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Jackie carried out much knowledgeable weeding and planting this morning, whilst I cleared up the discards and conveyed them to the compost pile.
The early sun lit libertias standing in the Weeping Birch Bed,
and enlivened the burgeoning Rose Garden.
Various clematises,
including this wonderfully scented Montana festooned over the front wall;
the weigela winding down the south fence;
ubiquitous aquilegias;
the pink rambler on the front garden trellis;
borders everywhere, like this corner sporting campanulas, libertia, and geraniums Ingwersen’s Variety,
and the long Back Drive hosting splendid golden irises, relished their welcome refreshment.
A fly alighted on one of the front tub’s primroses.
This afternoon I added a little more to my biography of an era including me. I now have a working title: ‘A Knight’s Tale’. I took more text, and
this photograph from ‘A Sneaky Weekend’
I then made some prints from recent posts for Louisa.
After this I joined Jackie in the weeding, concentrating my efforts on uprooting the more obvious infiltrators, namely the smelly white alliums, clinging ladies’ bedstraw, and golden buttercups occupying the wrong beds.
This evening, there being no table available at the Crown in Everton, we dined at the Smugglers’ Inn at Milford on Sea. Having starters was a mistake. The platefuls were excellent. Mine contained battered whitebait, plentiful fresh salad, and thick wedges of equally fresh bread. Jackie received a huge plateful of bread and olives. Each serving was a meal in itself. An even bigger mistake was, in my case, ordering succulent sirloin steak, still more fresh salad, a mountain of perfect chips, onion rings, and fried onions, mushrooms and tomatoes. Jackie was treated to a huge bowl of cannelloni. more salad, and an equal number of chips to mine. Neither of us could finish our food, and we did not require a look at the dessert menu. The food was, I hasten to add, all extremely good, and the service impeccable. We both reminisced that, in our prime, we would have managed all this. Jackie drank Amstel, and I drank Doom Bar..
Your appetite is admirable. The working title for the book couldn’t be better.
Very many thanks, Oglach.
That is an excellent title for a book Derrick! yesterday I was thinking you could call it ‘A Knight’s Ride’ but this is much better! The garden is looking glorious. I think the amount of food served to you last night would last me a week!
Very many thanks, Pauline. I think we could make it last a few days, too. 🙂
Love ‘A Sneaky Weekend’ !
Now I know what they mean by ‘as pretty as a picture’. Your garden surely is.
Very many thanks, Mary.
That’s a very apt title for the book, Derrick. And, no wonder that you couldn’t finish the food… 😀 😀
Thanks very much for both observations, Maniparna
Lovely garden. Wish I could get ours to that stage. Still, I did manage to mow the lawns today, though the process was more like clearing jungle.
Imagining that meal has me salivating AND feeling bloated, all at the same time!
Thanks a lot Leslie. Nicely honed ambivalence. 🙂
Such lovely pictures Derrick. And what a great title. Have a fabulous weekend.
Many thanks, Miriam
I’m looking forwards to the book.
Garden is looking lovely.
Many thanks, Quercus
🙂
Excellent title, and I’m sure it’ll be a Knight to remember.
Many thanks, Bruce. Back on form with the puns.
🙂
First off, your working title…fantastic! That should remain, Derrick. As for your photos, so vibrant! I love the winding weigela.
Thanks very much, Jill
Those golden irises enchant my eye and spirit–but such a surfeit of beauty! It’s all shaping up already. Your title is quaint and apropos in a few ways. 🙂
Thanks very much, Cynthia
Your garden is burgeoning with blossom. I do love the primulas and that picture of you with your father.
Many thanks, Lisa
Absolutely gorgeous!
Many thanks, Elisabet
Thanks for enriching my morning with sumptuous greenery and breakfast.
Many thanks, Uma
You realize, of course, that I do not have a stomach, and detailing the amount of food that you consumed, is tantamount to torture, and torture is forbidden on WordPress pages?
It was torture attempting to eat it, Brian. Thanks a lot
I have no sympathy whatsoever
🙂
These clematises are so beautiful! So glad to hear the progress of your book. 🙂
Thanks very much, Amy
Great title! Lovely garden!
Many thanks, Laurie
Derrick, it’s always a delight to stroll through your garden. What is the temperature range at this time of year?
about 12 degrees centigrade maximum, but mostly under 10. Thanks very much Rosaliene.
That’s cold for me, but manageable 🙂
Same for us. 🙂 It’s due to warm up next week.
I was quite taken by the top photo, Derrick, which I discovered below are golden irises. It’s like a still life. Then of course, all of the rest of the photos are beautiful, as well. I went back to look at your post from which you took the photo of you with your father–so touching!
Like others I think your book title is perfect. Your dinner sounds wonderful–and it’s nice to have some for another meal, or two. 🙂
Very many thanks, Merril
“ubiquitous aquilegias” … nicely stated! Ah, it was lovely meandering through such a charming garden. Your working title is fantastic!! Bruce Goodman’s “A Knight to Remember” is wonderful, as well. It’s late here, so I shall say “goodnight” or dare I say, “good knight?” 😀
🙂 Thanks a lot, Rose. It may have been late, but you had your wits about you.
😀
Blooming wonderful! But all that food … you are a brave man.
Many thanks, Brenda. It’s not often I can’t finish a meal 🙂
The garden is a wonderful, colorful oasis but a never-ending battle to keep from getting “unruly!” You both manage this weeding and thinning process, admirably! 🙂
I purposely pay $2 extra for dinner sized meals instead of smaller portions, just so I may have a second meal for not much cost, Derrick. I add bread service since homemade bread is always a treat but if I were to buy the whole wheat flour, eggs, yeast, and other ingredients, I could purchase several loaves of bread. . .
The title is very apropos and like that you are going to make it a story of an era.
Many thanks, Robin
Your gardens are looking very lovely. Sounds like you had a perfect day working outside, some work on the memoir and a fine diner out with Jackie.
Thanks very much, Lavinia