Jackie spent most of her birthday of gloriously sunny weather continuing her

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replenishing and refurbishment of her vast number of plant containers.

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In particular she concentrated on the stone urns, pots, and hanging baskets in the

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Rose Garden,

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into which a small dragonfly glided, coming to rest on the warm paving bricks.

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Bees were busy everywhere. Here one loves and leaves a Welsh poppy;

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another dives into an Oriental variety;

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one more caresses an Erigeron.

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The most recently blooming rhododendron also proved attractive.

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We have quite a few of those Oriental poppies.

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Jackie has also planted up the iron urn in front of the Bottle Brush plant.

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These gladioli appearing in the Weeping Birch Bed must have grown from bulbs secreted in the compost from the group outside the kitchen door.

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We have more clematises coming into bloom on a daily basis. Clicking on any to access the galleries will reveal the names of those we know.

This afternoon first Shelley and Ron, then Elizabeth, came bearing birthday gifts.

This evening we dined at The Royal Oak with Becky and Ian. This was a lovely occasion on which Jackie was given more presents, including a musical beer mug that had belonged to her father, and a glass cat from her friend Barbara in Amity Grove. Tears ensued. We then got down to the business of eating. My choice of main meal was perfect lean belly of pork; Jackie and Ian enjoyed burgers in brioches; Becky chose junior fish and chips which would have been adult portions in most places. Ian and I chose Eton mess for desert; Jackie chose créme brulée; and Becky, ice cream. The ladies both drank Diet Coke; Ian drank Birra Moretti; and I drank Malbec.