On another warm overcast day of humid atmosphere brightened by the end of the morning, most of which Jackie spent in her customary garden maintenance – this time in the Rose Garden , where I joined her in bagging up and transporting to the compost bin some of her debris. I carried out more dead heading, then made a photographic record.
Here Jackie sweeps the paths. The first image displays her clearance of the last set of footpaths; the second is now (8) in the “Where’s Jackie?” series. Bigifying is recommended.
Bees and hoverflies abounded. There are many self-seeded poppies in evidence.
A bejewelled Lady Emma Hamilton clearly hasn’t minded being exposed to the overnight rain.
Here is a view looking towards the Rose Garden from the lawn bed, and another taking the eye across to North Breeze.
White foxgloves speak to the Erigeron in the redesigned Pond Bed.
Now, I must pose a question to my readers.
Delightful as are the sun-dappled pages of David Copperfield, when you have finished gardening for the day and sit on a bench distracted by that very light and shade; by a myriad of insects flitting and descending rose petals floating in and out of dazzling beams; by the sweet scents of the fragrant flowers; by the bright burbling of the water feature, the symphonic notes of a host of birds, the busy buzzing of the bees, the swishing of your lady’s broom, and the drag of her filled trug across the swept paving; broken only by the chimes of a passing ambulance, what do you do?
I closed the book and enjoyed the views before me, occasionally carting weeds to the compost bin.
This evening we dined on a takeaway meal from Red Chilli. We started with prawn purees; followed by Chicken Saag for Jackie and very hot Naga Chilli lamb for me. We shared a plain paratha and special fried rice. The very well cooked and packaged food was ready on time, and, as before far too plentiful for one session. There will be ample to carry over tomorrow. Jackie finished the Sauvignon Blanc, while I did the same with the red Cabernet Sauvignon.
Where’s Jackie (8) was indeed a challenge requiring (at least for those old tired eyes) biggification and subsequent grid searching. Success was achieved. And you most definitely made the right decision.
Thank you so much, Maj. Well spotted.
A good question: what do you do? At first I guessed your answer was going to be that you nodded off! However, given the beautiful description of your surroundings, I am not surprised that you closed the book and enjoyed the ‘now’; the ‘then’ can always be caught up on once the sun has gone or the rain is heavy. You made a good choice 🙂
Thank you so much, Anne. It is only watching Bargain Hunt that has me nodding off – every time.
Too nice a day to be reading
Yep. Thanks very much, Sheree
😎
In answer to your question, you sit back and admire how wonderful nature, and the environment is –
due to the skill and hard work, of you and your lady.
For everything, there is a season.
Winter will be here soon enough 🙂
Thank you very much, Emma. An excellent point about the seasons
Such a beautiful garden, I’m not surprised you closed the book.
Jackie definitely blended in in the Where’s Jackie photo. I also had to bigify.
Thank you very much, Merril. Well spotted
Found Jackie, love those white foxgloves. Definitely the right choice to sit back and enjoy those sensory delights. The book will still be there ☺️
Thank you very much, Sandra. Well spotted. Good point about the book staying after the garden has changed
I’m glad you closed the book and leant a helping hand. Beautiful shots today! I found Jackie without having to bigify. I picked up my $100 eye drops today…ugh.
Thanks very much, Jill. Well spotted. I hope those eye drops are worth it.
Clearly, searching out Nugget trained my eye for finding other delights. But I cheated — I looked at the first photo, noted what Jackie was wearing, and then looked for that. As for closing the book, thank goodness it’s going to be a while before you have to close the book on all that garden beauty!
Thank you so much, Linda. Nicely worded. That wasn’t cheating. All clues are to be used 🙂
I would have made the decision to close the book and enjoy the view as well.
Thank you for the identification, Liz
You’re welcome, Derrick.
Snoozing would definitely have figured if I had been in that situation.
Thanks a lot, Tootlepedal
An intriguing title resulted in a rhetorical question. Jackie is a bit to the right of the center behind a red poppy.
Your roses are glorious!
Thank you so much, Dolly. Well spotted
While I am still able to play this game, Derrick, I can report to my ophthalmologist that I am doing fine.
You are very welcome.
🙂
You need to get more of Ontario’s provincial flower, THE TRILLIUM. The trillium is a white delicate flower with few petals that grows in the shade of the forests of Canada’s most populous province, Ontario. While not rare, it behooves us to avoid stepping on the delicate plant. It’s bad luck to crush it!
— Catxman
http://www.catxman.wordpress.com
Thanks very much, Catxman
Definitely a good call.
Thanks very much, Gary
To answer your question: I would take in the beauty around me in silent contemplation, as I enjoy doing when I’m finished with my own weekend gardening. Mind you, our communal garden is nothing compared to yours.
Thank you so much, Rosaliene. Like minds….
I would do nothing but bask in it. So nice that you two can enjoy such a lovely supper every night. I look forward to the day when my husband retires!
Thank you very much, AnneMarie
Yes, sometimes a garden can be read in, but most the time, it’s best to watch, listen and inhale.
Thank you so much, Lisa
Wonderful! Fabulous photos and descriptive writing and Jackie hard to find in her flowery camouflage but found eventually.
Thank you very much, Clare. Well spotted
Exactly the right thing to do! Enjoy the beauty of summer.
Thanks very much, Laurie
I do most of my book reading after dark, so I can easily understand your decision to close the book heed the garden’s call. Sometimes, I am compelled to close my laptop to engage with the realities of my own backyard. Jackie is well-camouflaged.
Thanks very much, JoAnna. A good plan
The passage where you describe yourself sitting in the afternoon light in the garden had me hypnotised. The surfeit of visual delights punctuated by the sounds of sweeping and dragging of garden refuge means nothing less than Nirvana to you.
You inspired that passage, Uma. I am pleased you liked it. Thank you very much
I am honoured, Derrick.
I would have done the same! Enjoy the surroundings 🌸😉
🙂 Thank you very much, Ribana
Your garden is absolutely beautiful, I love roses, foxgloves and poppies my favourite. What a fabulous space to relax in on summer’s day.
Thank you so much, Charlotte
WE live one street away from the Ring Road, so we get a lot of police sirens as well as the ambulances going to either the QMC (Queen’s Medical Centre) or the City Hospital Maternity Unit. It used to irritate me at first but next year I’m hoping to start a Doctorate in Physics about the Doppler Effect.
🙂 We are on the main route between Lymington and Bournemouth hospitals. Thanks a lot, John
You paint a idyllic picture of an English summer afternoon even bringing to life the sounds and odours of the beautiful garden.
Thank you so much, Sue
A very wise decision. It’s never easy to read with so much sun on the page. I enjoyed sunbathing in your evocative words.
Thank you so much, Susan
I found Jackie, and so much enjoyed these garden photos, Derrick. You were wise to put down the book!
Thanks very much, Lavinia. Well spotted
If I had a delightful garden as you both do, I would have sat on a convenient bench and just watched the beauty unfold…wander indoors when I needed sustenance and let the book wait on another day when being outdoors is thwart with wild weather
Thank you very much, Catherine
What a beautiful place to spend your morning Derrick.
Thank you very much, Rupali
Such beauty in your flowers.
Thanks a lot Mrs W. I hope you are enjoying your vacation
We had a good vacation but went back to work yesterday evening.
I’m pleased the break was good – if short
Peace and tranquility.
Yes. Thanks very much, Lindsey
It’s always lovely to tour your garden with the occasional jaunt into the forest. As to your tasks, I love deadheading. A detailed job with a nice philosophy: out with the old, make way for the new.
Thanks very much, Ellen.