A Conundrum 2

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We took it easy today. Prompted by today’s post from thebikinggardener I wandered around the garden to see how our Hellebores are doing.

Some way behind Geoff’s, ours are coming through.

Many primulas have so far survived the winter.

Mist on cherub

The shattered bits of cherub Jackie found in the undergrowth a couple of years ago have gained a fine coating of moss.

Honesty and weeping birch

The remnants of honesty, hollowing ovals on stems, blends well with the weeping birch bark.

The parent viburnum Bontantense and its two children are blooming well. One joins with a leycesteria in beginning to mask Aaron’s new fencing.

Winter flowering cherry

Alongside the winter flowering cherry

Blackbird

and beneath the crab apples, a blackbird dropped down for a change of diet.

Pieris

This pieris takes my mind off the fact that the grass needs cutting.

Hydrangea

A few youthful pink cheeks survive amid those ageing, wrinkly, and skeletal ones of this hydrangea.

Eggshells on new bed

Finally, the conundrum. Who has dragged a clutch of eggshells from the compost heap across the New Bed? Well, we did spot a rat, hands and nose pressed to the pane, peering, like Tiny Tim, through our window when we ate our Christmas dinner.

Just before 4.30 p.m., we dashed out to Barton on Sea to watch the sun sink into Christchurch Bay. I did not stage the photograph of the woman kicking it back up into the sky.

A while later we dined at Lal Quilla. My choice was lamb shatkora massala; Jackie’s prawn sallee. We shared an egg paratha, mushroom rice, and sag bahji; and both drank Kingfisher.

56 comments

  1. I can’t help with the quandary but you have piqued my curiosity so I’ll call back later to see if anyone else has an idea. Magnificent sunset picture – I think I like the keepy-uppy picture best!

  2. Saving the best for last, I see – what a finale! The opening was pretty impressive too. I am surprised to see so much colour and lovely blooms.

  3. I am quite entertained by the thought of a poor deprived rat peering at your Christmas Feasting through the window pane. An eggshell or two is poor compensation! Fabulous sunset photos!

  4. The flowers start earlier in your part of the world, Derrick! Weay have some confused plants and flowers creating buds but not very many. Our mild winter is taking a respite but should be back to sub-zero temps soon Tiny Tim Rat sounds rather cute, but my son had a pet rat who was quite sweet. He left his cage open and it was like a pet rabbit we had that used a box to do his business. Argo rode in Jamie’s pocket with his two front feet perched on his shirt pocket, while bike raced down sidewalks around town. 🙂 Sunset was astounding!

      1. This is so cool that May had a rat, too. 🙂 The description of the hydrangea with aging skin and pinkness still in youthful blooms~ (however you expressed this was very poetic and pretty, Derrick.)

  5. That sunset is just breath taking, I’d love to witness one like that; ours are here we go – gone, that quick you wouldn’t have time for a second shot.

    Well not quite that bad but you get the idea.

    Just love those pictures of the sun going down, impossible to imagine

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