On another hot and sunny morning I produced a number of
garden views from above;
in the process a selection of Where’s Jackie? (11) for readers to find.
This afternoon I read more of Charles Dickens’s novel, Bleak House and scanned another five of the wide ranging illustrations by Charles Keeping.
‘On the step at the gate I saw a woman lying’ conveys the artist’s skill with buildings, graveyards, figures, and animals such as the rat, also giving perspective.
Attention to the writer’s detail is demonstrated by ‘Mr Vholes stood feeling the pimples on his face’
The effete ‘Mr Skimpole, lying on the sofa in his room, playing the flute a little’ is another worthy portrait’;
as is ‘The old man had shrunk down in his chair into a mere bundle’
Keeping is able to steep himself in the writer’s factories and waterways, as shown in ‘On the black canal bridge of a busy town’. A mere conversation is insufficient for him – he has to show it in context.
This evening Jackie and I dined on her spicy chicken jalfrezi with pilau rice; Flo enjoyed a boiled egg korma and plain boiled rice, with which she drank elderflower cordial; the Culinary Queen drank Hoegaarden and I finished the Shiraz.
Love the illustrations. Found Jackie at least once.
Thank you very much, Pat
Your garden looks fantastic, guys! I see you, Jackie! 😂❤️🇬🇧
Thanks very much, John X
For reasons best known to WP, I can’t see any of your photos or scanned illustrations……..or indeed anyone else’s!
Dammit. Thanks a lot, Sheree
WP gremlins
Your garden from above looks so beautful and appealing! I found Jackie in six photos. My final comment is that “effete” is one of my favorite words, but I never get to use it in casual conversation–although I did manage to work it into a character rant in a short story.
I doubt I shall ever use that descriptive word in general conversation, Uma. I can see my friends looking askance at me if I ever did.
🙂
I’m pleased you liked “effete” – not actually used by Dickens. Well spotted. Thanks very much, Liz
You’re welcome, Derrick.
The illusion of a menacing four-eyed creature staring out from the building in the first illustration is remarkably strong.
Well seen, Linda. hank you very much
That’s a rather emaciated rat!
And ultimately rather disappointed, John. Thank you very much
I spotted Jackie six times! The last one was the most difficult…left, top, oh, yeah! 😉 (Okay, now I’m seeing her in places she isn’t…so I best stop! HA! 😀 Just teasin’! 😛 )
I spotted some owls, too…which you know I love to do! 🙂
Mr. Keeping’s illustrations are wonderful as always…the details, textures, and shapes in the first one are so interesting! (Such a furry rat!)
Oh, and playing the flute whilst lying down…how wonderful! 🙂
(((HUGS))) 🙂
Thanks very much, Carolyn. Well spotted – that is why I chose the most difficult for the header
If Jackie had had a green blouse on, we’d have been in trouble! 😉 😀
I see her! Happy Easter to you and your family Derrick! 🥚🐇🐾🙏
Welk spotted, Cindy. Your good wishes reciprocated
Great header picture and it was very good to spot the head gardener in her natural habitat.
Thanks very much, Tootlepedal
Sweet
Thanks very much, Flow
Some fantastic hiding spots in your magical garden
Thank you very much, Gary
So lovely to see Jackie in her element
Thanks very much, Val
The garden is looking very springlike, as is Jackie 6 times over in her garden!
Well spotted, Janet. Thank you very much
I always enjoy seeing the garden from above, especially love seeing Jackie surrounded by the lush flora. The superb drawing of the woman on the steps is a stark contrast being a view from below. I like the rats.
Thank you so much, UoAnna
It is a tough quiz, and I suspect Jackie is standing in the top left corner of the image with her back to the camera. Keeping has produced a brilliant visual world enriching the storyline several fold.
Very well spotted, Uma. Thanks very much
Had to enlarge the picture, but I did find Jackie.
Well done, Laurie. Thank you very much
Can’t miss Jackie! Great shots!
Thanks very much, Jill
Wishing you, Jackie and Flo a Happy Easter, Derrick! I spotted Jackie in five of the photos. She works hard. The garden looks very beautiful!
Thanks very much from us all, Lavinia. The same to you and Rick
It’s always fun to have a bit of a challenge. I found Jackie in five photos, possibly six. That last one was only a guess. You have a lovely garden.
Well spotted, Nicki. Thanks very much
Are you sure it was the garden that was your intention of photographing. I’m sure it was more that you wanted to take more photos of that lovely wife of yours. I enjoyed viewing the garden but I do think it’s the gardener who makes the garden alive. Just like the cook in the kitchen. A wonderful post focused on the the lovely Jackie. 🙂
I loved the potted lavender tulips and lilacs (?) in the first photo.
Sussed, Chrissy 🙂 Thanks very much. Those little flowers are violas.
🙂
It is nice to see Jackie in the garden and your photos too. They bring the place alive. Reading about Charles Dickens, I will check if there are free audio book. It has been a long time since I have read his books.
Thank you very much, Lakshmi. I think you will like to repeat them
I had to enlarge a picture, but I found Jackie!
Well done, GP. Thanks very much
Wonderful “Where’s Jackie” shots. The Keeping drawings are his usual excellent work. I like the first one, and showed it our older child who is here visiting. They also admired it. That rat looks huge though!
Thanks very much, Merril
You’re welcome, Derrick.
Found Jackie with her back to the camera!
Thanks very much, Joycee
Jackie must be loving working in the garden at the moment.
She is, Helen, at last. Thanks very much
That’s good!
So beautiful! Was hard to spot Jackie, luckily she had the white shirt 😉 Happy Easter Derrick! 🐣🌸
Thank you very much, Ribana