Wonders and Wishes - a Postscript.

I decided that my new acquisition should have a name. It is beefy and robust, so has to be masculine. What better appellation for a Water Feature than …….. Walter (which is bound to be shortened to Wally, or Walt.) I suppose, of course, that this will lead to comments from the family along the lines of ..’I see you haven’t turned your Walter on today …’ But I can take it.

We have christened Walter this afternoon by taking polite afternoon tea out on the studio terrace beside him. We may both have been in our dirty gardening clothes, but we drank from fine bone china and partook of chocolate biscuits.

As I write it’s not far off yard-arm time, and still hot and sunny …… so I think we’ll be joining Walter for gin and tonic any time now!

Wonders and Wishes.

It is surprising sometimes what great pleasure comes from small unexpected things.

I spend a lot of time down in my cosy studio at the bottom of the garden, overlooking a paddock, and field of cows beyond. Whenever I avert my gaze from the computer screen there is always something fresh to take my attention. So it is that a stunningly perfect, single sunflower has appeared from nowhere right outside my window! I took a look outside in the tiny area between me and the honeysuckle entwined fence, and discovered it was growing from earth in an old abandoned pot. As I have never grown sunflowers before, I guess a bird must have deposited the seed, and somehow it has thrived. During the horrid wet weather we have suffered over the past fortnight, this unexpected bloom has provided such a very welcome burst of bright yellow sunshine right outside my window.

Why is it though that so much of what I tenderly nurture in the garden fails to do well, yet this casually scattered seed has flourished? I shall enjoy watching the cushion of sunflower seeds ripen, and will store them over the winter in the perhaps vain hope that just one or two might blossom for me next summer.

Another source of enormous satisfaction and sheer joy has been to have at last acquired something I have long coveted. A water feature! I have cherished the idea of hearing the sound of gurgling water outside in my little studio garden for as long as I have been lucky enough to have my own little eyrie. I bought a simple arrangement in a sale some 4 years ago, but it has stood parched and neglected not only because John wasn’t happy about the necessary requirements in the electrics department, but also because little grandchildren spent a happy time filling the narrow tube through the heavy concrete ball with small, immovable stones.

Then one day we casually called in at a Water Garden Centre, and discovered a really nice inexpensive set-up which came complete. Plug-in and go. Except paving slabs had to be lifted - and gaining access to the socket inside my studio was no easy matter – but the man of the house overcame all. And now water flows! I am ecstatic!

Few people are lucky enough to realize their dreams… but I have! Together with all my other blessings, too numerous to list, I now have a balcony to relax on (of which more another time) AND water sparkling in today’s sunshine as it cascades over a very pleasing little edifice. I can die happy! (… but not yet, hopefully.)

Into My Seventies ...

What a brilliant birthday surprise – after a mystery tour arriving at the beautiful Ston Easton Park in rural Somerset to find Jon and Sam and Kim sipping pre-lunch drinks in the drawing room. How wonderful! Lunch in such splendid surroundings was an absolute delight, and their company was SO much appreciated as I know that Jon is frantically busy workwise just now up in Edinburgh, and Kim is up to her eyes with bunting-making and school holidays. The sun shone, and we two were able to enjoy the extensive gardens late afternoon after they had all set off on their long journey back.

Jenny, Katy and William phoned birthday greetings from Oz at the start of the day, and on our return Kerry had left a phone message, and Sean even rang from his holiday base in La Manga . With 30+ cards, and lots of lovely presents, it was a great birthday!

Jaunty Jacket from John!

Next day we went over to Wales to pick up Kerry and take her to a lovely rural pub nearby where we all enjoyed a great lunch together, returning to the Clinic for afternoon tea, and to open Kerry’s presents. She was in really good form, so we all had a great day together.

Bless the bunch of you ……. Your Ma can’t thank you enough, and loves you lots. x