An overall pale gunmetal grey cloud curtain remained closed throughout the day, although threatened drizzle desisted.
For the last few stormbound days we have been thwarted in our bid for a joint tour of the garden in which Jackie could point out her recent plantings. We aimed to manage it this morning, but most of the new flowers had lost their petals and almost all had received a battering.
Here are some examples from our more established flowers.
In the event Jackie carried out trimming and planting, while I, in the company of a few intrepid little tweeters trying their Twitter accounts, cleared floral invaders from one of the minor walkways through the Rose Garden beds.
Probably to the liking of woodlice and other wrigglers slithering to safety, the path was far too clarty to sweep clean.
This afternoon I scanned Nigel Lambourne’s illustration ‘Natalie was standing in the same posture … ‘ to Anton Chekhov’s story “The Wife”, which I finished reading yesterday evening.
I have to say I found this tale, of a couple locked in a marriage relationship in which they could neither communicate with each other nor completely escape, grim and unrewarding. We have the author’s fluid, penetrative, writing which holds the interest, but, without revealing too much, I find the accommodating conclusion less than hopeful. I concur with translator Elisaveta Fen’s observation that ‘Isorin’s transformation may not be entirely convincing psychologically’ – indeed I don’t think it is at all – ‘but his inner insecurity and the gradual crumbling away of his ‘defences’ are subtly observed.’
I was left thinking that this story would have worked very well as the pivot of a longer novel, but that is, of course, not the author’s chosen genre.
This evening we dined on more of Jackie’s wholesome cottage pie with extra fried potato topping and fresh vegetables. The Culinary Queen drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Cabernet Sauvignon
Lovely description and short story review. ?????
Thanks very much, Pat.
Your poor flowers certainly took a beating. I hope there will be a few days of rejuvenating sunshire to revive them. I was particuarly interested in your comments about Chekhov’s “The Wife.” It sounds like the sort of story I would write. Yikes . . .
Thanks very much, Liz. That wold be an interesting story all the same. 🙂 The flowers will recover, we think
You’re welcome, Derrick. 🙂
I usually find that a cottage/Shepard’s pie tastes better the second day – your opinion?
We have been very overcast for many days now, so it has kept the temp down enough for me to do some catch-up gardening. I have no doubt that Jackie’s plants will revive splendidly!
Agreed. The same goes for many of our meals. Thanks a lot, GP
Strangely, our ephemeral poppies seemed to do better yesterday than they usually do. A day of rain left half a dozen still standing where a rainless day would see all the petals fallen by noon. Hard y understand. I hope things pick up for you, it must be a dis-spiriting time for gardening.
Actually the rain was needed and the plants will recover. Thanks very much, Quercus
When I plan my new garden I am going for drought resistant plants. Several birds with one stone there…
Sorry the garden has taken a bit of a battering but it still looks lovely
It will be fine, Sheree. Thanks very much
That I do know. I’m sure the Head Gardener has been out today lavishing love, care and attention on it.
She has, indeed
?
Do you guys happen to have an herb garden in your garden?
Not separately, but we do grow a few like basil, mint, fennel, etc. Thanks very much, Bridget
Too bad about the battering, but I’m sure your garden will recover. How nice to have the Twitter tweeters to provide a soundtrack for you. Clarty is a great word. ?
I think I’ll pass on the Chekhov story.
Thanks very much, Merril. Yes, the garden will recover – and we needed the rain
You’re welcome, Derrick.
I’m afraid our garden is going to take a battering too, Derrick. We’ve got reminants of a tropical storm moving in tonight.
Good luck, Jill. Thanks very much
I’m so sorry about your south England storms, they missed us completely, even the rain up here was hardly worth the effort.
We really needed the rain, Sue. All will recover. Thanks very much
I’m sure it will.
Battering storms in any season are often very localised, I’m sure your flowering plants will survive and create even more magic when summer returns.
They will, Catherine. Thank you very much.
a morning wandering down the garden
following mother nature’s stormy aftermath
Thanks a lot, Ivor
I feel like I once read “The Wife” – must have been in college. That illustration of the husband looking through the doorway is a dark statement. I’m glad I was feeling cheered by the lost petals you showed, because they still look pretty on the stone walk.
Yes, Barbara, that picture is a dark statement. Thank you very much.
You have transferred the overcast mood with just one sentence. There is clearly no dearth of maintenance work in the garden, to which you two happily apply yourselves to. I brooded over the translator’s as well as your observation about the story, and remembered there have been many instances when I had expected a different course of proceedings in Russian stories. Perhaps the reticence, or the abruptness, is a cultural nuance.
Possibly your thoughts about Russian conclusions are accurate. I look forward to Dolly’s observations. Thank you very much, Uma.
I trust the battered plants will grow new flowers with loving care and a better story with a more hopeful ending will come along soon.
We trust that will be the case, JoAnna. Thanks very much
Not a very gentle rain after all…but the Head Gardener knows how to care for her plants ?
She does, Ribana. Thanks very much
I love fried potatoes XD
Me, too, Sonali. Thank you very much.
♥♥
Short stories make up an interesting genre – good ones leave the reader to pull together what has been implied along the way. How to end a short story is a puzzle too: leave the reader wondering; provide a twist that leaves the reader gasping or laughing; take the reader by surprise by apparently stopping short … I enjoy reading short stories yet admit that Chekhov can be hard work! Your description of the aftermath of the stormy weather and the photograph of the poppy petals on the path would make a good starting point for a story 🙂
Thank you very much, Anne, for this sound analysis
It has been quite a week here in the east – tropical heat, battering rain and cold cloudy skies all in 4 days.
Thanks a lot, Andrew
We have quite some days of pouring rains with cold winds but hopefully clouds will take days off from tomorrow.
Let’s hope so
I always enjoy reading your book/story reviews!
Aw on the battered flowers. 🙁 A tough part of their life. I hope when the sun shines the petals that survived will perk up and floof out!
I liked hearing about your twitterers and tweeters! 🙂
(((HUGS))) 🙂
PS…
“The rain to the wind said, ‘You push and I’ll pelt.’
They so smote the garden bed that the flowers actually knelt,
And lay lodged…though not dead. I know how the flowers felt.”
– Robert Frost
Great Frost quotation, Carolyn. Thanks very much X
I’ve just heard about the heavy rain from my dad. We’ve only had light and sporadic rain here, so I was shocked – especially now seeing the damage to your flowers. I hope the blooms will recover soon.
They will recover, Helen. Thank yo u very much.
sorry about the battered plants but knowing how well rooted they are, they’ll bounce back beautifully. i’m sure! 🙂
They will, Lola. Thank you very much
We are headed up into hotter temperatures this week here. I’ll gladly send you some to help dry up that walk 🙂
🙂 Thanks very much, Lavinia
Are those poppy petals? I hate when flowers are beat down too early.
Yes, they are. Thanks very much, dunelight
What a battering!
Thanks a lot, Rosaliene
It is depressing when new planting gets battered. I hope that they all recover soon.
They will, we think. Thanks very much, Tootlepedal
I am sorry for your wind loss.
Thanks very much, Mrs W
Your welcome.
Oh, gosh! Hope the flowers were battered too much. I know I hate a driving rain. I like a nice, long rain that falls gently. Don’t get that very often. 😉 Good observation about how the novel might have given Chekhov more time for character development. That, I think, is the central challenge of the short story form. How to make character transformation believable?
Thanks very much, Laurie. Another day of driving rain today
Oh, no!
It has been
Hi Derrick-oh dear. Your poor flowers and garden. I completely understand. We have typhoons here that destroy everything that isn’t nailed down. I do hope your garden isn’t too damaged. I love the photos as I’m sure everyone else here does.
Thank you so much, Mrs N. We’ll be clearing up again today
Best of luck with garden clean-up!