Primroses For Tootlepedal

This morning I watched most of the second day’s play of the current cricket Test Match between England and Indian Channel 4. During the afternoon and early evening it was the turn of ITV’s coverage of the Six Nations rugby internationals between Italy and France; and between England and Scotland.

I am so grateful to my blogging friend Tootlepedal for tactfully pointing out an error in yesterday’s original title by letting me know that he could not find any primroses that it seemed the decent thing to do would be to nip out into the garden between sporting binges and

find some to redress the lack. They are a bit manky, but at least they are survivors.

After the rugby I scanned three more of Charles Keeping’s illustrations to ‘Little Dorrit’

‘Gowan seized the dog with both hands by the collar’.

The different natures of the two sisters were clearly pictured by the artist in ‘Fanny was so very much amused by the misgivings, that she took up her favourite fan’.

‘The Dowager Mrs Gowan drove up, in the Hampton Court equipage’.

This evening we dined on succulent baked bacon; piquant cauliflower cheese; creamy mashed potatoes; crunchy carrots, and tender cabbage, with which Jackie drank more of the Sauvignon Blanc and I drank more of the Macon.

55 comments

  1. It’s a better days for England cricket fans than it is for rugby fans. I won’t say more and spoil it for anyone who hasn’t seen the scores. Number Two Son tells me that he’s getting more into ice hockey and baseball – two sports where England have never yet embarrassed themselves or established new depths of disaster. 🙂

  2. The primroses are quite nice! I have one blooming up front that comes back year after year, its gift to me for rescuing it from where it had been set beside a dumpster at work 8 yeas ago, desiccated and discarded.

  3. Interesting drawings of the two sisters – as you say, their different characters so evidently illustrated – and reinforced by their different dress style.
    The primroses, although winter scarred, are, indeed beautiful. One of their faces looks almost pansy-like.
    I think it will be several more weeks before our yellow primroses brighten the banks.

    1. Yes. The sad thing is that that very mild dog was responding to the presence of the book’s most evil character – its senses prompting protecting of its master.. Thanks very much, Liz

  4. I was sure I had seen a primrose in yesterday’s blog, but alas, I guess not! I did see one in a garden center today and had to talk myself out of buying it. Your garden is so lovely. Cricket I know nothing about except that the players get very famous and are sometimes elected to public office. And what I’ve read in novels, where much tea is taken over the course of a very long game.

  5. oh derrick (and jackie) how does one thank thee for promises, Dickens and succulent bacon all in one post?
    i guess this way
    “many thanks”

  6. and derrick – i am
    going to use one of your Little Dorrit Keepings’ images in a post on my blog

    hope that is cool
    but the timing was perfect because trent and i are sharing about the book tomorrow

  7. There are many reasons I enjoy reading your blog: you take me to your part of the world, you share gorgeous photography, you let Jackie shine every now and then, you introduce me to places I would never be able to see without you, and you live in such a wonderful place and describe it so well with flowers, horses, birds, etc. But another reason I just realized is this: “They are a bit manky…” Your vocabulary enchants me. What the heck is manky? I love it!!

    1. Thank you so very much for all this, Jan. Manky is dirty and unpleasant, and by extension smelly, nasty etc. Anne’s comment below states that the word is used in South Africa. X

  8. The first illustration is truly magnificent. Mrs Gowan’s “exclusive equipage of many proprietors” is suitably depicted, and the difference between two sisters is clear not only in their facial expressions, but also in the flowing lines of Fanny’s skirt.
    P.S. Primroses are lovely.

  9. It occurs to me that I’ve never seen either a Rugby or Cricket game, and know nothing about either one. I’m a little better with primroses — you’re are beautiful, even though a bit worn. It’s hard for a flower to remain prim when constantly assaulted by the weather.

Leave a Reply