Beneath oppressively leaden skies on an unseasonably warm morning we carried out some tidying of the garden.
Enjoying the sounds of gentle birdsong in the trees; raucous geese honking overhead, and the
clinking and scraping of Jackie’s tools as she trimmed the grass and weeded brickwork, I concentrated on sweeping fallen beach leaves and dead heading in the rose garden and elsewhere.
The bonus of the weather conditions was the diffused light in which to photograph
Summer Wine (too high to reach with secateurs); crisp, pink, Just Joey; constantly blooming white Winchester Cathedral; and the seemingly everlasting Crown Princess Margareta.
Early this afternoon Joseph and Angela visited. Our sister-in-law, a superb Chinese cook, came laden with authentic cooking including some ingredients not available in this country. She brought paper plates so washing up would be negligible; non-alcoholic beers and rosé wine. By the evening she had finished the preparation and served starters of prawn crackers, spring rolls of flavours never experienced here, prawns in garlic, and runner beans with an intriguing taste. Later, came a complex curry and steamed rice to which more prawns could be added to taste. Lemon cheesecake and strawberries were to follow. I finished the Fleurie, while the others drank non-alcoholic beers or rosé wine.
Before settling down to the cooking, Jackie and I accompanied Angela on a
photo tour of the garden.
In addition to her favourites from this collection, I printed her copies of a number of my photographs including this one of
Joe and me from about 1963, and another of
Mum and her five children from 2011.
Elizabeth joined us later.
We have plenty of left overs for another day.
A lovely family and photos, Derrick! ❤️??
Thanks very much, John
Your supper sounds delicious and I love your family photos. ?
Thank you very much, AnneMarie. Just fished this out of Spam
Sounds a delicious meal and such special photographs and memories.
Thanks very much, Gwen. That family group, as you know, contains two people now who are no longer with us.
Yes, I know. So wonderful you thought to take it at the time. A good photo to enlarge and gift for Christmas?
That is a good idea, Gwen. Thanks again.
Good food, great company, and beautiful flowers. Nice day.
Yes, indeed, Pat. Thank you very much
Yes Derrick !! I love Chinese and most Asian cooking, and luckily my sister-in-law is from Thailand, and her homecook meals are scrumptious …
I’ll bet they are, Ivor. Cheers.
I love Chinese and Asian cooking but my gut doesn’t like it. I do however enjoy having a good sniff if anyone is cooking it or we pass a restaurant. The roses are looking lovely even the wilted ones.
Thank you very much, Chrissy. How tantalising those cooking aromas must be
Sure are.
Gorgeous shots of your garden, Derrick. I love the family photos, too!
Thanks very much, Jill
The flowers are beautiful, especially those roses. That is a lovely portrait of your mother and her children, all grown. Sounds like a wonderful dinner with Angela, Joe and Elizabeth.
Thanks very much, Lavinia. Angela loves food and feeding.
Wonderful memories
Thanks very much, Gary
That food sounds fabulous! Wonderful pictures of you and your family.
Thanks very much, Laurie. It was, indeed.
Your roses are glorious, Derrick. What a delightful visit you had!
We did indeed. Thanks very much, Dolly.
My pleasure, Derrick.
After all these pandemic-filled months that have placed constraints on friends and family visiting, it is a healing thing to be able to do so once more – albeit cautiously still (here anyway).
Here, too, Anne. Well understood. Thanks a lot.
The delight of the photographer at the bounty of flowers is contagious. The ensuing oriental feast must have been as delicious and exotic as the garden.
It was a splendid afternoon and evening, Uma. Angela’s cooking is not what we experience in Chinese restaurants over here – better than the best to my mind. Thanks very much.
Such gorgeous roses! What a fabulous visit from Angela.
Thanks very much, Sheree.
I’m on a diet at the moment, and the description of Angela’s meal was the first time in about three months that I have really, seriously, missed my old meals.
So sorry, John 🙂 Thanks very much.
I imagine most visitors to your garden would be just as eager as Angela to take photographs. The roses are just beautiful.
My Chinese son-in-law used to be a chef; however, the authentic Chinese food he sometimes cooks at home is not only different but is far superior to any that we have from a takeaway/restaurant.
The same is true of Angela’s cooking. And there is always masses of it, Sue. Thank you very much.
Beautiful garden photos!
Even more beautiful…your family!
I’m so glad Joseph and Angela could visit! The meal sounds heavenly!
Love that the spider made a beautiful background for Mama Mia!
You and Joseph are making a similar face. 🙂 Is he the baby brother? Was he standing next to you in the family photo? Looks like quite a spread in ages. My oldest sis and I are 17 years apart with 6 other kids born after her and before me. 🙂
(((HUGS))) 🙂
Thanks very much, Carolyn. Yes, Joe and I are 18 years apart. The sun was in our eyes in the earlier picture, and he is beside me in the other. X
It’s a cute photo!
I think Joe has a Rod Stewart vibe…I’ve always thought Rod Stewart is handsome! So this is a compliment! 🙂
Yes, he does, Carolyn. Thanks a lot.
That photo of Jackie through the sprig of flowers is an excellent study. Well done, you.
The recent birdsong does seem more ‘gentle’… Autumn’s rest approaching, perhaps.
Your garden, and roses, are still a gallery of colourful beauty; a perfect stage for Angela’s photoshoot!
Thank you so much, Emma. Looking back, I see that this is not the only extended summer we have had since we moved here.
What a wonderful day you had! Your garden photos are beautiful, and the family ones must certainly bring back memories. I particularly like the one of you and Joe–you have identical expressions and look so much alike.
Your dinner sounds so delicious! My mouth is watering.
Thank you so much, Merril. Joe and I have always looked the most alike.
What a lovely day!!
Thanks a lot, GP
Fabulous family photos.
x
Thanks very much, Melanie X
?
That is just the sort of visitor you want.
Absolutely. Thanks very much, Tootlepedal
So many beautiful photos! My favorites are the raindrops in the spider web and the one with Jackie behind the flowers with the ?lantern overhead. Dinner and dessert sounded delicious!
Thank you very much, JoAnna. Once again you have selected two of my own favourites.
Wow! So many delicacies ?? and what a lovely day ?
Thank you so much, Ribana. Angela is a superb cook.
Sounds like a wonderful meal.
It was. Thank you very much, Mrs W
Your welcome.
Your late-blooming roses look springtime fresh! My husband, daughter, and I took a drive to the Maine seacoast, and the rosa rugosa were blooming and fragrant–whereas our rosa rugosa look like bedraggled weeds. Maybe they’re longing for the sea.
Maybe any water will do. Thanks very much, Liz
Yum! Your garden is a credit to the work you both put into it.
Thank you very much, Lindsey.
What a wonderful day for you and your family.
Thank you very much, Kally
You’re welcome ☺️