While watching for an opportunity to photograph the field mouse yesterday, Jackie made a few more pictures.
Seated beneath the wisteria she could see the Dragon Bed with its pelargoniums, geraniums, foxglove, and ivy; her favourite garden view; a baby blackbird, not yet having acquired fear; and a greenfinch screeching from the Weeping Birch.
She did produce another image of the mouse, the leaf on which it stands providing scale. “Where’s Mouse?”. Enlargement and the clue that appears on the gallery should aid location.
Today we were able to take it easy because the temperature had dropped by a good 10 degrees and intermittent light rain fell throughout the day.
I finished reading a posthumously published collection of stories by Virginia Wolf bearing the title “A Haunted House” (1944). My Penguin Modern Classics edition of 1973 bears a foreword by Leonard Woolf explaining that his wife had not made final revisions to some of the tales included in the slender volume.
The works offer snippets of her imaginative creative genius; her splendid descriptive skill; her flowing language lacking superfluity; and, perhaps surprisingly, her love of life. She is insightful of people and a loving observer of nature. She enjoys playing with words and their use. There is a richness of simile and metaphor. Some of the stories demand a little work from the reader and often ultimately leave us thinking.
This evening, as is customary, we dined on a second sitting of Hordle Chinese Take Away’s excellent fare. Jackie drank Becks and I drank more of the Carles.
Wonderful post Derick and I’ve always appreciated the works of Virginia Wolf ☺️🤓 smiles Hedy
Thank you very much, Hedy
Oh beautiful photos.
It’s very hot here, summer has begun.
It seems like the year just started but now we are 6 months into the year wow. Time goes by so fast.
How are you and Jackie?
I’m fine right now, I have to get my neck checked out again, the spasms always start up migraines and that it never good. But other than that I am doing fine.
We are well, thank you, More. Migraines are no fun.
I found Mouse, cute little guy.
I am very anxious to get back to our Chinese take out. I put together my own sort of “Chinese food”, but it never compares to the take out!
Thanks very much, GP. Well spotted.
Will you give a hint as to where as Derrick doesn’t seem inclined to. I have enlarged and still can’t find the mouse.
Look at Description under the gallery pic.
What is the gallery pic? I looked in every photo and can’t find it.
I’m sorry I wasn’t clear. It was a single image which I present as a gallery in the new editor otherwise readers can’t enlarge it. Well done for persevering.
Well I am nothing if not curious and persistent. I was going to see that mouse come Hell or high water! Thanks for being persistent in helping me to do so.
Admirable, Judy. X
;o)
Ah, finally I see it!!!! Thanks to you and to GP Cox who also gave instruction. What a relief. Can’t stand these hanging mysteries.. ;o)
🙂 I always present single images as galleries in the new editor. That ensures that they can be biggified.
Yes, I have just started doing so when I remember to. But, the only way to do so that I have found is to save, then reopen the post and add the photo as the gallery. The gallery setting never shows up the original time.
If you are on blocks and can choose a block, choose gallery
Nope.. blocks don’t serve my modes of thought. I am still on the classic. It’s okay.. just takes one more step.Thanks, Derrick.
Pretty much centered in the picture, in the stems, almost standing vertical. Look for the gray between the green.
🙂
Thanks, GP–in the really big photo, right?
Thanks so much, GP, I finally saw it. I can cross that failure off my list!!!!
🙂
Glad to hear it!!
I found Mouse! What an incredibly beautiful garden you have: there must be myriad beetles and spiders around. Do you get praying mantids there?
Well spotted, Anne. I don’t think we have the praying mantids here, although I had them in my garden in France.
Your pet mouse is “dead in the center,” Derrick, but without the hint I would have never found it.
I am pleased that you share my opinion of Virginia Woolf style.
Thank you very much, Dolly. I thought the hint was only fair. I am pleased that we see VW the same way. I really respect your judgement.
As I do yours, Derrick.
The hint was a “dead” giveaway, but it is always my pleasure.
🙂
What hint? Not only can’t I find the mouse. I can’t find the hint!! Argh.
Look under the gallery picture at Description.
I’m so glad you mentioned the mouse as I would have completely missed it. The garden is looking as wonderful as ever.
Thank you very much, Gary. Well spotted.
Beautiful pictures of your garden Derrick and Yes I too found the little one 🙂
Well spotted, Rupali. Thanks very much.
Beautiful photos by Jackie. I hope the little mouse finds enough goodies in your garden to remain there, and not go into your house. With all your writing about Virginia Woolf, I’m definitely going to have to read more of her works.
Thank you very much, Merril. I’ve just started To The Lighthouse for the third time.
Jackie’s photos are beautiful. It’s a good thing your mouse friend wasn’t in our yard this morning. I spotted a large black snake moving quickly across the yard as black birds were dive-bombing him. I felt kind of sorry for the fella. He does a good job of keeping the poisonous snakes away. Leftover Chinese is the best!
Thank you very much, Jill.
Glad you had an easy day. I think I am going to have easy afternoons this weekend due to the heat.
Good. Thanks a lot for reading
Your welcome
Beautiful shots! Good to see Mouse is on the prowl, is he still working on the egg mystery?
Thanks a lot, Maj. He doesn’t even have anyone working on his enquiries
I found the mouse. And, as I put your blog on my screen I used full-screen mode because your first (featured?) image is amazing in wide screen!
We’ve been getting visits from three hedgehogs for the past couple or so weeks, lovely to see them. Do you get any there?
Thanks very much, Val. The wide screen feature is the work of the new editor. We do have at least one hedgehog trailing through.
Cute field mouse and Virginia Woolf aside – Chinese Takeaways, firsts and repeats, are high on my list of treats!
Jackie has been waiting for that for weeks 🙂 Thanks very much, Pauline.
Loved the little mouse! They are adorable as long as they are not in my house.
I’m with you on not wanting the mouse in my house!
Agreed, Jodie. Thanks very much.
Ah, a field mouse I do spy
looking above into the sky….
You do, Indeed Ivor. Well spotted. Thanks very much.
I look forward to your article every morning Derrick…..
🙂
Great photos, Jackie!
The little birds, flowers, and plants are beautiful!
YAY to see that little mouse! Wonder what he has on his agenda today. 😀
I’ve always admired the writing of Virginia Woolf.
YAY for take-out food AND take-out leftovers!
Your photos are always amazing…but when they are bigified…wow, so beautiful! 🙂 (I don’t think bigified is a word, but I use it anyways. 😉 )
(((HUGS))) <3
It is a word now – coined some time ago by Pauline 🙂 Thanks very much, Carolyn.
Yay, Pauline! 🙂
I spied the mouse on his leaf! I particularly like Jackie’s photos with the birds.
Yes, Liz, she did well. Thank you very much.
You’re welcome, Derrick.
What a shot for the header! Gorgeous.
Thanks very much from us both, Oglach
Couldn’t find Mouse! Ah, well.
Dead centre, Laurie. Thanks very much.
And I was looking on either side. 😉
Well, there’s Mousie, at center stage. I found a mouse at my house early this morning, happily munching away in the hanging platform feeder. I believe I’m going to have to begin bringing the feeders in at night to discourage the rascal.
Well spotted, Linda. Thanks very much.
The “baby blackbird, not yet having acquired fear;” knows Jackie and Derrick are safe. Maybe Nugget and his family have spread the word.
🙂 Thanks very much, JoAnna
You made this game difficult, but I finally found it.
Greeting
Thanks very much, Walter. Well done.
We had rain but not nearly enough.
I don’t like mice. In a previous house they decided to move in with me.
🙂 Thanks very much, Andrew.
Oh my, he’s so cute 🐁😉 I needed to enlarge the picture to see it 🕵️♂️😉
Well spotted, Ribana. Thanks very much.
Wonderful shots as usual, Derrick. I have garden envy. I should try Virginia Wolf again – but I’m afraid to. Proud to say I spotted the mouse, though.
Well spotted, Mike. I like the “Who’s Afraid…..” joke. Thanks very much.
How sweet. The mouse is a belated birthday present.
Thank you very much, Susan.
I must read more Virginia Wolf!
You would like her. Thanks very much, Cynthia.
Indeed, I do 🙂
Mouse of the Fields looks to be out and and about on an Adventure! 🙂
Jackie thinks he lives under the Wisteria, Widders. Thanks very much.
Ah, it took me awhile, but mouse is smack in the middle. It must be content in your garden, for it’s a plump, little thing. Lol. How fun you are!
Thank you so much, Rose. Well spotted
I used Linda’s cue and found Mr. Mouse. It looks so beautiful there in those gardens! Mr. Mouse knows he is in paradise. 🙂
Thanks very much, Lavinia. Well spotted
The mouse is so obvious in the centre of the picture thaqt I can’t believe it took me three attempts and all the hints to find it!
🙂 I like your perseverance
I don’t like being beaten by a mouse!
🙂
I found the mouse! I also have an edition of ‘A Haunted House’ with a foreword by Leonard Woolf. Each word, like a pearl chosen with care and strung together to make stories of perfection.
A lovely description, Clare. Well spotted. Thank you very much.
My pleasure, Derrick.