It’s been a bit of a day for one reason and another but we had a lovely lunch at home with a dear friend and together sorted out several theatre trips over the next few months – lots to look forward to.
This little poem came to mind today, Celia, Celia by Adrian Mitchell. It made me smile. I hope it does the same for you.
When I am sad and weary
When I think all hope has gone
When I walk along High Holborn
I think of you with nothing on
We have had to protect our new greenhouse from the extreme heat of the last few days (Camborne, our neighbouring town was the hottest in the country overnight 21.4C which is a very pleasant day time temperature but far too hot for sleeping!) and our baby lettuces are doing very nicely.
We love the colour combination here of the orange begonia, purple aquilegia and yellow poppies.
I love this:
There were shops all over Amsterdam selling plastic ducks. After passing several , I went in to one to ask ‘Why?” It seems they are simply a retail opportunity to attract tourists!
One of the Duck shops
Information re ducks
I loved the decoration outside a shop selling children’s clothes, the decoration comprising of painted bicycle parts and enormous knitted strawberries! 
On the corner of the street near our hotel, Roemers Hotel, was a house beautifully decorated with blue and white tiles near the top of the building. Lower down was a plaque to Maria Tesselschade Roemers Visscher. She is described by her friends mentioned below as “attractive, musically talented, and a skilled translator and commentator from French and Italian.They also praised her skill at singing, painting, carving, glass engraving and tapestry work.” From Wikipedia. 
Here’s a translation for you:
If Tesselschade is unfamiliar to you, then you may know
That she was a friend of Roemer Visscher,That she sat in the circle of singers
And with her stylus wrote wittily on the glass
And if you wish to find more merit and gifts
Speak to Huygens, Hooft and Vondel, her friendsPIETER HUISINGA BAKKER
Maria Tesselschade Roemers Visscher 1594 – 1649 poet
We have a charm of Goldfinches in the garden, taking turns at the feeder. Sometimes, when the feeders are full, there are a dozen at once.
There are two regular courting pigeons in the garden. One had just flown off as I took my photo. 
Today’s poem in the book, “A Poet for Every Day of the Year” made me think about our dear friend John who loved cricket, so this poem, ‘The Catch’ by Simon Armitage is here in John’s memory today.
We saw this glorious Clematis at the nursery yesterday.
The following came my way today and I love the reminder of what the natural world is capable of.
Spring flowers are in abundance everywhere. These I found in the gardens at Burncoose Nurseries.
An extract from The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran 1883-1931. This is for our dear friends, J and M.
On Friendship
And a youth said, Speak to us of Friendship.
And he answered, saying:
Your friend is your needs answered.
He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving.
And he is your board and your fireside.
For you come to him with your hunger, and you seek him for peace……………………………….
And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures.
For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.
On this day in 1909, my Great Grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Wiseman, Suffragette, aged 53, was arrested in London having thrown stones to break windows. Subsequently she was imprisoned in Holloway, went on hunger strike, was force fed and was awarded the Suffragette Portcullis Brooch in recognition of her courage.
I bought a new sun hat!
For some reason the following words came into my mind today and then I remembered that Pete Seeger gave the words some music.
from Ecclesiastes
How did I miss World Poetry Day?
Here is an absolute gem from Brian Bilston to celebrate.
I love the colour of the anemone blanda.
anemone blanda
Such a lovely surprise today – Our eldest daughter came to visit – work problems last weekend meant she couldn’t be here for Mother’s Day so she’s been here today, brought lunch and cooked dinner. What a treat to have her company for the day.
It’s Mother’s Day in the Uk and here’s a shout out to all in the role.
I am very lucky and loved – beautiful flowers have been delivered,
I’m intrigued by the fact that the tulips have come with their bulbs still attached and instructions to plant them out later.
I’ll post photos later in the week as the lilies and the alstroemeria open up.
Remembering my babies.
Today is the 15th birthday of LiveWire no 3 and the poem for today in A Poet for Every Day of the Year is the delightful
Translated from the German by Jessie Lamont.
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