Now And Then

Because of my severely restricted mobility my rambling currently is confined literally to ‘[My] Own Back Yard’, and metaphorically through my photographic archives.

This morning I ambled along the back drive taking a few more shots of the North Breeze jungle next door.

This chair rests behind the hedge we have pruned,

revealing the dilapidated fence,

and the abandoned garden itself.

A magnificent magnolia, now ensnared by brambles, is a further example of how splendid the neighbouring plot once was.

Jackie’s new bed has brightened the South West corner of ours.

This morning Jackie drove us on a round trip, first to Lidl to buy a pair of garden chairs and trailing geraniums; then to Stewarts in Christchurch for some edging sheers and digitalis plants; and finally to Molly’s Den for four more Stella glasses, two of which she had bought some days ago. The walking stick was required to take me round the stores.

This afternoon I rambled in the slide collection to the first garden we shared together, and to a photoshoot from August 1972 in the small London plot of 76 Amity Grove.

I scanned eighteen photographs. These are a selection from them.

This evening we dined on Jackie’s liver, bacon, and sausage casserole; mashed potato, cauliflower, carrots, and cabbage; followed by apricot and prune crumble and custard. Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I finished the Lussac Saint-Emilion.