Devastation And Dessert

Winds of up to 60 m.p.h. howled and heavy rain lashed throughout the night.

Regular readers will know that Jackie’s favourite view is straight down the garden from the stable door.

This is what it looks like this morning through the window in that door.

The wisteria arbour has been destroyed.

We did not investigate further in the garden. Instead we drove to Milford on Sea to look at it.

A bent branch hung down over Downton Lane. The Modus was just able to clear it.

The rain had desisted by 10 a.m. when fierce winds whisked curdling waves sent spray smashing into rocks, breakwaters, and the sea wall over which rapidly liquified spume droplets swelled a saturated shingle lake.

Gulls enjoyed floating on the thermals in the warm air currents.

When I last visited this spot a week or so ago a cleft in this cliff had not been quite so rent.

Later this afternoon Elizabeth visited to help me with the on-line Probate application. My sister is very tech-savvy, but even she came to an insurmountable block, so we gave up and had dinner which consisted of succulent roast lamb; crisp roast potatoes and Yorkshire pudding; crunchy carrots and cauliflower; tender green beans; mint sauce, and thick, meaty, gravy, with which Elizabeth finished the Comté Tolosan Rouge; Jackie drank Hoegaarden; and I drank Montaria red wine 2020.

Dessert was Jackie’s spicy pumpkin pie which she photographed after we had eaten half of it.

117 comments

  1. Oh, gosh! 🙁 So sorry to hear about, and see, the wind damage. Darn winds! 🙁
    Your waves photos (especially the B&W’s) are so beautiful and show the power of the waves.
    And the lone gull is a good reminder to keep flying HIGH…above the chaos. 🙂
    YUMMY YUM YUM on the pumpkin pie! Any specific spice that makes it spicy?!
    I usually use cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice…sometimes cloves.
    (((HUGS))) 🙂

  2. I’m so sorry to hear about your garden’s wind damage, but hope it is ‘damage’ and not devastation. Such a disappointment, but I’m sure The Head Gardener and her assistant will be able to rectify and get your beautiful haven back together!
    That Pumpkin Pie looks wonderful – great pastry, Jackie!! 😉

  3. I am so sorry, Derrick and Jackie! What a shock Jackie must have had when she looked out of the window. No wonder she felt she couldn’t do anything about it straight away. The wind arrived later here and fortunately for us wasn’t as strong as it was with you. We have had no damage but had a power cut for nearly an hour while they tried to re-route power to us after over-head cable damage.
    What a gorgeous pumpkin pie! Well done, Jackie!

  4. Are you aboaut ready for the winds to stop? It looks as if the garden will need a lot of work — can some of it wait until spring?

  5. The sea photos are beautiful, such an angry sea. The pumpkin pie looks so delicious, well done, Jackie! I’m sorry about the wind tearing your garden up, that’s going to be a good bit of work to clean up. In the cooler months here in Las Vegas, we have frequent windstorms with winds reaching 50-60 miles per hour. We just get used to it as a part of living in the desert.

  6. I love to see the waves in such dreadful weather, while sitting in the car of course.
    Oh, dear I am so sorry about the damage to your garden, I hope it’s not extensive. We live in such a windy spot and anything like the arbour would not have lasted more than a day or so.

    I dislike online forms too and mainly because we don’t see the whole picture, the whole form as we do with a paper copy. There’s usually something not in clear view on the screen and for me it’s usually the thing I need to see before the next stage, so frustrating.

    I hope you manage to complete them tomorrow

  7. Last week we had 50-60 knot winds for two days, and it wasn’t pleasant. I didn’t have any pumpkin pie, though. That would have made it all bearable! To be honest, I was surprised to see a pumpkin pie on your table. For some reason, I thought only we Americans ate it. It’s certainly good — nice to know you partake, as well.

  8. Sorry you had such a bout with those gusty and damaging winds. Hopefully you and Elizabeth will soon be able to nail down the probate requirements. That will be good for you all when complete.

  9. Don’t you love the sea when she shows her furious side, Derrick? Nothing can tame her. Reminds me of a girl I once dated…but, I digress. By the way, pumpkin pie with a dab of whipped cream topping and a hot cup of dark roast coffee is my favorite dessert. Wish I was there 😉

  10. I am so sorry you and Jackie experienced all that wind damage in your beautiful gardens you both work so hard in all season. Those were some terrific winds, and the surf looks treacherous in those photos. Sounds like Aaron from A.P Maintenance will be paying you a visit soon to help clean up the damage.

  11. As I have been catching up on blogs missed last week, the news on this one came as an unpleasant surprise – especially as you have already done so much preparation ahead of the expected wind. Leaving behind evidence of its power to observe more of it at sea could have been a good antidote. I wish ‘the powers that be’ would make the paperwork a lot easier to complete – after all, none of us are in the best of minds at the time of the death of a loved one! Glad you could enjoy such a good meal and I join the hurrahs for Jackie, who could turn her mind away from the mess in the garden to be creative in the kitchen!

    1. We both thank you very much, Anne. The brick wall we hit on the probate was when I had to supply 2 identification details from 3 options: A valid passport – mine expired in August because I’ll never use it again; The date I first took out a contract for a mobile phone or a bank debit card – who knows that?; A Northern Ireland driving licence – I don’t have one.

      1. I couldn’t cast my vote in the local elections this morning because I have lost my identity card and they wouldn’t accept my driver’s licence!

      2. My goodness, that pumpkin pie looks delicious. Has Jackie ever considered sharing her marvellous recipes? 😉 Some wonderful word imagery today, Derrick augmented by the spume-laden photographs. But what devastation in the arbour. I hope the wisteria can be salvaged and the arbour restored, replaced without too much expense. I was reading further up the comments about the obstacles to completing the probate form. I’m speechless, Derrick. Any words which come to mind are not repeatable!

  12. Very appropriate Derrick, a tasty pumpkin pie for Halloween, although I hope the horrible storm wasn’t caused by those Halloween witches brewing up a hurricane

  13. I’m am so sorry for all the damage to your yard. Please tell Jackie that I feel for her. She works so hard to make it so amazing. I hope it all comes back in the spring. 😥

      1. You are both more than welcome! It is too bad that all of us on here are too far away to help you clean up. You are so gracious to share your photos of your beautiful garden with us. Saying sorry doesn’t seem to be much in return. 😢

  14. The garden appears trounced, at least the view you have photographed bears the expression. Internet proceedings keep disappointing us despite the advances made in computing and connectivity. Perhaps the nonchalance of programmers is coming to the fore symbolising uncertainties of the human mind.

  15. The pie books very nice. Maybe I should give such a go – does it taste of pumpkin?

    Sorry about the damage the winds caused in your garden.

  16. I’m so sorry about your garden. It must have been scary to listen to that wind! Wonderful photos of the surf.
    Jackie’s pie looks delicious. Great minds–I made one yesterday for Halloween. Pumpkin pie has to have enough spice in it. 😀

  17. So sorry to see all the havoc caused by stormy winds in your garden.
    I’m sure, in time, it can be put back to its former glory.
    The pumpkin pie looks delicious
    🎃💖🎃
    x

  18. I soon as I saw the “Pie” I was instantly hungry …. afternoon tea is coming up real soon though! As for destruction in your garden, sad. But as is often the case with dreadful weather, gardens take the brunt of it…sometimes we wonder how the wind did so much damage…

  19. Can’t click “like” on this one. I am so sorry about all the damage the storm did! The garden repair will take a lot of time and effort. Not a happy sight! I hope you are able to salvage that arbour! The sea looks angry. I hope tomorrow is a better day!

  20. Oh, Derrick and Jackie – so sorry about the destruction. So disheartening – especially so late in the season. On a better note, that pie looks AMAZING!

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