Not As Punishing As Expected

This is the second delicately wind-chiming owl that Jackie has found smashed to smithereens by gale force winds. She wasn’t about to buy another so she carefully super-glued the pieces together late yesterday. She has since managed to prise her fingers apart.

Much of the day has been spent tying up or removing fallen plants. The white climber, Créme de la Créme was bent, at right angles, to breaking point, but seems to have revived. The Summer statue seems amenable to being tied to a verbena bonariensis, and the Head Gardener applied a green thumb to stake up prone tomato plants. We have been wondering what to do with the two wrought iron gates salvaged from the dump a few years ago.

The broken borage stems resting on the back of a dragon were about to be snipped.

Many of the hanging baskets placed on the ground were tipped over and lost their trailing elements. Some, happily, survived – others are in the process of being refilled.

Dahlias and clematises are among the many survivors.

Here Jackie makes apparent her feelings about those that were not so fortunate, although she did raise a smile when she realised that this phlox stem has a root and she will be able to make a cutting from it.

A few more images demonstrate that the efforts of Hurricane Evert were not as punishing as expected.

Light showers fell this afternoon, when I embarked upon research for the great aunts’ section of A Knight’s Tale. There is far too much material for a blog, so it will need to be well condensed.

This evening we dined on roast chicken; roast potatoes; crisp Yorkshire pudding; sage and onion stuffing; crunchy carrots and cauliflower; and a melange od fried onions, mushrooms, and peppers, with which Jackie drank Terre Siciliane Carricante 2019 and I drank Vendemmia Barolo 2016, a rather fine birthday present from Danni and Andy.

97 comments

  1. Jackie did a great job of salvaging the owl windchimes. It’s good that the damage to the garden wasn’t as bad as it could have been. Here’s to calmer weather ahead!

    1. Yes it did!! Thank you for asking, I watched it all day swaying in the strong gusts and was planning on going out to hold it up if needed!

  2. I am so sorry Jackie’s owl chimes were damaged, but at least she was able to fix them. We haven’t had a really serious windstorm here in years. The most memorable one was 2006 when I watched as the winds grabbed and spun a full grown black locust tree and threw it across the roof of Rick’s van, not 30 minutes after he got home. The power of air in motion is quite impressive, if not frightening at times. Your gardens still look beautiful, and I know you and Jackie will have things back in order in no time.

  3. I had a friend who once used Super Glue mistakenly instead of eyedrops. Believe it or not, she was not blinded, but her eyelid was sealed shut for awhile. Can’t remember how long. Nightmare.

  4. Great job on the owl windchime repair and re-purposing the gates. I like the photo of Jackie standing next to Florence. They both have such interesting expressions. If Florence could talk, she might say, “Oh, Jackie, don’t worry about it. Enjoy your lovely garden.”

  5. Oh, that super glue is definitely sticky stuff to use Derrick … and I am yet escape from using super-glue without my finger being stuck together … so tell Jackie, ‘she does not walk alone’ …

  6. I enjoyed the humorous depiction of resurrection of the owl-wind-chime. I realise harsh winds are a source of bother and disappointment for meticulous gardeners.

  7. Clearing up after a storm is a sobering affair that makes us aware of the power of the elements. Despite the damage, your garden remains enviously lush and beautiful.

  8. Glad to see that the garden wasn’t as badly damaged as you might have expected. Presumably “Evert” comes from the tennis player although I haven’t seen her on TV for years.

  9. Aw, the poor little owl windchimes! 🙁 So glad Jackie brought it back to life. 🙂
    We all get battered about by the storms in life…we all have our scars…to me they say, “I’ve lived. “I’ve survived. I’ve been hurt. I healed. I find these badges of honor beautiful.” 🙂
    Glad things were not worse for the garden-dwellers.
    (((HUGS))) 🙂

  10. Jackie’s expression is wonderful in your header shot. I’m glad your garden was not punished as expected. I’m happy to read above that the sunflower survived, too–and that Jackie’s fingers are not permanently glued together. ?

  11. Love that expression on Jackie’s face – priceless! Glad the hurricane didn’t injure more than it did, but of course, the Head Gardener will know how to make the best of it!!

  12. wow what a experience. Ever thought of regluing over a mesh frame.. shape would change. but the pieces will be together -renewed.. sends virtual hugs across the pond to you both.

  13. Ha! It happens to me every time I use super glue! I always stick my fingers together. And always end up with a shellacked section on a couple fingertips that prevents me from having the sense of touch for three days until it wears off eventually. Great job on getting those owls back together though. I’m glad to see your garden was not terribly damaged.

  14. Your garden is really shaping up, but the amount of work and time it takes is mind-boggling! The begonias are my favorite. Tell Jackie I’m glad she was able to pry her fingers apart. Gotta be careful with that super glue!

  15. You receive such punishing winds, Derrick. I’m glad you and Jackie were able to right most of the plants. It’s a good mend on the wind chime owl as well. Now it has more character. 😉 Your garden is stunning. I’ll never tire of saying that.

  16. I believe this is the first time I see Jackie without her radiant smile. I am glad that damage was not as devastating as expected, yet it has managed to dampen the Head Gardener’s mood, and I feel sorry about it.

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