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We have experienced an intermittently leaky kitchen extension roof since we arrived here. The amount of infiltration has depended upon the wind direction rather than the quantity of precipitation. One person has already allegedly repaired it – not very effectively.
Sid, a very personable extra pair of hands, has joined Aaron in AP Maintenance. Today he mixed up cement and mended the roof properly.
Aaron pruned a straggly climbing rose, and cleared more of the West Bed including stripping dead and intrusive growth from another palm, and sawing off an exposed tree stump we hadn’t known was there. When I told him that Sid had spotted a cracked tile and asked if we had any more, and I had replied that we had, but I would need to ask Jackie where they were, Aaron gave her yet another title. “The Maintenance Department”, said our friend, who knows the score.
Just to show willing, I assisted The Head Gardener in her general maintenance tasks this afternoon by occupying myself dead-heading.
This is, of course, the season for showy dahlias
bright, bushy, chrysanthemums,
and snaking nasturtiums;
but I am surprised to see honeysuckle rising again in both back and front gardens.
Geraniums
and begonias cling on to life;
and fuchsias like Mrs Popple dangle away.
We have some multicoloured Rudbeckia;
the aptly named salvia Hot Lips;
and long-lived cosmoses.
The apparently everlasting For Your Eyes Only keeps company in the Rose Garden with
fresh flushes of Love Knot,
Laura Ford,
and Mamma Mia.
The Small White butterflies are still enjoying the verbena bonarensis,
and bees still gather pollen provided by such as this clematis.
This evening we returned to the Turfcutter’s Arms
for a roast pork dinner. Jackie drank Peroni and enjoyed a chocolate sponge dessert with ice cream; my choices were Ringwood’s Best and fruit crumble with custard.
So pleased you have got your leaky roof repaired properly.. And so much colour is still in our gardens… And loved your Begonias, cosmos, fuchsias and roses.. Hope you escaped the heavy down pouring of storms today Derrick.. we had thunder and hail this afternoon.. But we managed to get some gardening done this morning..
Have a great week.. Sue 🙂
Thanks a lot, Sue. We didn’t have the storms yesterday
Good to hear.. Enjoy a bright week.. digging is in order this week in the allotments.. 🙂 now the potatoes are out.. 🙂
Those kinds of roof are the very devil with minimal slope to keep the water from banking up in the wind — glad you found an expert. I like the idea of that fruit crumble.
Many thanks, Leslie. Sid knows roofing. The other man was a window fixer.
I was going to say “Nothing’s worse than a windy leak” but I wouldn’t want to be misunderstood. Love the rudbeckia in particular.
Thank’s a lot, Bruce. I suppose you know the answer to the schoolboy’s question: “Miss, are farts wet?”
I know not he answer but shall google it,,,
The answer is “No”. And the boy’s response?
I dread to think…
🙂
Autumnal colour is creeping into the garden, those Rudbeckia are just fabulous! I think there has to be a new catch-all title, or perhaps a catchy acronym, for your fair lady Derrick – what we have now is becoming rather cumbersome and one wouldn’t want to leave anything off……
Suggestions welcome, Pauline. I don’t think General Factotum would answer. Many thanks
That’s good your roof is fixed, the plumber in me was about to come and help out. Leaking roof’s are always a tricky problem.
Many thanks, Ivor. That would have been fun
Turfcutter’s Arms looks quite welcoming, Derrick.
It certainly is, which is why it was packed out the day before. Thanks very much, Jill
Its great that you have your roof fixed! Every photo is more lovely Derrick! The colors and landscaping is so beautiful!
Thanks very much, Lynn
The first one of the images popped right out of the screen!
I was amused when you talked about the earlier alleged repair. How annoying is that! Aaron is apparently a capable general of his art but he is smart enough to look up to The Maintenance Department. Back in our place, ‘Home Ministry’ is a rather a popular appellation. Glad you could make to the ‘Turfcutter’s Arm’. Somehow the name always reminds me of a short story by Jeffrey Archer.
Thanks very much, Uma. I’ve never read Jeffrey Archer, but I did once attend a charity auction where he extracted thousands of pounds from rich attendees
He is not unlike the characters in his stories.
🙂
Sid and Aaron should thrive. It is so difficult to get decent handymen to work honestly and effectively. Getting them to turn up on time is usually beyond the capabilities of most of them.
True. These men are so reliable
Lovely colours Derrick.
Having a house is life long project 🙂
Thanks very much, Rupali. It sure is
Send Aaron over here, Derrick!! After Hurricane Irma – my whole neighborhood is leaking!
🙂 Thanks a lot, GP. Aaron has quite a few invitations across the globe now.
We could use him, too!
🙂
Despite the news of honest workmen and flowers all I can think about is roast pork.
🙂 Many thanks. Quercus
Dinner looks great!
Thanks very much, LL/PS
The dahlias look so cheerful in the sunshine. I heard nasturtiums are edible. Have you ever tasted them?
They are edible – good in salads – but I’ve never knowingly tried them. Thanks a lot, Pleasant
As a child my favourite sandwich was made with nasturtium leaves, proper butter and just a sprinkle of salt, yummy. They are a little peppery in salads and the flowers decorate anything!
Very cool, thank you~! Worth planting next year, I’d say
Jackie says the seeds make a good alternative to capers
Glad you got a knowledgable hand on the roof. I love the flowers, and am particularly fond of geraniums. I love how they burst in the fall, a moment of glory before they must die away. At least they do here in the American South!
Here too, Ellen. Thanks a lot
Pelargoniums (to give them their correct name) do die here too, but are so easy to take cuttings from and this year I am determined to get plenty for next year, I have to use my newly built and rather posh, greenhouse!
Exactly the same here, Ellen. You are of course right about the name. Thanks a lot.
Sorry about your roof, but love and adore your fall garden. Mine is falling but offering lots of remaining nectar for the coming now Hummingbirds, migrating Monarchs, slow moving bees and I so love this time. Really focused on your Salvia Hot Lips, most of my lips are still red. May I Haiku the saliva? Your begonias framed by the whicker chair is moving me to words as well. Another winner.
Many thanks, Pamela. Please do haiku – but don’t let WordPress at it 🙂
Will do and many thanks!
A roof and rain and wind all combine to prove that water flows up hill and can permeated a solid surface.
Quite so, Paol. Many thanks
Jackie is a very talented woman wearing many hats! 🙂
She is, Many thanks, Lavinia
They just bung the food on the plate don’t they!
No thought given to presentation, bung it on; shove it out, seemingly swimming in gravy!
I suppose they’d support my mothers words when she ‘dished-up”; “it’s going to be bigger mess where it’s going”
Still I suppose it tasted alright, did it? 🙁
It did, Brian. Thanks a lot