Early this afternoon, our neighbour, Gordon, visited. We enjoyed a convivial conversation in which he expressed pleasure to hear that the article he had given me from a 1928 edition of The Mansfield and Sutton Times had appeared in my post ‘Patent Love’.
Later, I scanned the next four of Charles Keeping’s inimitable illustrations to ‘Dombey and Son’.
‘She lay like a horrible doll that had tumbled down’
‘Miss Tox took him on her lap’
‘Pinning him by the legs, the children claimed him as their friend’
‘Their heads all but touching, in their hurry and decrepitude’
The organisers of Byron Road Christmas decorations in Barton on Sea have this year dedicated their annual fundraising display to
the NHS.
We made our visit after dark this afternoon.
This evening we dined on well cooked pork chops with apple sauce; baby new boiled potatoes; crunchy carrots; and firm broccoli and cauliflower, with meaty gravy. Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Macon.
Lovely Christmas Lights! You have captured them well, it is tough to get good shots like that.
Thank you so much, Maj
Miss Tox and Mr. Toodle!!
It looks like Byron Road went all out with the Christmas decorations this year, so pretty!
Thanks very much, Liz
You’re welcome, Derrick.
Love the pictures and your Dickens engravings are growing on me. 😉
Love the pictures and your Dickens engravings are growing on me. 😉
Thank you very much, Pat
I like the illustrations, the photos are great, it looked so beautiful and so much fun.
It gives much pleasure each year
It gives much pleasure each year. Thanks very much, More
You’re welcome Derrick
A mesmerizing wonderland.
It is indeed, Chrissy. Thanks very much
Amazing display but I wouldn’t want live next door or opposite!
It is quite controversial. This year there were one or two gaps in the main terrace, but more participants across the road. The main issue seems to be visitors parking along the road. Thanks very much, Sheree
Wonderfully evocative illustrations, as usual, and very festive Christmas light display. Great job of capturing the variety. It would be fun to walk down the street to see them, but I agree that I wouldn’t want to live there.
What a lot of effort has been made to create these festive lights.
Yes. We have been here 7 years and it was an established tradition before we arrived. Thanks very much, Anne
That’s some major decorating. How does it raise funds? As for the illustrations, they do look alarmingly accurate to the characters…
Thanks very much, Lisa. There is a charity box which I think does gather quite a bit.
Once again Mr. Keeping’s faces and fashions capture me in! 🙂
Beautiful Christmas decorations and lights! I love the lights! One of our fave Christmas outings is to walk the neighborhood to see the decorations and lights…or take a drive and do the same. 🙂
Love the photos of the little kiddos enjoying the lights and decorations. 🙂
(((HUGS))) 🙂
PS…”Christmas lights instantly make me feel eight years old again!” 🙂
Thanks very much, Carolyn. Just a little younger than usual then 🙂 X
Oh, beautiful!
Thanks very much, Laurie
Thank you for the festive post, Derrick! It looks beautiful.
Much appreciated, Jill
Very good photographs of the festive lights and effects but these things bring out the curmudgeon in me. If ever there was an example of conspicuous consumption, outdoor Christmas lights are it.
I see your point, Tootlepedal – we have, incidentally, far more in the neighbourhood this year – it seems to me that, with the rise of Omicron, people are trying to make something out of a dodgy time. Thanks a lot.
You may be right about that.
So much fun for the kids as well as the adults. I had never seen a Giraffe as Christmas decoration, so that was a surprise.
Thanks very much, Bridget
Wow! Beautiful Christmas decorations!
Thank you very much, Ribana
Christmas Wonderland! Beautiful.
Thanks very much, Rosaliene. That would have made a good title
Your photos of the Byron Road Christmas decorations in Barton on Sea are spectacular Derrick
Thanks very much, Ivor
Such strange drawings as usual. I find the one with the women facing each other most interesting, especially the hair. The Christmas decorations make me tingle with joy. 🙂
Thanks a lot, JoAnna. These two mothers and daughters, of such differing circumstances met in the street. I have a feeling this is going to be significant before long. You and many others re the decorations.
That’s some display
Thanks a lot, Gary
Christmas has descended in all its colours upon your neighbourhood. You have captured the dazzling decorations in a masterly manner that displays your excellent control over exposure.
Thanks very much, Uma.
What a delightful Christmas display!
Thanks very much, Nicki
Phew, that’s a lot of work and alot of decorating to get that display going. Then they have to take it all down again …
It was featured on Tv this year. The man who put up the NHS sign and rainbow said he drilled 1700+ holes for the bulbs. Thanks very much, Yvonne.
Wow, that is displaying respect.
What a wonderful display and how lovely to dedicate them to the wonderful NHS.
Thank you so much, Sue
thanks for theKeepings and dickens (yet again)
and the new word – “convivial” yeah baby
Thanks a lot, Yvette 🙂
I like that name ‘Yvette’.
I imagine you would 🙂
🙂
A nice meal after a nice outing. Those lights are pretty!
Thank you very much, Barbara
Beautiful captures of the Christmas decor. Such glorious colors.
Thank you very much, Eugi
Wow, Derrick, those illustrations are mesmerizing! They border of gruesome and yet they make me wonder. Thanks for sharing those. As well as the Christmas lights and decorations! What fun to walk there after dark. We have a similar area about a hour’s drive from us, where hundreds of visitors go to enjoy the lights. It’s so festive! Happy Holidays!
You, too, Diana. Thanks very much
I enjoyed Charles Keeping’s illustrations, and the tour of Christmas lights, Derrick and Jackie. It is the season for lighting up the darkness!
A good final phrase, Lavinia. Thank you very much
Gosh – the Christmas decorations are something else! I’m glad to see children out enjoying them. And good to see money from them being donated to the NHS.
Thank you very much, Helen
It is cheerful. I love the lights.
Beautiful decorations! Thank you for sharing your photos of them, Derrick.
Much appreciated, AnneMarie
Lovely decoration.
Thank you very much, Rupali
I have enjoyed Mr Keeping’s inimitable characterization and composition in this set of illustrations. The decorations are fabulous.
Thank you very much, Dolly.
You are very welcome, Derrick.
I’m so glad I am taking time tonight to catch up on my blog reading. I would not have wanted to miss this one! The scanned pages are wonderful. I especially liked the one of her toppled upsidedown. Delightful! And the Christmas decorations are stunning! Thanks for sharing, Derrick. Have a lovely Sunday!
And thank you for the much appreciated catch up, Jan X