Curtain of fire

It was a beautiful, sunny morning so I was up early and down to the back green. The grass was sopping so I was glad it's not my job to cut it. I did a bit weeding, planted up my baskets and some of the plants I bought yesterday. Also dug up the spuds. Not a great crop and I think the slugs and other wildlife got a fair few but I'm just amazed I managed to get any at all. They now have pride of place in the crystal bowl.

The baskets are an addition to the expanding 'under the cupola, top landing garden'. I now have a clematis, star jasmine and 3 baskets (tied to the balustrade) joining the herbs, the rooting fuchsia and the large green plant whose name I have forgotten.

Late afternoon we had a neighbours' get together here for A and family downstairs who are leaving us on Friday. There were 11 of us including 4 young children. How quickly you forget not to have food at a one year old's height. #3 son stayed in his room and Molly decamped to the kitchen.

Then it was off within the folding chair to the Gardens for the Virgin Money fireworks concert. Difficult to get a perfect view as the trees (and the latecomers) get in the way. Don't think I did too badly though. I love fireworks all that whizz, crash, bang stuff. The music was good too, but it still wasn't as good as the Lectoure festival pyrotechnique which I was at exactly a year ago. 2 hours of almost non-stop fireworks on a warm, balmy night after a 3 course French sit down meal put on by one of the local organisations.

I've stopped using the firework setting, it's too slow so now I use the sports setting and get a quicker response. This one is the tail end of the cascade of fire that spills over the Castle battlements. I like the way the smoke has coloured.