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Nasturtiums are the yardstick of frost. When their thick tendrils go limp and soggy and the flowers droop, we know that frost has arrived. On an overcast morning of this unseasonably oppressively warm day, I wandered out in the garden to take the measure of them.
The flowers may look a little careworn, but they are bearing up well.
I then spent far too long fine-tuning my complaints letter to a partner of the O’Neill Patient legal firm before finally posting it by recorded delivery and e-mailing copies to our mortgage broker and to Becky. A much more pleasant task was the final bit of paperwork as an executor of my late friend Wolf’s estate.
This involved Jackie driving me to the Post Office in New Milton. We continued on to Tanner’s Lane in time for a pre-sunset look at
the shore,
where a weak sun gleamed on the water.
Gradually
the hues deepened.
While watching this, I became aware of distant exuberant voices, until one small boy rushed past me, came to a standstill,
and waited for another to join him. Perhaps you can’t run so fast in Wellies.
Off they both continued, still testing their lung capacity,
until a somewhat larger lad divided them.
Bringing up the rear was a young woman I took to be the mother of at least one of the runners. She said she often brought them down here, where they loved to run about or throw stones. They would rather do that than anything else. “What could be better?” she exclaimed.
As I returned to the car I admired the cloudscape over the Isle of Wight and The Needles.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s succulent steak and mushroom pie, creamy mashed potatoes, crisp cabbage and crunchy carrots. The Culinary Queen drank Hoegaarden and I drank Reserve des Tuguets madiran 2014.
Beautiful!
Thanks a lot, cigarman
Delightful photographs. Thanks for posting, derrick.
Many thanks, Roland
Another good day – and winter has held off for one more morning.
Yes, thanks, GP. Temperatures expected to be in double figures all week
More time for enjoying the garden!!
The joy of running along the beach. What could be better? … nowadays, to stand and observe others having so much fun!
Quite so, Val 🙂 Many thanks
Young boys running as fast as their wellies will allow, yelling as loud as their lungs will allow and throwing stones as far and as hard as their little arms will allow – what indeed could be better fun for young boys? 😀
Absolutely, Pauline. Many thanks
So well put, Pauline.
Thank you Jodie 🙂
The culinary queen, how cool and totally appropriate. I’ve never heard of crunchy cabbage, sounds delicious with the steak. Beautiful final flowers derrick. And how could I not totally love those beach scenes. Have a good evening guys.
Very many thanks, Mary
Running about and throwing stones! Nothing better.
Absolutely. Thanks a lot, Laurie
Delightful captures of the running! 🙂
What a stroke of luck that was, Amy. Thanks a lot
Yowza! I love that last shot, Derrick!
Many thanks, Jill. An afterthought, really
We’ve had several killing frosts already, Derrick. It’s time to start the rip out and clean up (if we have a warmish day).
Good luck, Jodie. Many thanks
Those sunset photos are spectacular.
And what could be better than children playing on a beach?
Exactly, Merril. Thank you
Nasturtiums are Nature’s frostometers. Sadly, no equipment would ever be able to gauze the frost of human soul fully. It is a joy to watch the young frolicking without a care on earth. The haze of life is yet to lay seize on the spring in their steps.
Many thanks Uma. Poignant, poetic, last sentence
What could be better, indeed I didn’t know that about nasturtiums – we should get some… 🙂
Many thanks, Mike
I love the stories that go with your photography and as usual love the water features and the flowers
Very many thanks, Geetha
Most welcome Derrick 🙂
Beautiful and dramatic sunset, Derrick. But what will you put in your salad sandwiches if the Nasturtium leaves leave?
🙂 Thanks very much, Paol
I’m still eating nasturtium leaves as well!
Lovely sunset and those kids’ photos look delightful.
The boys provided a wonderfully joyful moment. Many thanks, Arlene
What stunning photos of the shore! The first one is just breathtaking. Those flowers sure look pretty, hard to imagine winter is coming .
Thanks very much, Lynn
Beautiful photographs. I always find it heavenly to be on the beach… 🙂
I was missing your blog and especially your garden, Derrick. Hope you and Jackie are doing great… 🙂
We are fine, Maniparna. Thanks very much. It’s good to see you back
i love the photos of the little boys on the beach!
They were a real bonus, Clare. Many thanks
The nasturtiums are still looking very healthy.
What a wonderful treat, stopping by the beach at sundown!
It sure is, Thanks very much, Lavinia
Love these flowers Derrick and grow them each year, and very peppery and tasty too in salads. And I have one plant curled around the birdbath with seems to have thrived and is still in bloom.
Lovely images Derrick Thank you
Many thanks, Sue; especiallly for the catch-up
🙂 <3
Glad to see so many people are eating masturtiums – one of my favourites. Also, nice to see kids getting out and being kids, though they are always less irritating in pictures than in real life. 🙂
Many thanks, Quercus. Those boys were a delight. Took me back to my own childhood playing on London railway embankments and bomb sites.
Yes, we didn’t need technology to have fun. 🙂
Yep