A Magnet

Here are the photographs from the garden this morning: Petunia double white Surfinia

A petunia, Double White Surfinia (no, Mr WordPress, not Surfing), is suspended from the eucalyptus.

Bed on former compost heap

It is hard to remember that this bed on the former compost heap was only planted a couple of months ago.

Weed

One definition of a weed is ‘a plant in the wrong place’. This plant, with its crimson-tipped flowers, draped over dead stumps on the back drive is definitely in the right place. That means it is not a weed.

Fuchsia

Further along, a row of fuchsias, heavily cut back last year, flourishes once more.

Sweet William

This Sweet William is one of the many plants that now line the opposite side of the drive.

Bee landing on poppy

Bees flitted from flower to flower. Can you see both these insects, wings operating, dropping their landing gear?

This afternoon, interspersed with watering the garden, I sorted and scanned a few more of the prints, from the 1980s, returned by Elizabeth. Apart from the 5″ x 7″ of Louisa, these all measured 10″ x 8″

Becky, Louisa, Sam 1982

This one is a crop from a picture featured earlier, in which Matthew was included. Becky, Louisa, and Sam are seated in a shelter in the garden of Jessica’s Aunt Elspeth in Rugby, probably in late 1982. It was shot in black and white, probably Ilford film.

Louisa 6.83

Another recent post contains an image of Louisa in the doorway at Fontaine in June 1983. Here is one more.

Matthew Slate mine 1983

That same post, ‘Memorable Holidays’, mentions one in September of that year in North Wales, where Jessica, Sam, Louisa, Matthew, Becky, and I visited a disused slate mine. Here Matthew perches in the unglazed window space of an old building.

Louisa, Matthew, Sam 1986

Matthew has always been a magnet for young children. This picture of him at Gracedale Road in 1986, reading a bedtime story to Louisa, barely awake, and an amused Sam, gives one indication as to why.

Just four days after her knee operation, Jackie insisted on cooking ‘a simple meal’. This is her idea of one:  OK, the cheese-centred fish cakes did come from Lidl, but by the time Jackie had finished with them they also wore jackets of thinly sliced mature Cheddar. The chips were cooked in the oven, having come from one supermarket or another. The sauteed leeks and green beans was a dish of Jackie’s own invention; even though the accompanying baked beans did come out of a tin. I suspect the bubble and squeak may have owed something to the influence of Bangladeshi chefs, who will break an egg over any number of dishes, thus enhancing the flavour. For those unaware of this classic English breakfast item, it consists of a fried melange of left-over vegetables. Served in any self-respecting working man’s cafe, it would probably not appear on the sideboard of a dining room at Downton Abbey.

P.S. Re the black and white picture, Becky has commented, thus: ‘The bangle I am wearing was a birthday present. That means the pic would have been taken after August 1982 and as it is still sunny and we are in Rugby it was probably during school hols. Therefore late August 1982 is my estimate. Making Lou 3 months old which looks about right’.

P.P.S. I am indebted to Mr Steele for pointing out that I had not mentioned what I’d imbibed. It was more of the Saint-Emilion.

P.P.P.S. Here is more, correct, information from Norma Palmer: ‘Lovely – I think your “not a weed” is fumitory – we get lots on our allotment. In the wrong place there, but still pretty’.

43 comments

  2. Lovely photos! And, though I’m not British, I have been known to make bubble and squeak on more than one occasion!

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  3. Love the photos, Derrick. I never knew what bubble-n-squeak was, it sounds like something my mom would make. [ Her dad came here from the British West Indies.]

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  5. I’m tempted to sing for both of you:
    Knees up Mother Brown
    Knees up Mother Brown…
    Knees up, knees up…
    and then something about cheese…

    Reply

  12. Love the Surfinia (no,not surfing, spellcheck !) -never knew petunias can look so good. I was wondering when a bee was going to appear and was not disappointed 🙂 I wish I had a big brother like Matthew.

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  17. The ‘old compost heap’ bed really is a beautiful transformation – perhaps the compost has left some of its magic in the soil. The useful wild plant that is growing over the tree stumps looks like it is probably Common Fumitory (Fumaria officinalis). I believe in the past it was used in herbal medications and also to dye wool. It sounds like Jackie’s knee is recovering quickly – I hope she continues to heal well.

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