Ruby & Two fer Tuesday - Raindrops on Dahlias!

The days are certainly getting cooler and @ the weekend we had our first frost - quite a sharp one too, as it wasn't just the car windscreens that were throughly iced over but vehicles themselves were too - Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Such a chill night will certainly have taken it's toll on the last of the Summer blooms.

I haven't been to inspect the damage, preferring to remember these pretty Dahlias, as they were last week after a shower...

Ruby & Two fer Tuesday - Hints of Autumn!

Almost a 'Wordless Wednesday' pair of photo's these...
The warm, often Ruby colours of Autumn I do enjoy.
Likewise, those warm Indian Summer days - know it's no longer politically correct to say that but I think that's madness!
Sadly, there is no sign of them anyway, just gloom & rain - so this Autumn's colours may be subdued.

Ruby Tuesday / Two fer Tuesday - Roses Red!

As I was unsure which meme to play today, did both!

Late blooming old fashioned Rambling Roses, not from my garden but a neighbours ...

Just wish I had 'smell-o-vision' as they're so headily fragrant.

The newer fancy scentless hybrid roses have NO follower in me - as a Rose without perfume, is no Rose however pretty!

Two fer Tuesday - Blue Mews!

My time in Brighton always includes a stroll through the funky North Lanes, usually after a lenghthy lunch @ nearby Bill's Produce Store cafe' with Jackson's J1.

This visit was no exception, windowed shop & looked for new street art and wasn't disappointed re this end terrace...Naturally a blue home appeals, but insure if this design is quite me!!!

A Huge Two fer Tuesday - Morris Mania!

As part of last weekends Folk Festival here; on Saturday, my city centre responded with the sounds of bells jingling on leggings & shoes, sticks being rhythmically smashed together with gusto and music, lots of music, as Morris dance groups from all over the country descended upon Dreamingspires for this annual entertaining event, which I for one always enjoy immensely.

Proceedings started with a colourful parade - I staked a good place to watch - action shots aren't my forte but...The Green Man also put in an appearance...Then the different Morris groups dispersed to various locations to continue performing their dance routines...And socialise...

The history of Morris Dancing goes back to the 15th century & is a traditional ritual to welcome the return of Spring!

Two fer was the idea of blog friend Jonna - it only requires two or pairs of photo's - just hope my figures add up!

Two fer Tuesday - Dilly-Dilly Daffodils!

Now, although, I'm not big on yellow - it's certainly not, my colour of choice, I delight in Daffodils!
After a long grey Winter, one just has to love they're cheerful splash of colour, especially when seen dancing on a breezy Spring day in my local park...

Or brightening a college's lawn - St Edmund Hall...

Daffodils are also, my older cousin in Prairieland CA, Lucy-Lu's favourite flower.

So, when I see them, they always remind me of her & the poem, she wrote in my childhood Autograph Book back in 1963!

"I wondered lonely as a cloud,

That floats on high o'r vales & hills

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host of golden daffodils."

William Wordsworth

[1770 -1850]

Two fer Tuesday & Today's Flowers - The First Pinks of Spring!

It is so lovely to see the return of flowers, suggesting Spring may just have sprung!
I've no idea of this ones name, it has masses of small florets clustered together on bare leafless stems and it smells heavenly...The next is the solitary Gardina blooming on an otherwise bare bush...Sadly, neither are in my garden but my neighbours!

Two fer Tuesday - Treasure Trove!

My secretive Mother's ability to squirrel away her most treasured items in inappropriate places never ceases to amaze me.

Over the weekend I was sorting through her childhood Stamp Collection, which besides a book includes an old biscuit tin filled with match boxes containing unused stamps, only one box didn't!

Wrapped in newspaper I discovered this previously unseen Silver bar broach...

Inside the locket are two faded photographs...The gentleman is my Great Uncle Arnold who brought my Mother up from the age of six & who she always spoke very fondly of, unlike his wife Great Aunt Lucy; and the young girl is my Mother [aged ?] with one of the many Spaniels she loved as her Uncle breed both Cocker & Springers.

The locket broach is priceless to me, but the knowledge that there is no one to value it after me did bring tears to my eyes.

It made me reflect again on what will become of all my bits & pieces, valuable & otherwise.

A while back I watched a TV programme that included the sorry story of an elderly lady dieing without any family & friends to sort though her processions; so her Council house was ruthlessly cleared by a house clearance company so it could be reallocated - they simply filled a refuse skip!

Okay, I own my own home and I do have a Will & professional Executor, but the tale gave me food for thought!

Today's Flowers & Two fer Tuesday - Snowdrops @ last!

Finally, I've found the first portent of Spring being on it's very welcome way - Snowdrops, spotted yesterday, in a neighbour's sheltered front garden...Apparently, in ancient times this flower was specially dedicated to the purity of girlhood, and since the Christian era it has been one of the flowers associated with the Virgin Mary!

From Thomas Tickell's [1686 - 1740] poem 'Kensington Garden'...

"The flower that first in this sweet garden smiled,

To virgins sacred and those Snowdrop styled"

Two fer Tuesday - 2007's Pre Winter Olympic Fun!

With the XXI Winter Olympics Games now in full swing in Vancouver, it's hard to believe the last time I was 'down town' there, there was still 1000 days to go to the event - this clock in the Canadian city's Art Gallery's forecourt was counting down to the Opening Ceremony, to the very last second...

That particular day the RBC [Royal Bank of Canada] as a sponsor, had it's 'Olympians Experience' in town.

A touring event, in its own words "to showcase the talent, courage & passion of Canada's Olympic athletes; whilst celebrating Canada's love of winter sport and the spirit & fun that is to be the Vancouver 2010"!
Leo the Lion, the Banks cuddly mascot was out to promote the event - we had a hug...

And, in front of various exhibition tents promoting the Games, a huge double trampoline had been set up, on which I watched an amazing aerial trampoline performance given by four enthusiastic, athletic young men!

Naturally all Canadian, one was wannabee Olympic free-style skier - who normally trampolined in skies; another was a potential snow-board champ from Whistler, BC; then there was a very fit French Canadian guy who has recently been recruited by Circus de Solique, plus an actual trampoline champion - keeping a diary is so useful for odd misc. facts!

They all put on an exciting display that roused the crowds patriotic feelings...

Afterwards, the collection tins rang with dollars including mine!

Two fer just requires two or pairs of images & was the concept of friend Jonna, who sadly is now just too busy to post!

Two fer Tuesday, Color Carnival & Today's Flowers - Pretty Polyanthus!

Walking through the Covered Market past one of the florists there, was struck by this colourful display of Polyanthus...And, how very different they looked to the ones seen earlier planted out in the park...Hopefully, the latter after surviving the frost & snow will bloom as brightly as Spring draws closer.

Martha is the creator of Color Carnival, that simply requires colourful photo!
Today's Flowers designated site is HERE!

Two fer Tuesday - Lake Views!

Out for a stroll under clear blue skies on Sunday, found the deep Hinkey Lake was finally ice free...

Now, I've remarked before, North American friends will be LOLing, as we in England whinge re our unusually chilly Winter, but here's the same scene yesterday, after a severe overnight frost & light snow flurries - Brrr... I just know which view I prefer!