.. she was ...

Say not in grief "she is no more" but live in thankfulness that she was ... 

Beryl Roome
1924 - 2013

If Roses Grow in Heaven

Don't think of her as gone away,

Her journey's just begun.

Life holds so many facets,

This earth is only one.

Just think of her as resting

from the sorrows and the tears.

In a place of warmth and comfort

Where there are no days and years.

Think how she must be wishing

That we could know today,

How nothing but our sadness

Can really pass away.

And think of her as living

In the hearts of those she touched,

For nothing loved is ever lost

And she was loved so much.

~ Kirsten Preus 

Some of her much loved roses.

The view from her home as the sun sets. Farewell.

Uncle George with Aunty Beryl

Together again

After Glow

I’d like the memory of me

 to be a happy one.

 I’d like to leave an afterglow

 of smiles when day is done. 

 I’d like to leave an echo

 whispering softly down the ways,

 of happy times, and laughing times

 and bright and sunny days. 

 I’d like the tears of those who grieve

 to dry before the sun

 of happy memories I leave

behind ~ when day is done.

~ Helen Lowrie Marshall

Spring in the garden

Hello dear blogging friends.

We are back and blogging again after a gap. Time flies by and we can't believe its been so long since we posted.
We can't wait to visit you all.

A rare moment reading a magazine and soaking up some sunshine with Mr Bingley.

 petals (like snow) in May

On Sunday, there was an Open Gardens charity event in Binfield Heath.

7 gardens were on show. 

My favourite featured a canopy of Wisteria and a Golden Shower Tree (Cassia fistula).

It was devine. 

The Alliums are up and almost fully open.

Such bonny flowers.

Lord and Lady Nuffield and their home.

The National Trust have just taken over Nuffield Place, the home of 

William Morris (1877-1963), a car manufacturer (Morris Minors) and Philanthropist.

These are his tools, housed in a walk-in cupboard in his bedroom (yes!).

I love his travel set.

Lord Nuffield gave away so much money during his lifetime. 

The equivalent of £600 million.

His wife often used the bus.

No airs or graces and their beautiful, modest home reflects this.

The garden is being restored according to the plans laid out in the 1930s.

Worth a visit.

familier frontiers

I suppose frontiers should generally be new ones!

But not these, familiar ones instead.

We have been away in Cornwall dear Blogging friends, spending time with our Aunt in her lovely rural home.

When we returned home we observed that Mrs H's world was consumed by W O R K.

So glad to be visiting you all again now, at last!

Mr Bingley walking the boundaries

Nature doesn't acknowledge frontiers... you know ...

I wish to go forth (but Mum would miss me)

Bingley checking out Crows

Sitting with Aunt

We can see where she is struggling with knowledge. We can see what she forgets completely but also what she knows she once knew. We can tell how she is trying to remember. It is possible to alleviate her physical pain, but mental pain - her dementia – no we don’t know how. If only we did. Love you Auntie.

 ... and then we go out again, rest up a bit, ponder life.

 ... the next day the sun comes out and we get up early, drive to Newquay and walk the cliff and beach.

Finishing off with a veggie breakfast.

Mr Bingley supervised the tree surgeons taking down some wayward trees on our boundary.

Plenty of logs for the stove.

 ... also he supervised the flies and a number of ants ...

(some cat must)

A day trip to Glendurgan Gardens a stunning spot (felines kept the bed warm at home).

When we came home Mr Bingley checking nosed BIG TIME in the shed.

Darcy and Bingley

We have had a holiday, and we'd like to take it up professionally.

can Spring be far behind?

The temperatures grew slowly and the sun even came out.

So we all ventured outside.

Mr Bingley sniffing for Spring

“If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?”

~ Percy Bysshe Shelley

‘Ode to the West Wind’.

Mr Darcy on birdie watch

Bingley on plant inspection, 

is the ground warm enough to dig it in...?

... dare we dream... might Spring really be here?

N O P E!

... we woke to this ... March snow...

Bingley

So, back inside.

hunkering down again.

Keep snug, dear blogging friends.

cat and rat

March has arrived at last. 

So, instead of hibernating inside, cat hugging .. we can spend more time in the garden!

Mr Darcy, and Mr Bingley (on the sofa)

the bliss of the damp and warm nose of Bingley ...

the Darcy stretch ... 

Darcy

Even though this photo is blurred, it is so lovely to see Darcy kick out ...

Darcy

... and here is Mr and Mrs Ratty, a friends pet rats. 

Her 3 cats take no notice of them at all, even when they are on the floor.

Not too sure Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley would think that way (and not about to put my theory to the test)

purr-fect valentines

“I want to wrap you in my paws

and hug with all my might,

then snuggle close beside you,

cuddling all through the night,

and in the morning whisper

tender purrs by dawn's first light.

I'd like to do that lots and lots --

let's start right now, all right?”

Today is special not just because we are your Valentines ..

It is also our ‘gotcha’ day!

Birthday toasts all round as we are 4 today!

Being Mr Bingley

Each morning when I awake, I experience again a supreme pleasure:

that of being the ultra cool Mr Bingley ...

... after all, as Oscar Wilde once said "Be yourself; everyone else is already taken".

 You can tell a lot about a fellow by the way he drinks and why not lap from quality cut glass (I like to share Mrs H’s glass though strangely I don’t think she feels the same).

My general attitude to life is to enjoy every minute of every day. 

To take time out to breathe.

A cuddle makes the heart young again (and mine certainly is!)

Admittedly, I am prone to a spot of dreaming! Well, that chap Bob Dylan said 

"I'll let you be in my dreams if I can be in yours"..” 

(I like that, but not when it comes to my brother)

It’s raining so hard outside so I have no choice but to focus my activities indoors. 

Roll on Spring, are you ever coming to this part of the world?

Winter came a bitin ...

And then the snow fell!

We watched it from the window...

Bingley and Darcy

.. we sniffed the chilled air but didn't venture out ...

(until we were plonked outside by Mrs H, and then we quite liked it!)

... look closely ...

and you can spot Mr Bingley heading your way ...

Mr Darcy testing snow depth ...

Mr Darcy

 ... with his first fresh paw prints ....

Mr Bingley

... on route to check out that Alabama pot ..

Haven Garden

  

... our neighbour's car.

Henley-on-Thames

... Mrs H walked out for bread and milk ....

... then we had a family outing in the park so we could all revert to childhood ..

"In the depth of Winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible Summer.. "

~ Albert Camus