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Heavy rain set in for the day this afternoon. Before that, Jackie managed an impressive amount of weeding and planting. She didn’t have to do any watering.
This time last year we were still preparing the empty rose garden. Now it looks as if it belongs.
Absolutely Fabulous and For Your Eyes Only are particularly prolific;
the full spread of the latter is shown here behind the statue of Spring; to the right Shropshire Lad’s aged white heads hang a bit heavy, although new buds ascend the netting; Gloriana holds up a couple of blooms; The white flowers of Margaret Merrill are to the right of the shed, and bright red Love Knot to the left.
Opposite those scenes Festive Jewel merges into Summer Wine on the entrance arch, on the right side of which is the honeysuckle. The urn is one of those bought recently.
The first delicate pink Penny Lane bloom has opened on the potting shed trellis.
This afternoon I printed Pauline’s A+ plus photographed another.
This evening we dined at The Beach House restaurant at Milford on Sea with Becky, Ian, and Ian’s father, Peter, and stepmother Ali. We all get on very well and had a very enjoyable time celebrating Peter’s birthday today, and Jackie’s tomorrow.
My menu choice was whitebait; steak pie; and summer fruit trifle. I shared a bottle of Montepulciano with Becky. I’m past caring what the others ate or drank.
Before going out I made a birthday card for Peter.
Peter the Pelican was the mascot for the Greek Island of Mykonos from 1985 when, in an injured condition, he was rescued and cured by the islanders, until 1985 when he was killed by a car. Since, among my collection of cards, I had one of a Pelican taken in St James’s Park in 2012, it seemed appropriate to give this to the birthday boy, with an explanatory note within.
Lovely birthday card idea! And ” I’m past caring what the others ate or drank.” SO funny!
Your rose garden is just spectacular. I love that I have watched it come so far. The names of the rose bushes are especially fun, aren’t they?
Thank you, Jodie, for watching and commenting. We do get some fun names
Well now I’m miffed. Seems everywhere in the country got rain today. Except us. Can you blow it down this way please? The garden really needs it. Yours, on the other hand, is looking grand.
A very Happy Birthday to Jackie for tomorrow. I hope you’re taking her somewhere nice 🙂
Many thanks, Jessica. I hope you get some rain
That’s a very well fed pelican – I hope the human Peter doesn’t take it amiss! The rose garden looks lovely, it’s a pity you can’t share the scent with us as well. I’m pleased to note you inferred a successful photocopying process today. And happy Birthday to Jackie for tomorrow xo
Many thanks, Pauline
Lovely roses, and fun birthday pelican. 🙂
Happy birthday to Peter and Jackie!
Thank you, Merril
Dixon Lanier Merritt (1879–1972) was an American poet and humorist. He was a newspaper editor for the Tennessean, Nashville’s morning paper, and President of the American Press Humorists Association.
He penned this well-known limerick in 1910:[1]
A wonderful bird is the pelican,
His bill will hold more than his belican,
He can take in his beak
Enough food for a week
But I’m damned if I see how the helican!
Lovely, Cynthia. Thanks
What a great idea for the card, Derrick. Happy birthday to Peter and Jackie!
The pink Penny Lane bloom shot is glorious!
Thank you, Jill. Peter is amazed
What an exquisite rose! Love the Pelican mascot. Happy birthday to Jackie. 🙂
Thank you, Sylvia
What a handsome pelican!!! Love these names: Shropshire Lad, Summer Wine, Penny Lane, etc.
Thank you, Luanne
Sounds like a lovely day
Thank you, Lynn
Wonderful as always
I love the idea of giving a card to a much loved bird and those roses are very pretty indeed.
Thank you, Suzanne
Peter made my day 🙂
Thank you, Sylvie
Peter the pelican.. <3…
The garden looks more beautiful after the rain… 🙂
Thank you, Maniparna
Lovely roses in the garden and a Cute Pelican…….
Thank you, Vikey
You have made my day!Lovely pictures…and the pelican has really stolen the show
Thank you, Sofia
That looks a really big bird!
Thanks, John
Happy Birthday to Jackie. I would have offered her a rose that was picked for me from my friends’ garden today; a Pierre de Ronsard, a lovely climber. I don’t have many ornamentals in my garden but there’s the good old Rosa chinensis ‘Mutabilis’ and the plucky Rosa ‘Cécile Brünner ‘. They can’t be more different but I love them equally for their beauty and generosity.
Thank you very much, Mary. Three roses we don’t have
A very happy birthday to Jackie! With flowers, abloom, such a lovely month for a birthday. And, love the Peter Pelican card.
Many thanks, Laurie
For me, the older I get, the more precious birthdays have become 😉 I firmly believe in celebrations, big and small, to honor a person’s birthday.
I remember a fearsome pelican in St James’s Park who ate pigeons. The pictures in the Standard scarred me for life ….
Oh dear! Thanks, Osyth
Oh, Derrick, you have so many jewellery in your garden 🙂
Thank you very much, Monica
🙂
Your rose garden is looking beautiful, Derrick – I especially love the Penny Lane bloom. 🙂 I hope Peter and Jackie have had great birthdays.
Thank you, Louise
That penny lane flower is gorgeous
Thanks, Alex
Your garden is beautiful. Happy belated birthday to Peter and Jackie.
Thank you, Persia
I had never seen a pelican. What a lovely photograph. Thank you.
Thank you, Micheline. Knowing how busy you are, I am honoured by your catch up session