After The Storm?

Yesterday’s winds had in fact reached gale proportions.

This morning I joined Jackie in the garden and carried out a dead heading operation.

Roses New Dawn, Alan Titchmarsh, Créme de la Créme, For Your Eyes Only, and Winchester Cathedral were among those that received my attention.

Taking a break for lunch and cutting my hair, Jackie continued until early evening. Among her achievements were

the creation of a new bed opposite the greenhouse door; bringing one of her dragons further into view by providing him with a pedestal; and progressing the clearance of the stepping stones through the Palm Bed.

This latter project could be seen from the decking on which we took our pre-dinner drinks in gathering gloom, as could

the tall sunflower, and these two garden views.

My afternoon was spent producing https://derrickjknight.com/2021/07/29/a-knights-tale-6-spanish-flu/

This evening we dined on pork chops coated with mustard; new potatoes, crunchy carrots, and firm broccoli, with which Jackie drank more of the Rosé and I repeated the Recital.

Immediately afterwards, having now learned that tomorrow’s gentle breeze and light showers has transmogrified into the end of Hurricane Evert, we set about once more laying down the garden furniture raised this morning.

75 comments

      1. This is funny. Michael and I dated for years in high school (and we lived on the same street.) He had wild curly hair which he hated and I always cut it for him back then. He has since discovered clippers and is happily on his own in the hair department.

  1. I’m glad that your garden survived the winds, Derrick. I had to look up the storm you mentioned. I had no idea that the UK is affected by hurricanes. I wonder if the hurricanes that move north along the US east coast can make it to the UK?

    1. Hi John, We are often affected by your east coast hurricanes BUT they have been downgraded to ‘storm’ by the time they get to us, today the western side of the island(poor old Wales) is to expect 75 mph winds, we are a little further east and will get 56mph winds, so we have battened down the hatches and will retreat indoors for the day!

  2. I always believed nature needs a thunderstorm once in a while. Natures way to weed the plants. Dead and wilted leaves can’t withstand the wind and fall to the ground, the rest gets dusted off and polished a bit, to shine again when the sun comes out.

  3. I remember using your dragon pedestal for one of poems, but I think he was a ‘Frozen Dragon’ … Today your article’s Title ‘After the Storm’ immediately reminded me of a poem from my book Derrick .. “Decades of Storms” it’s only a short piece so I’ll paste the poem here for you ..

    “Decades of Storms”

    Over the decades
    I’ve lived through many storms
    Yesterday
    I read about an Atlantic island storm
    After midnight
    I had a dream about my life’s storms
    At dawn
    I shall open my door to the storms

    I will then wait for my storms
    To vacate the dark
    And ask the morning sunlight
    “Am I still the pilot”

  4. oohh. Sunflowers. I scattered sunflower seeds yesterday. I hope they grow. Last year only 4 came up but they were a small variety. Although, one flower was the size of a dinner plate.

    I really like Jackie’s attention to details.

  5. It all looks beautiful, Derick and Jackie. I love the garden dragon! I hope the end of the storm is kind to you, and just brings refreshing rain for the garden.

  6. I love the new bed and especially the dragon on the pedestal. He or she seems to be looking for a bug to pounce upon.

  7. I’m afraid I find it rather scary that we now have winter gales in the summer when trees are still carrying an enormous weight of leaves, We have three trees in our garden and neighbours have their own trees, and there’s always the fear that one of them could be severely damaged or worse.

  8. All things bright and beautiful all creatures great and small – All things bright and beautiful your garden shows them all!

    The hymn just came into my head while admiring your garden images. 🙂

  9. Lovely to see your tall sunflower happily bobbing her head over your wonderful garden, despite the worryingly inclement weather we have had.
    Your gallery of roses is superb – congratulations to both Head and Under gardener.
    New Dawn is one of my absolute favourites.
    But now you have introduced me to For Your Eyes Only – gosh, that’s a stunner in a much simpler, very elegant and quietly colourful way… it’s on my list! 🙂

  10. Grand flowers standing tall and smiling after the storms. 🙂 The dragon, too…good to see him standing on his pedestal guarding the garden! 🙂
    Great gardening groove* going-on! 😀
    (((HUGS))) 🙂
    *routine, work

  11. Sometimes I wonder how those delicate flowers withstand the fury of winds? Meanwhile, Jackie keeps making headway faster than spreading overgrowth.

  12. Your devotion to gardening is wonderful, Derrick. My mom was a keen gardener but she has issues with her one hip and left leg now which creates problems for her. I have someone to help her now so she can still enjoy her garden without hurting herself.

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