Patio Progress

When I wandered around the garden early this chilly morning I watched the overnight frost dripping from the touch of the sun making its slow climb into the branches above and listened to the rhythmic patter as it beat a tattoo on the leaves below.

Sugar-frost remained in the unshaded beds and bejewelled foliage reached by the rising sun.

Camellias and irises reticulata are beginning to bloom.

Although she does not yet have balanced coordination to stand without support Ellie has the strength to do so with it, as she attempts to turn her multiple choice toy into a teething ring while running her tongue over her first burgeoning gnasher. Her mother stands poised in case of slippage.

Beginning early this morning,

and with the aid of his saw horse,

Martin spent much of the day fixing sleepers around the perimeter of the new patio paving. Each piece is measured meticulously and levelled with the aid of a spirit level.

After lunch I completed the recovery, made possible by the help of SueW, of the pictures to the following posts:

This evening we all dined on toothsome roast beef; crisp Yorkshire pudding and roast potatoes; firm Brussels sprouts; crunchy carrots; tender runner beans, and tasty gravy, with which Jackie drank more of the Grüner Veltliner, I drank more of the Syrah, and Flo and Dillon drank fruit juice cordial. Ellie chewed at and sucked on a piece of carrot and screwed up her face in lachrymal complaint when this was removed.

82 comments

  1. I can’t believe our big Ellie has grown up. Our youngest granddaughter Ellora or Ellla/Ellie for short, start big school on Monday. Time seems to reflect more when we watch our Grandies grow up.

    1. Thank you very much, Chrissy. For me it is the first time I have been able to watch this 24/7

        1. I just googled it. I think I am in the clear. Although there are a number of medical complaints concerning tear ducts.

  2. Ellie is so adorable! She’s got one tooth (gnasher) already! Martin is going a beautiful job, Derrick, the patio looks great! I’m glad that your website photos are complete now, it’s a lot of work running a website/blog isn’t it? Jackie’s dinner sounds delicious as usual! ???

  3. Thinking … I appreciate nature, patio building and wee ones … but maybe because I don’t have my own I tend to overlook how important the next generations are they are for others.
    Ellie is awesome … in her own special way. Not just because she is a wee one, but because she is already showing up as she is. A very special human being ❤️

  4. There’s a lot of ‘completing’ going on around there: blog photos, patio, and infancy. It won’t be long before Ellie won’t need those supports; she’ll be off and running — quite literally!

  5. Beautiful morning light photos. It’s fun to watch Ellie get bigger. What a great toy! Thanks to Martin for being dependable and doing good work!

    1. And thanks to you for your regular support, JoAnna. I’ve never been in a position to watch a baby’s progress 24/7 before.

  6. Wonderful beautiful photos, but they pale in comparison to wonderful beautiful Ellie!!! She’s grown so much! 🙂 YAY for first teethies! 🙂 And, yes, something to gnash on helps! 😀
    (((HUGS))) 🙂 ❤️?❤️

  7. Martin is such a hard, meticulous worker! Frosty foliage to angled late winter light on leaf and stone, the garden is a delight to see.

    Little Elowen is growing quickly! I love her expressive little face. ❤️

  8. Your camera skills were working overtime on this one! Thanks for sharing Ellie’s growing with us. And your “bejewelled foliage” is wonderful! What a great job Martin is doing. God bless him!

  9. Derrick, I must have “commented in my head” though I would have sworn otherwise. In any event, i enjoy your wonderfully descriptive prose, today and always. Ellie is a charmer. I love that age and stage, with so much of life to discover. Martin is a great talent with a warm smile. He must enjoy his work. Spring is just around the corner.

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