight and heard him talk horse.

"There there girl, that's a good girl, ..........."

She pricks up her ears and walks towards him.......

"Do you want an apple? Sure you do, you do, you'd love an apple. What have I got? Have got one for you, have I have......."

She nuzzles, sniffles at his hand.......

"Who's a good girl, O here's himself now, (laughter......as the other horse approaches) would you want an apple too now sir......you would sir, you would......O you would indeed......."


Sweet nothings, coaxings, words of love.

The Mare's breakfast!

When would he arrive with breakfast? The snow had settled as it rarely ever does. The hours were passing and the icy grass was none too appetising.

The mare heard the engine before the foal even realised that at last he was on his way.

Bale after bale of warm hay, thrown over the hedge. Steam rose from it as they both dived in.

Now the mug of coffee and the crunchy toast for me. All of us lucky to have our much needed breakfast on this beautiful but freezing cold morning beside the lake.

Then across the field, the sounds of happy munching........

Looking into each others eyes

My children once explained to me that although animals share our world, we treat them as inferior instead of as different. O yes they argued humans think we are vastly superior, so clever, so advanced. But we are wrong they said, all the beings on the planet are just different versions of life, intelligence, adaptation. Each have special skills and advantages. The sense of smell in a dog is 40 times bigger than ours, just for one example. In fact the lads always believed that dolphins might even be superior to all life forms.....

They knew more about it, being closer to animals than I ever was. They slept with them, they kept them in the pockets, under their jackets, about their person. They kissed them and talked to them. They dressed them up in clothes and fed them with a spoon. They studied them.

When they faced me with deeper philosophical teachings like this, most of the time I was willing to learn.

Now looking into the eyes of animals I feel apologetic for all our human superior attitudes and ignorance. They look back into my eyes as if they are listening intently, but especially if we have never been introduced, they look kind of wary........and who could blame them.....

Alone with my thoughts

 

On a small strip of land between the sea and the wall of the house, this beautiful horse has been casually grazing. He is a constant presence and from the house can be seen peeping up over the stone wall, his dappled coat blending in perfectly with the misty landscape.

If ever an animal or a scene was conjured up to convey "a typical Irish landscape" then maybe this is it!

The neighbours feed him vegetables and he shyly takes everything he can get, soon going back to his strong silent pose just over the wall. 

His gaze follows my route back to the house, our bar-b-que, the evening swim, the Weather Forecast on TV. Through it all he is there, still curious, still watching, still negotiating that little strip of land he calls home.

I struggle with his isolation. I think about what he might be missing. But then I remember my own world, often alone with this camera and my thoughts. We look into each other's eyes, a small moment of shared experience.......

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