Flower Arranging

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Today is the hundredth anniversary of my father’s birth. Born on Michaelmas Day 1917 he died on Christmas Day 1987, so did not live to see this one.

Catherington cemetery 1

This afternoon Jackie drove herself and me to Elizabeth’s where we decanted into my sister’s car and she drove us to Catherington Cemetery where our father is buried.

Gulls at Catherington

The resting place is on high ground and surrounded by fields over which gulls flew

Horses in field

and in which horses grazed on this day.

Dad's Gravestone 1

We gathered at Dad’s grave and paid our respects.

Elizabeth with watering can

Elizabeth fetched a watering can

Elizabeth watering

from which she filled the vase.

Elizabeth and Jackie arranging flowers 1Elizabeth and Jackie arranging flowers 2Elizabeth and Jackie arranging flowers 4Elizabeth and Jackie arranging flowers 5Elizabeth arranging flowers

Elizabeth and Jackie arranging flowers 6Flowers on Dad's Gravestone

With Jackie’s assistance she then arranged the flowers she had brought with her,

 

Elizabeth photographing

finally photographing the result,

Catherington Cemetery - Dad's gravestone bottom right

which lies in the bottom right of this picture.

Catherington cemetery 2

Behind the hedge beyond the upper level of this modern graveyard stands the Church of All Saints with the much older stones of this parish dating from the twelfth century. We did visit the church and its surroundings, but, because of the lateness of the hour, I must leave reporting on that until tomorrow.

We took a leisurely drive back to Wickham where we dined at the excellent Indian restaurant, the Veranda. My choice of meal was tender and spicy Lamb Lal Maas, with my share of special fried rice, plain paratha and a vegetable dish containing cashew nuts, the name of which I cannot remember. Elizabeth and I drank Kingfisher while Jackie drank Diet Coke.

Elizabeth then drove us back to her home whence Jackie drove us home in her Modus. As we travelled over the moors from Beaulieu we experienced the benefits of a reflective collar around the neck of a dusky pony crossing in front of us. It is good to see that some of them retain their luminosity.

46 comments

  1. What a sad, lovely day. How we miss those who have passed. My own father died when he was 54, and I often think him.

    1. We live so close to the Dorset border (My sister just up the road does live in Dorset), and we were considering Bridport as a possible place to buy a house, before we settled on this one. Small world.

  2. That was a lovely way to remember your dad Derrick – a hundred years seems a long time in some ways and in other ways it seems like it might also go by in a flash……. The flowers look lovely. I was also pleased to note you did not hit a pony on the way home!

  3. A day of reflection and memory. I’m glad you got to spend it with Jackie and Elizabeth.
    (I meant reflection, as in thinking about, not the pony’s collar, but that, too.). 🙂

  4. Shadows of the headstones lend a heavenly aura to the resting land. The hues of tranquility have lent themselves well to the images. Peace be upon our forefathers! Peace be upon us!

  5. A meaningful full day and a wonderful record of it! Peace and tranquility indeed! Thank you for sharing
    Gives us all pause for thought and reflection.

  6. Such a peaceful place for a final resting place. My husband’s father was born in 1916 and died in 1988. A short life by today’s standards; we often think the rigours of his war service had something to do with his early death.

  7. A beautiful tribute to your father, Derrick, and such a peaceful cemetery. My father would be 108 this year, my mother 106. He died a few months before his 71st birthday. My parents were on the much older side when I was born.

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