April 2025 – derrickjknight

Busy Doing Nothing

This morning of the hottest day of the year we transported another full carload of garden refuse to Efford Recycling Centre and sweltered in the car in a long queue while access was denied without explanation for an hour. Whatever had been going on we never discovered, although staff, equally suffering with the heat, were very helpful when were allowed in. One said he wished it would snow, because the thick suit they have to wear is far too hot, having been designed for protection.

We did, however, come away with a very decorative terracotta urn. As we are unsure where to place it, I temporarily perched it on the decking plinth in order to photograph it.

Earlier, I had received the new bank card replaced because of the scam. I tried to use it at Ferndene Farm Shop, then at the Everton Post Office. In both cases it was declined. The woman ahead of me at the post office had a huge bag full of small parcels each of which had to be weighed separately. Meanwhile I waited, perhaps unsuccessfully trying to contain my impatience.

This necessitated a long telephone call to the bank help line wherever that might be. There seemed to be no reason for the block. I was advised to try an ATM and follow directions. That will be mañana – I’m not up to tackling anything else today.

Except to read a bit more of ‘Anglo-Saxon England’.

This evening we dined on Jackie’s tasty beef and mushroom pie; boiled potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, and broccoli with which she drank Masseria Metrano Fiano Salento 2022 and I drank Las Ondas, Merlot, 2023.

Stalking Horses

The Belted Galloways shining their light on the moorland flanking Holmsley Passage were the only free roaming animals in evidence as the warmest day of the year heated up during our forest drive following a brunch at Redcliffe Nursery. The ponies were probably seeking shelter further inland.

The route through the shop to Redcliffe’s excellent restaurant contained numerous displays no doubt referencing items from the antiques emporium attached to the rear of the Garden Centre.

Neither the horse being ridden nor that being led among the traffic at Bashley seemed bothered about holding us up.

Sunlight streaked through the woodland beside Beckley Road.

We trailed after a wagon and horses along Forest Road. When safe to do so, Jackie overtook them and parked further down the road in order for me to photograph them as they approached. They turned off into Black Lane which, knowing their stables were there, we thought must be their destination, before they reached us.

We followed them. When they turned into their yard the occupants all enjoyed a good laugh at my cry, “Yes, we have been stalking you.”

Later, I telephoned the Action Fraud Line to report my scamming experience. This was a rather lengthy conversation in which Joy completed a thorough report which she read back to me. This will be passed to Metropolitan Police in London. Even though it looks to me as if this deception emanated from USA my call was welcomed as it will provide useful information to link with or warn about others.d

This evening we reprised yesterday’s sausages in red wine meal with similar beverages.

I’m Ready For My Close-Ups Now

Yesterday’s hacking was in fact, as Pat had first thought ransomware. I therefore believed I was dealing with Apple engineers and fell for the scam. Later in the evening I booked a call from the genuine Apple staff for this morning when all the damage was removed and steps taken to make my computer properly secure.

Afterwards I watched the Women’s Six Nations rugby match between Italy and Wales, which had been deferred from yesterday because of Pope Francis’s funeral.

I then decided it was time to produce close-up portraits of garden flowers, each of which bears a title in the gallery.

This evening we dined on Jackie’s pork and apple and merganser sausages in red wine; boiled baby potatoes; crunchy carrots; firm Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower, with which she drank Zesty and I drank more of the Fleurie.

Hacked Off

When I attempted to log on to my iMac this afternoon my screen was locked and bore a message to call a number to obtain help. Fortunately I received an immediate response, and the problem was dealt with and my devices secured.

With some interruptions I managed to watch the Women’s Six Nations Rugby matches between Scotland and Ireland and between England and France.

This evening we joined Elizabeth and Jacqueline for dinner at The Red Lion in Pilley. Elizabeth and I enjoyed steak pie, chips, and vegetables; Jackie chose burger, chips, and coleslaw; and Jacqueline, salmon, boiled potatoes, and vegetables. The three ladies all chose crême brulée for dessert, while my choice was apple and summer berries crumble and custard. Jackie drank a lager, Elizabeth a non alcoholic beer, and Jacqueline and I, a merlot.

Garden Progress

I carried out a dead heading exercise this afternoon, taking the opportunity to inspect some of the finer details achieved by Jackie and Martin in the last couple of days.

As mentioned yesterday, Jackie did exceed her bluebell goal on the Shady Path weeding. She also cleared the onion bulbs from the area

of grass under the Lawn Bed bench. Martin covered the patch with a membrane and laid a base of stone slabs in order to keep it protected.

As Jackie quipped, when trimming the edge between the grass and the bed, perhaps it should be renamed the Daisy Bed.

Along with the wooden mushrooms at the corner of the Lawn Bed, Jackie has applied Cuprinol to preserve such artefacts as this owl.

She has also refurbished the signs for Margery’s and the Shady Beds;

and continued filling pots like this one containing violas on the decking, and many in hanging baskets.

Weeding has continued in various areas, notably the Palm Bed.

More rhododendrons are blooming as are additional clematises

Montana and Dr Ruppel;

dicentras are spreading; the first aquilegias and the vibernum plicatum flowers have appeared.

This evening we dined on Ashley fish, chips and mushy peas; baked beans, pickled onions, and gherkins, with which Jackie drank Zesty and I drank more of the Fleurie.

While Jackie Delved….

I wandered in and out of the garden at different times of the day with my camera.

Here are some general scenes, each of which bears a title in the gallery. I have chosen to present the flowers in context rather than in close-up. The compost bins will need refurbishment in the summer.

Many of the artefacts scattered around have been gifts from friends

and relatives. The wickerwork sunflower in the first of these pictures is an Easter gift given a couple of days ago by Danni; the wooden mushrooms was my present a few years ago to Jackie, while the little figure atop the nearest one was given to me one Christmas by our beloved sister in law, Frances who fancied she saw some resemblance.

Among all her other delving today Jackie cleared out the invasive little onions from both approaches to the Shady Path. When I made the last of these pictures of her in action she was aiming to reach the bluebell at bottom right before she finished her day and we enjoyed drinks on the patio. She did, of course, reach her goal.

This afternoon I continued reading ‘Anglo-Saxon England’. Because I already know much of the story this will not take me as long as the first book in the series.

For our dinner this evening we enjoyed more of Jackie’s chicken jalfrezi meal with the addition of a vegetable samosa. The Culinary Queen drank Zesty and I drank Patrick Chodot Fleurie 2023.

Garden And Dog Walkers

This morning we transported another full car load to Efford Recycling Centre and returned with a garden mirror to replace one smashed in

the recent storm. It is currently simply propped on the decking.

In order to keep ahead in culling my iPhotos pictures I removed all those appearing in

This afternoon I read more of ‘Anglo-Saxon England’.

Jackie produced chicken jalfrezi and mushroom rice for our dinner this evening, with which I drank more of the shiraz.

From The Bridge

On a much warmer day we took a forest drive, lunched at The Potting Shed at Hyde, and bought three more bags of compost and a few bedding plants at Ferndene Farm Shop on the way back.

There is a new decorated postbox outside Postbox Cottage at Wootton – once again the theme eludes us.

Particularly during the brief sunny intervals gorse and blossom in the landscapes brightly glowed; golfers enjoyed the Burley course.

At North Gorley there was ample evidence that we can expect a foal season soon.

We drove down to the stream at Ogdens North, passing high banked trees on our left and landscapes with distant horses and a closer cow on our right.

I crossed the bridge over the stream and

photographed a reflecting branch.

This afternoon’s iPhotos culling was not a great success, since I only deleted two of those appearing in

compensating somewhat by deleting all those featured in

This afternoon I read more of ‘Anglo-Saxon England’.

While Jackie had taken a rest underneath the wisteria arbour she looked above and delighted in the view.

When I transferred her picture from her camera I noticed this

photograph of Flo’s Fairy Garden showing the benefit of the reflecting mirrors we have scattered around the garden.

This evening we dined on spicy salami pizza; garlic bread, and salad, with which I drank The Butterfly Effect reserve shiraz 2021, and Jackie drank Zesty.

Properly Lost

This morning I read more of Anglo-Saxon England.

After lunch I deleted from iPhotos all the pictures in

Carrying our evening’s dinner of Elizabeth’s spaghetti Bolognese, my sister, Danni, Ella and Jack visited this afternoon and created a lovely day for us all.

The intention had been for an Easter egg hunt in the garden, but as it was pretty drizzly outside and this would have been the third of the day it was decided to defer that, to stay indoors,

eat cup cakes and one egg, have a cuddle with Mum, then carry out

the hamper from the library and play games with the contents.

We then enjoyed an early dinner as described earlier, with which I finished the Fleurie, Jackie and Danni drank zesty, and Elizabeth drank FreeDamm, while the children drank water.

Ella and Jack followed this by

“getting properly lost” in the now sunny and dry garden. Where’s Ella? in the second of the above two pictures.

Seeing what I had hanging round my neck, Jack asked me “What’s that?”. He had never before seen a camera other than in a phone.

At the end of the daytime children enjoyed a lot during and watched Love Monster on TV. Danni e-mailed me these last two pictures.

More Recent Blooms

This morning I wandered around the garden with my camera.

Here are the results, each of which bears a title in the gallery.

In the interests of keeping down my iPhoto numbers I only managed to cull two images from

West Quay

but did remove all of those appearing in

Harvest Mice

This afternoon I watched the Women’s Six Nations Rugby match between Wales and Ireland.

Our dinner this evening consisted of chicken Kiev and southern fried chicken with chips, peas and sweetcorn, accompanied in my case by more of the Fleurie.