You gotta be the guy on the right.
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I’ve visited several memorials in Belgium and France, commemorating Brits from WW1. They commemorate men who fell in particular sectors and have no known grave. Not men who have a grave in a war cemetery - but those who have no known resting place. There are some awful numbers. The Thiepval memorial commemorates those killed during the 1916 Battle of the Somme. It’s something like 70k commemorated there. Goodness knows how many more from those five months are buried in known graves (one is my great uncle, Benjamin).
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Great pic & thanks for posting. Love your grandad’s paisley shirt!
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I am now.
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WWI was extremely brutal, with the trenches, and mustard gas, and all that. Saddens me greatly, as do all the wars. Sorry for the loss of your great uncle Benjamin. I’m assuming you’ve been to Flanders Field? I’ve seen the big military cemetery on Oahu, and one in San Diego. Sobering to see all those crosses, so neatly aligned.
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Yes. We’ve often stayed in Ieper as a base for visiting the battlefields. The Menin Gate there is another of the memorials to the missing and, every night, there is a commemorative ceremony with retired fire service men playing the Last Post. Unfortunately, it has become very touristy with hundreds of people there each night - last time I was there, they broadcast a request that clapping was not appropriate and, certainly, the simple remembrance has been lost. Still, good for local businesses though. I have another great uncle buried in Belgium. This one on my maternal side. He was killed in September 1918 near the town of Courtrai, about 30 miles from Ieper. This is his grave there - https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/12518582/robert-brough
I actually find a great sense of peace visiting the war cemeteries there. Particularly the small front line ones where you know a man has been buried by his friends and immediate comrades. There are so many that they sort of blend into the modern landscape, yet are distinct (difficult to put into words).
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So that’s where my Chinatown Ice Cream Factory t-shirt went 
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This link is to the nephew’s first foray into the music video business. I’m a proud uncle.
Be warned - the music is dire, IMO.
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We havent really got space in our small garden for a lilac. Our next door neighbour used to grow one against the shared fence, so we got the benefit of the flowers on our side.
May I offer you this camassia.
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Gorgeous @Harters - not sure I’ve seen or heard of that lovely flower before. Assuming it’s a perennial?
Absolutely gorgeous @jackiecat! They thrive in our gardening zone, with the trees/bushes getting huge. Don’t have one, but need to put it on the list. Thanks for the reminder!
Yes it is. I also grow an off-white one which isnt yet in flower (in truth, I may consign this to the Great Compost Bin in the Sky as I don’t like it). Likes semi-shade and quite moist soil.
Camellia looks lovely. They grow well in neighbouring gardens but, for unknown reasons, it never thrived in mine. Just sat there looking sullen and morose until it eventually had to be put out of its misery.
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Bear with me on this post. There is good news eventually.
I start with the news today that the UK now has the second highest virus death rate (after the US), leapfrogging Italy. It’s depressing news as we know that we were about two weeks behind Italy in the spread of of Covid so, whilst the daily death rate is slowing down, there’s a long way to go. I am sure this can be laid at the government’s door with the lockdown action being “too little, too late”. And there has to be a worry that, when the lockdown is relaxed, it will be “too much, too soon”.
On a personal level, we had phone calls from the doctor’s surgery this morning. They’ve been going through their records and wanted to know how we were doing. Specifically, the UK government advice has to put folk into one of three categories - the bulk of the population who need to conform with the general restrictions, a second more vulnerable group (those over 70 and those entitled to the annual flu jab) who should follow them more strictly and a third group who should be “shielded” from the virus and not leave their homes at all (the government provides free food parcels to those who have no-one to shop for them or cannot get online delivery) . We’d regarded ourselves as in the second group but the medics now reckon our medications and conditions should put us in the third group. However, after discussion, it was agreed that what we are doing to isolate ourselves was fine, so no absolute lockdown at Harters Hall. But they will flag us on the health service computer system as “high risk”.
So, thanks with sticking with me on this. I did promise good news. And it’s the fact that the high risk flagging will give us an enhanced priority for getting a delivery slot with the UK’s top two supermarkets. 
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Good news for you and Mrs H. No more midnight searches for delivery from your 5th-choice store, 
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Well done, I liked it, especially the guitar.
It works.
We had already committed to an order with our 4th choice chain. But slots have opened up for both 1st & 2nd choices where, before, we had been blocked from even looking for a slot. Booked one with the 2nd choice for a few treats, rather than a major shop. But it will, hopefully, be find for the week after - we’ll start looking for a slot in a few days.
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Just got a little care package - inside, hand sanitizer from a local distiller, some paper masks, and quite a hefty few latex gloves. So nice and thoughtful! Several months ago, who would have thought a gift like this would inspire both excitement, as well as deep gratitude??
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Virtual flowers for all! And a Happy Mother’s Day to not only moms, but stepmoms, women who may not be moms but are now mothering their own moms, missing moms that are no longer here, and love others as moms do. Also to all the wonderful cat, dog, and pet mom’s out there.
The short, retro vase has probably not had flowers in it since the early 50’s, if ever…
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