We're all going on a...

by train,

not on a Route master bus.

Linings

Pictured this morning in the northern most reaches of its territory -

my garden - the Jersey Tiger moth.

This is stunning at rest,

but displays a brilliant orange red underwing in flight

which satisfies my penchant for surprising linings.

Black Magic

How svelte, how elegant, how sparing the line.

Just a dash of yellow

or a wash of magenta.

The tilt of the head,

the cool appraising glances,

the enigmatic smiles,

the chocolates.

Our favourites for Christmas, Easter and birthdays.

A surefire present for Mother.

All in this iconic black box,

where even the corrugated paper inside

smelt good enough to eat.

So what have Nestle done?

They've changed them!

I can't find anyone with a good word to say for them.

Which are your favourite chocolates?

Sumnter

You have to love the Poole Pottery Twintone and the

Start Rite sandals.

This was the ice cream that our Grandma used to call Metropolitan.

We got very good at dividing this into five equal portions

for pudding at Sunday lunchtimes.

Just about sums up this summer.

My favourite dress

As an antidote to yesterday's grey,

I bring orange and pink,

to brighten another resolutely dull day.

And while trying to grasp at some evanescent memory

from childhood to do with a dress my mother made,

round necked, short sleeved and splashed with psychedelic daisies,

I came across some bright scraps of silk

from much the same era

and then this best dress, saved against all the odds,

through countless moves and

ruthless culls,

for nearly half a century.

My favourite dress.

(If you don't count The Grand Old Duke of York Dress,

the Jelly Dress and the Star skirt.)

What was your favourite dress?

Black and white

Early morning stormy sky.

Pewter robe for haircut.

Early evening stormy sky.

Well if we can't enjoy blue skies,

let's bring on the monochrome.

And sit on the swing seat in the rain wrapped in a blanket.

Thunderclap Newman.

(Not betraying my age at all).

Sea bass, samphire, artichokes and storms

So that's what we had for supper.

You can't see the sea bass, it's being expertly gutted.

I should have bought the mackerel

for the health giving properties of Omega 3 and its

considerably lower price,

but one bass between three was plenty.

Eldest son baked it in a parcel with lemon grass, chilli and rice wine,

a recipe from Nigel Slater's Appetite.

Delish.

Unexpected lillies in a forgotten corner,

not ravaged by the beautiful but hungry red Lily beetle this year.

Spent Christophii alliums.

A Grandpa Otis Morning Glory.

I wonder who he was.

Not this one.

But I've found out how to embed from You Tube, so

that's giving me a lot of fun.

Is mine the only Buddleia that doesn't attract butterflies

as promised in gardening articles?

Then the clouds rolled in and we had the mother of all storms.

Itchycoo park

It's all too beautiful.

Even this ungainly Stag beetle which I saved from drowning.

The jewellery box

Many years ago I had some good pieces of jewellery,

white gold, 

sapphires,

 pearls,

rubies,

opals,

diamonds, 

garnets,

emeralds,

turquoises,

left to me by an aunt.

We were burgled and most of it was taken.

Three months later, they came back

and took the rest of it.

I was really too young to inherit such finery then,

and didn't insure it properly.

I'd like to say I don't miss any of it.

But the truth is,

there was one beautiful Victorian butterfly brooch,

which I have never quite forgotten.