Are you listening?

Hello God, are you there? How's the family? Did you get Jesus something nice for his birthday? hahaha. I don't know whether you use the t'interweb, but seriously if you are there, somewhere, I'm here to ask for the same thing I have asked for many times before. This is just the one thing I would love to have to make my life complete. If you could make it so I could get her back, it would be greatly appreciated. Also, I hope I am not going about things wrong. If I am, please let me know. I will do what needs to be done so that I may end up with her again. I don't mean to hurt anyone, I just don't know if you will be able to do this for me as I have not received a sign. Anyway, keep up the good work. I know most people believe in you, I hope they are right. All the best.

Titty Bottle Park

Taken on a recent visit to the Packer's!
Ian greatly amused by Titty Bottle Park!

Anniversary

Today, the 6th of June, FB and me would have celebrated our 24th Wedding Anniversary.

Daffodils

The photo of these daffodils was taken this morning. Called tête-à-tête this variety of daffs were Heather's favourite. The old daffodils that were originally planted here, many years ago, had ceased to flower, the majority of them coming up blind. I dug them out in the autumn of 2007 (on FB's instructions!) and replaced them with tête-à-tête. Heather lived to see them flower the following spring of 2008. Before the photo was taken I snipped off a dozen stems and lay the flowers at the Garden of Remembrance earlier this morning before the world was busy. They make a stunning display, that the photo does not do justice to, sprinting into bloom after the snowdrops and the crocuses (or is the plural croci?). As a footnote I must remark that the old daffs were planted elswhere in the garden and the move has given them a new lease of life; last year they came into bloom again.

Snowdrops

Always the first every year to show their green stems and white flowers above ground, these hardy plants seem to thrive through the snow and ice. The photo shows the snowdrops 'going over' and looking a little past their best.

Heather

Anniversary

Tuesday the 13th of October the first anniversary of the death of my dear wife Heather. I am writing this virtually at a loss for words to express my feelings. So I will just convey my heartfelt thanks to all my family and friends for their support over this past year, and for everyone whose support either via Skype, Facebook, email, text, letter, comments, phone or visit has helped me to cope with our loss.
Much Love to you all.

Birthday

My Darling Heather
As I lay your birthday flowers
I close my eyes and try not to see
The darkness now between us
I shut my ears and try not to listen
For the silence between us
I grieve the loss that tears the heart
Of my being.
My Darling Heather
There is no pain like the want of your love

Posy

I continue to grow Heather's favourite annuals, begonias, cosmos, and sweet peas. Some of them make beautiful cut flowers for a scented indoor display. Heather delighted in posies of flowers from the garden and today I took the first cuttings of our sweet peas. Here is a little posy of them with a few sprigs of lavender. Obviously no photo can do justice to the heady fragrance of these old fashioned sweet peas; in a closed room they fill the air with their perfume.

Anniversary

When the world was yet abed
Before the city stirred
Again to the place where my love waits
Where the low beech hedge in late spring green
Was glossy wet from falling rain
White garnered blooms from our garden laid
To honour the day when we were wed
The 6th of June these 23 years past.

Winter Garden

This was the scene at first light this morning. I motored home in flurries of snow along the M69 late last night, and this was the winter snowscape that greeted me this morning. The forecast is for more of the same all this week.

The bird feeders are fully charged. We have a total of five feeders some with sunflower hearts and others containing peanuts. Several coconut halves filled with fat and suet are hanging around the arches at the top of the garden. There are still plenty of berries on the pyracanthas, and every morning handfuls of currants and bread crumbs are scattered on the lawn to help the birds through the cold snap.

Feeding the birds draws them to the garden for our pleasure. But by feeding the birds are we interfering with nature and the process of natural selection? Discuss.