This is Frank. No, he does not belong to us. Olga would never tolerate a cat in her presence! Frank belongs to Dave's friend and co-worker Lisa, whose house we went to yesterday for lunch. Lisa and her husband and kids just moved within the past year to a house they bought in Camberwell, South London, and the lunch was meant to give us a chance to see it.
Lisa's garden is still a work in progress -- in fact it reminds me a bit of the garden at her previous place in Bethnal Green, which Dave and I helped her improve many years ago. This one, too, seems very sun-blasted and a bit parched. But she's planted some stuff and she has a thick stand of bamboo at the far end, which clearly serves as Frank's shady retreat. It will slowly look better as the plants grow and after a little more TLC.
We took tube and bus down there and I brought my camera thinking I might take a walk afterwards, but we didn't leave her house until 3:30 p.m. and I'd had wine and the sun felt intense and I was ready to come home. So I'll save the photowalk for another day.
The Russians are still packing and purging. I've seen many more bags of refuse leaving their flat. I shudder to think what they're throwing out but I draw the line at combing through people's trash bags! I can't indulge my crazy that much.
This little snapdragon (above) has grown in a crack on the front porch. It's a descendant of some yellow snapdragons I planted in a pot back in 2021. Every year they pop up in these cracks, and I guess enough of them re-seed that they manage to come up again the following year.
Frank looks like he’s made himself quite at home in Lisa’s new garden. Clearly he knows where the coolest spot is, even if the plants are still catching up
ReplyDeleteAnimals always seek out the shadiest, coolest spot!
DeleteIt almost looks like a Banksy composition the lone little snapdragon against the wall.
ReplyDeleteHa! It does look like a stencil, you're right.
DeleteHere, all the snapdragon flowers are red or pink, I haven't seen any yellow ones.
ReplyDeleteI think that's why I bought these -- they were unusual for snapdragons!
DeleteFrank is clearly more intelligent than a cat I once had. Bouncer [as in nightclub]. Bounce for short. The only reason I didn't call him Bruiser (because that was what he looked like) that it wasn't feasible for me to stand in the garden, subjecting neighbours to my calling out for "Bruiser". Bounce sounds softer - and that he was, a softie. Unlike Frank, Bouncer loved lying in the sun/max half shade. Fast forward not that many years. I noticed something strange when stroking him. Took him to the vet. Blow me down with a feather. Skin cancer. I had no idea that cats can get skin cancer. Not that it would have made any difference since one can't slather a cat's fur with SPF 30. Anyway, I left the vet minus Bounce. Beyond repair. He [and his mother who had a death wish from the start] will always be remembered fondly.
ReplyDeleteI bet you are itching to help Lisa's garden to get off to a flying start.
Ask Mrs Russian for a bowl of her Borscht (Russian beetroot soup) or at least her recipe as a leaving present to you and Dave. She will be chuffed and regret, bitterly, that they are moving out.
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I've never heard of a cat getting skin cancer either! I don't think I'd trust Mrs. Russia to feed me borscht. It might have Novichok in it.
DeleteI love the bright yellow snapdragon. "many bags of refuse"? Are they hoarders? Ugh.
ReplyDeleteI think Mrs. Russia is hyper-neat and throws lots of things away. Even before they started moving they would fill the trash bins over and over. Dave and I contribute a tiny amount compared to them. (Granted, there were four people living there, because they have two kids.)
DeleteFrank is a good strong name for a cat.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it? He looks like a Frank.
DeleteFrank, overseeing the garden work and checking the visitors!
ReplyDeleteMonitoring.
DeleteI like it when flowers appear randomly. Very cheery .
ReplyDeleteI do too! I love flowers that re-seed themselves.
DeleteTo be Frank...must be very pleasant ...
ReplyDeleteI imagine he's got a pretty good life. Apparently he does mix it up occasionally with the other neighborhood cats.
DeleteCheers to the snapdragon, great choice of location.
ReplyDeleteIt definitely found a sunny spot.
DeleteIn Florida, you would be very used to air con. It must be hard to return home now after visiting someone, having food and wine, and not having cooling.
ReplyDeleteWell, it's not too bad at the moment because the daytime temperatures are comfortable. If they were as warm as they were over the weekend we'd be suffering.
DeleteI love the photo of Frank. And the snapdragon! Sorry about the oppressive heat. I’ve been missing you lately. Would so love to be in a pub with you again. Jerry says the same!
ReplyDeleteI would love to come and see you guys! I'm not sure about Spain in the summer, though. Maybe waiting for fall would be smarter. :)
DeleteThe Russians are probably throwing out top secret documents, surveillance tapes and vials of "Novichok". It is your DUTY on behalf of His Regal Majesty President (King) Trump to riffle through those bin bags and indirectly save America from IMPLOSION! Thank you for your attention to this matter.
ReplyDeleteThere are bales of paperwork in the recycling but I'm not touching it! LOL
DeleteI don't know whether I'm glad or sorry the Russians are bagging their stuff..I expect Dave is quite happy not to have it migrate into your apartment, anyway.
ReplyDeleteAs a Freecycler, you would be appalled at the waste. I know I am.
DeleteLittle flowers turning up in difficult places always seems to be such a hopeful thing.
ReplyDeleteI agree! Nature is incredibly resilient.
DeleteFrank looks like he is calculating the best opportunity to claw your eyes out!
ReplyDeleteHa! He is certainly wary.
DeleteI love that bright yellow against the white wall!
ReplyDeleteMe too!
DeleteFrank looks slightly perturbed that his space is being photographed!
ReplyDeleteYeah, he was watching very carefully as I approached and I didn't get too close.
DeleteThe wall of bamboo makes a nice privacy backdrop for the garden. The white wall offsets it perfectly. Frank feels this is his spot. Lisa has a new kitty/friend.
ReplyDeleteThe yellow snapdragon growing in a crack with the tiniest bit of soil is a miracle of nature.
I'm amazed there's any soil in there to speak of!
DeleteI love snapdragons!
ReplyDeleteI do too. One of my favorite garden flowers.
DeleteHello, Frank! I sure hope that's the clumping variety of bamboo. I'm sure it is.
ReplyDeleteOkay. I have to confess- It would be so hard for me not to go through that trash to see what the Russians are throwing away. The mind boggles.
It really does. I just can't go there. For one thing, I would look even crazier than I already do to all my neighbors, and also, I don't want the responsibility of figuring out what to do with it all.
DeleteFrank looks quite at home in his new garden. I love the snap dragon. It's great that it keeps popping up every year.
ReplyDeleteI think they're different snapdragons every year, actually. This is probably a grandchild of the ones I planted in the pot.
DeleteIt sounds like a lovely afternoon. Frank is a handsome fellow and I just love that snapdragon image. So simple and so eloquent. Like you, we had a visit at friends yesterday and I was thrilled because a) their place has air-con and mine doesn't and b) to get there we had an hour in the car either way and that had air-con. This won't last forever; meanwhile, I'm appreciating my fans!
ReplyDeleteOh, nice! Seize the moment and enjoy the air-con while you can!
DeleteFrank clearly has taken possession of the wall. Turn a blind eye to the trash Steve, even if the most fabulous Russian treasure awaits within. That ;ittle snapdragon reminds me of the purple columbine growing out of crack in the top of a stone wall in front of the glass studio in Scotland where I spent 10 days in 2016.
ReplyDeleteColumbine is notoriously adaptable and it re-seeds enthusiastically!
DeleteTrash is my favorite! sometimes there are things needing rescue, Sarah and i looked in ALL of the bins! At least there are charity shops there that welcome donations!
ReplyDeleteTrue -- but why doesn't Mrs. Russia bag up her stuff and take it there? I do hate the waste but I can't take that on myself.
DeleteAs always , walks give great opportunities for photos.
ReplyDeleteOh, always! Photos are the main reason for walking! :)
DeleteI don't see many snapdragons around here but pansies sure do grow everywhere, including in cracks in the sidewalk.
ReplyDeleteYes, pansies re-seed widely as well.
DeleteWell I'm glad you're restraining yourself and staying out of their garbage:) I might be tempted too. Lovely cat, enjoying the shade.
ReplyDeleteIf I see something in the top "layer" I'll grab it but I'm not going through bags.
DeleteGood job resisting the siren song of Russian garbage. Wonder if they have anything good in there.....
ReplyDeleteIs that bolting bamboo or clumping. It seems odd to see bamboo in London.
Probably Faberge eggs!
DeleteFrank is one handsome cat!
ReplyDeleteIsn't he? They have another cat too, but she didn't make an appearance the whole time we were there.
DeleteFrank is a handsome boy. Bamboo seems out of place in south London.
ReplyDeleteI imagine the temperatures here are about like they are in cooler (but not very cold) parts of China.
DeleteFrank is a fine looking fellow. We have a Frank in our family, too, only he's an elderly Chocolate Lab.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good pet name!
DeleteSnapdragons seem to be very resilient. We have one in our entryway that we never water but it still grows and blooms. And bamboo! We had it in one of our previous lives somewhere and Judy brings it up from time to time, wanting to plant some here. But it grows like a weed and may, in fact, be a weed. Frank is very handsome.
ReplyDeleteThere are different types of bamboo, from what I understand, so maybe it's just a matter of making sure you plant a non-invasive variety.
DeleteFrank is handsome! It's funny that you posted the picture of the snapdragon today - I was thinking of blogging about the forest of wild snapdragons growing in the crack between the concrete of my garage and the asphalt of the driveway. It's an extremely fine crack but those flowers - weeds, most people would call them - are flourishing. They are two feet high and look wonderful.
ReplyDeleteOh, you should! I'd love to see that! I blogged once about snapdragons growing on an upstairs ledge of our previous apartment building:
Deletehttps://shadowsteve.blogspot.com/2012/05/volunteers.html
Don't tell Mrs.Moon about that bamboo, she will be right there to kick it!
ReplyDeleteCheers
Ha! I wonder if this spreads the same way? It looks like it might be contained in a sort of concrete planter.
Delete