From where I'm sitting . . .

. . . this is what I see.

The table laid for al fresco lunch

washing drying on the line

the temporary raised vegetable beds

the chalet and coach-house (shed and bike store)

the side of the garden which is to be converted into permanent raised beds, and the view over the garden fence

the retaining wall, which is currently being worked on

the conservatory

tomato plants in pots, potato plants in a growbag and a miniature rose from Eileen which seriously needs repotting.

newly planted planters

Nigella, or Love in a Mist, soon to be in flower

spare chairs in case we have visitors

a climbing hydrangea

the wash basket

overhead, the wisteria about to burst into bloom

and over the fence, some white lilac in the neighbour's garden

and all without leaving my seat. Wasn't yesterday just a beautiful day?

Please say hello

. . . to my newest grandchild, the gorgeous Abigail May Poole, born 12th May 2013.

Another "Then and Now"

I love it when I find old photos of our town. Back along I borrowed a library book with loads of photos, but as they were already photos of photos I couldn't get a decent photographic copy of any of them. However, while in our lovely old stationery shop Coates and Parker yesterday I found a postcard depicting East Street cir. 1900.

I live just off of East Street, so this view is the one I see when walking home from town. I couldn't stand exactly where the photographer stood over a century ago, or I would have been mown down by traffic, but here is the view from as close as I could get.

As you can see, the buildings are all more or less the same, only the drinking fountain has gone, and I'm pretty sure that the building furthest right, which now houses NatWest Bank, is new, as the window and roof heights don't match the original.

The reason I was in Coates and Parker yesterday was to buy a card for FO, my second son, and his partner to congratulate them on the birth of my granddaughter. I'm off now to see them, so look out for some baby pics when I get back, sometime at the weekend.