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Jackie drove me over to Rob and Helen’s home in Lordshill, a suburb of Southampton where we spent a very enjoyable day.
Apparently thirty years or so ago I gave Rob a rusty old sewing machine which had been left in the garden shed in Lindum House in Newark. I have no memory of this, but the fact that he has kept it all this time has now borne fruit.
He has cleaned and refurbished the base of the Bradbury of Oldham industrial artefact which has a still working treadle. Fixed to its top he has placed a solid sheet of cedar wood which was once a headboard. This has been sanded and oiled, thus releasing the beauty of the glowing grain.
On a nearby wall of this covered outside seating area hangs a splendid antique French water dispenser.
We enjoyed a superb three course lunch consisting of choice carrot and coriander soup by Helen; a most flavoursome fish pie by Rob; and a luscious lemon meringue pie by Helen. Rob and I enjoyed an Aldi claret.
Helen’s sister Marion and her husband John dropped in for a visit after lunch.
On 27th September last year, Helen had taken a batch of splendid photographs of our garden. She had sent me a set, but I was unable to download them. This afternoon we viewed them on Rob’s computer and he loaded them onto a memory stick which I brought home with me. Here is a selection, the individual titles of which appear on the gallery. Autumn leaves are in evidence. Perhaps in another fortnight we will have some more. Jackie was ambivalent to see the pictures of the dahlia Bishop of Llandaff which has since been devoured by a vole.
Later this evening I found room for a ham sandwich followed by Elizabeth’s special Firs Mess of meringues topped, on this occasion, with raspberries and ginger ice cream. Sparkling water was my accompaniment.
What a splendid garden!
Thanks very much, Dolly
My pleasure.
Rob fashioned a beautiful table from the old sewing machine. Helen’s photos are indeed splendid, but of course she had your wondrous garden as her source. Did she catch you by surprise in the one photo? It sounds like a delightful visit.
She did catch me by surprise, Merril. Many thanks.
Rob does such beautiful work!
The photos of your garden are stunning! So glad dragons are welcome! 😉
And your meals sound delicious!
Hope you and Jackie and Elizabeth have a wonderful rest of this week!
HUGS!!! 🙂
Thanks very much, Carolyn. You too X
Any season, any year this garden looks amazing. And that old white wicker chair is now a planter isn’t it? Your friend did a remarkable job with the old treadle and I love his antique water dispenser too!
You are right about the planter chair, Pauline. Thanks very much for all this
Good eye about the chair/planter!
Thank you Jodie 🙂
Sounds idyllic, Derrick. Loved the shots of the garden.
Thanks very much, Mike
A fascinating story, beautifully illustrated. Apologies for missing some of your recent posts, Derrick. I seem to have stopped receiving email notifications for some reason.
Another WP glitch, I suppose. I see you’ve had to follow again. Thanks very much, Roland
That sewing machine! My maternal grandmother had a treadle sewing machine. One of my cousins has it now. I zeroed in on the picture of you in the armor looking splendidly healthy and you and Rob in the garden together. I do like that watering system for the planter. Glad it was such a good day, but not glad to see fall. I suppose I’ll get used to it though.
Fall is definitely coming soon. Thanks very much, Lisa
Love Rob’s table.
Marvellous, isn’t it? Thanks very much, Rosaliene
I suppose sitting against that table top with your feet occasionally working the treadle might trigger the circuits of the brain buried deep in one’s cranium. One could even write a ghazal or two!
I expect one could vary the rhythm, Uma. Many thanks.
Love the Rose for Your Eyes Only!!!
It is prolific throughout the summer and autumn, Judy. Thanks very much
I am not a great lover of roses, but I do love this one.
🙂
What a day! Wonderful creativity and wonderful feast.
Thanks very much, Laurie
The garden is really quite magnificent – But I am a lover of timber and that wooden top on the old sewing machine is beautiful. I am really pleased to see that it has been oiled and not ruined by painting it with high gloss “Estapol”.
Rob is a true craftsman. Thanks very much, Paol
Wonderful garden. You in rose garden gives a special effect to the garden. Also I liked the Grain on Rob’s table; they are fantastic.
Thanks very much, Byung
I remember when those sewing machine tables were fashionable in pubs.
“devoured by a vole” – now, there’s a story waiting to be told!
Thanks a lot, Andrew
I remember teaching a boy whose house was haunted and I have dim memories of it being Lindum House. It was something to do with the bells to summon the servants ringing regularly, although they had actually been disconnected long ago.
That is fascinating, John. Have a look at this post: https://derrickjknight.com/2012/08/07/would-you-believe-it/ We actually reconnected those bells for fun.
Rob does excellent work! And you’re quite right about the pictures of the garden. Have you compared them to last year’s? It seems to me things have quite improved in the course of one year!!
I think you are right about both points, GP. There are noticeable differences. Many thanks
Wow, that refurbished table is beautiful! I love it when people find uses for things that would otherwise end up in the dump. Lovely garden photos.
Many thanks, Karen
Those darn voles… that Bishop is a good one . Your friend did a nice job on both table and water dispenser.
He did, indeed, Anna. Many thanks
Wow the sewing machine looks amazing! Meringues with ginger ice cream? Oh my
🙂 Very many thanks, Lynn
?
Lovely photographs Derrick.
Thanks very much, Rupali
That sewing table is stunning! And isn’t it a treat to stumble across old photos for the first time?
It is, indeed. It is, indeed. Many thanks, Jodie
: )
Beautiful handiwork.
Rob can turn his hands to most things practical. Thanks a lot, Lindsey
Very cool table! And are those patches on your pants, Derrick? Had Jackie sewn them for you? You look like a mere boy and not quite a Knight. 😀
Very many thanks, Rose. They are Lidl work trousers. They come with patches. I wear them most of the time. A squire perhaps? 🙂
Oh, that’s right. You’ve talked about the trousers before. Yes, a sweet squire with blond hair! ?
🙂
Thanks very much, reporter
Beautiful table. I love repurposed wood!
That does not surprise me at all, Bob. Many thanks