Tag: raindrops

Bejewelled Garden; Golden Skies; Flooded Fields

Once, late this morning, our overnight storm had subsided the sun and recent raindrops set the garden sparkling and reflecting.

These photographs were produced from inside and, except for the window panes, from above. All are named in the gallery.

This afternoon I made a good start on reading ‘The Leopard’.

We were enjoying late afternoon sunshine, so took a forest drive.

Cattle hogged the road at East Boldre,

where the low sun glowed gold,

and ponies grazed on the verge.

Sunset sheltered behind pines at Hatchet Pond.

The moorland and the tarmac bore much of our overnight rain, especially from the burst banks of Lymington River. One of the consequences of the number of potholes is that they cannot be seen when filled with water.

This young woman was more amused than hurt by her fall which must have been caused by such a sudden depth.

Here are my images of the flooded fields,

and cars spraying through the tarmac;

and here are Jackie’s of the fields.

This evening we dined on baked gammon; ratatouille; cauliflower cheese; sautéed cabbage, leeks, and red onions; carrots and broccoli, with which I finished the Côtes du Rhône Villages

Harbingers Of Spring 2025

When the heavy rain and stormy winds seen as the precursor of storm Eowen made way for a sunny afternoon I rambled around the garden perusing plants in search of signs of Spring.

Those I pictured bear their titles in this gallery.

I spent the rest of the afternoon learning more about ‘The Brontës’.

This evening we dined on tempura prawns and spring rolls on Jackie’s colourful savoury rice; and tender runner beans, with which I finished the merlot.

Decidedly Damp

I have realised that the persistent discomfort I have been feeling since my catheter removal has been the consequence of an infection, which I discussed over the telephone with my GP who ordered antibiotics for us to collect after lunch.

As we left for the Pharmacy, raindrops thundered on our car roof and swept across the windscreen.

The rain continued from early morning throughout the day until a brief respite later as we returned home.

We had returned to splashing along the wet roads.

The few ponies we did see on our trip were decidedly wet.

The freshly washed woodland colours brightly glistened.

and reflecting pools were filling up again.

We have learned that when the weather is stormy gulls tend to venture further inland.

This one, complete with bag of filched chips, is perched on the Tiptoe postbox.

Tonight we dined on Parmigiana crispy chicken breasts; piquant cauliflower cheese; boiled new potatoes, carrots, green beans, and spinach, with which I drank Georges Duboeuf Fleurie 2022.

Dead-Heading Roses

Our Covid vaccine reactions dissipated overnight.

I carried out a lengthy dead-heading session on the morning of this Cold. Overcast. Wet. (COW) mid-June day.

Here are a selection of the beneficiaries of my labours. Keen readers may spot some spent buds I have missed. If so, I do not want to know. Each image bears a title in the gallery.

Martin took the dead blooms from Wonderful Grandparents because it was unsafe for me to reach deep into the bed.

Soon after 3 p.m. when we set off for Ferndene Farm Shop to buy salad, sausages, and eggs rain set in for the rest of the day enabling me to produce a variant acronym: Cold. Overcast. Wet.

Here are a pair of pictures of the shop from through the car windscreen;

another of Holmsley Passage;

and one along Bisterne Close.

When viewed through the open passenger window I was able to focus

on a tree draped in honeysuckle,

and two different cornuses.

This evening we dined with Elizabeth at The Royal Oak, enjoying friendly, efficient, service and excellent food. The ladies both chose a very tasty Caribbean chicken curry and rice, while my pick was a fish and linguini dish which I relished. My sister and I each selected baked Alaska for dessert. Elizabeth drank non alcoholic Peroni, Jackie Diet Coke; and Merlot for me.

I Couldn’t Be Bothered

Whilst I enjoyed a Chiropractic session this morning another day’s relentless lashing rain set in.

Before splashing off to Sears Barbers in Milford on Sea, watching windscreen wipers swishing back and forth, I kept well ahead of my targeted daily tally of Kristin Lavransdatter pages.

Raindrops slid down the window obscuring Ellie’s Hey Duggee! bubble machine. I really couldn’t be bothered to photograph any more rain. Jackie, on the other hand, whilst waiting for me outside the

barbers’, noticed the irony of this sign in the window of the gift shop opposite, and bothered to

depict the wet streets and

a pair of sopping crows seeking shelter beneath a dripping bench.

This evening we all dined on Jackie’s curry meals with all the extras that we enjoyed last night, with which she drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Côtes du Rhône.

Spring Drizzle

Once again I stayed inside with Vanity Fair, until a lull in the drizzle outside led me to photograph the signs of life.

Many of the new shoots, moss, blooms, in or out of season, and even a fresh white feather, bore jewels of nurturing precipitation. Clicking on any image will access the gallery in which each photo bears a title.

This evening Jackie and I dined on chicken Kiev, chips, and peas, with which she drank more of the Sauvignon Blanc and I drank La Petite Pierre vin rouge 2022.

Brave Peach Rambler

Today was warmer, wetter, and with alleged sunny intervals.

Raindrops clung to the windows;

moody skies suppressed the sun.

I ventured no further outside than to photograph this pink rambler overlooking the patio.

Later, I began reading “My Early Life” by Winston S. Churchill.

This evening we dined on chicken Kiev, chips, and Ratatouille with which Jackie drank Blossom Hill White Zinfandel 2022 and I drank Carménère Reserva Privada 2022

Sunshine And Showers Today

Before this morning’s first shower descended I carried out a session of rose dead heading. Shirt sleeves kept me warm enough.

After a heavy spattering on our roof I introduced my lens to the sun briefly flirting with scudding cloud clusters.

Raindrops on various blooms and a few garden views came into view. The day, much of which I spent nearing the end of the second volume of Richard Church’s autobiography, continued with more overcast skies than with sunshine.

This evening we all dined on succulent roast pork with perfect tooth-testing crackling; crisp Yorkshire pudding and roast potatoes; crunchy carrots; firm broccoli and cauliflower; tender runner beans and spinach; and meaty gravy, with which Jackie drank more of the Lieblich and I drank Hacienda Uranus Garnacha Old Vines, 2020.

More Unlikely Bedfellows

Shirtsleeves were just about adequate for my post-gale walk around the garden this cooler and brighter morning.

Once again plants, albeit somewhat weatherbeaten, most unlikely to be found together in the flower beds at this time of year are featured. The yellow climbing rose Summer Time, and the ginger lilies should, for example be over by now.

Today’s gallery harbours more plants not recently photographed which bear titles once accessed by a click on any image. I think the butterfly is a Speckled Wood, which we have not seen before in 2023.

Afterwards I made good headway on Nevil Shute’s “On the Beach” which I had begun reading a couple of days ago.

Elizabeth and Jacqueline visited this afternoon and were very impressed with and bought some of Flo’s all natural materials hand made jewellery. They also chatted with Ellie.

I then watched a recording of the rugby World Cup quarter final match between Wales and Argentina.

We then dined on oven fish and chips, onion rings, mushy peas and pickled onions, with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank Doom Bar.

Warm Rain

I began my day by watching the ITV recording of last night’s rugby World Cup match between England and Argentina.

Although the air remained humid, the temperature hot, the breeze absent, we did at last receive rain, albeit warm.

It continued to require an effort to catch raindrops with my camera; the resultant images bearing titles in the gallery.

This afternoon I dozed through the rugby match between Japan and Chile, then gave my undivided attention to the game between Scotland and South Africa.

For dinner this evening Jackie produced her classic cottage pie; tasty ratatouille; crunchy carrots; and firm broccoli, with which she finished the Zesty and I drank François Dubessy GSM.

By this time the skies had darkened, the temperature dropped by several degrees, and a cool, light, breeze blew.