Storm Angus ripped through southern England this weekend – winds of 80 mph were recorded about a mile along the coast from here. It cocked a snook at our neighbourhood and ripped the remaining leaves from the deciduous trees, together with a fair few branches, and needles off the pines. It flattened fence panels and snapped trees from hedgerows into roads. The sea was wild yesterday morning – several cross-channel ferries rolled about on the huge waves, unable to come in to harbour, and a Coastguard helicopter winched crew from a cargo ship after it collided with a barge carrying rocks near Dover. That must’ve got the adrenalin pumping – the winds were almost 100 mph out there.

And the noise..! None of our household slept much on Saturday night. The chimneys howled, the rain sounded as though someone was throwing buckets of gravel at the windows and I swear the house actually shook. It had calmed down by yesterday afternoon but today it has been wet and windy again, although less fierce. I hope this isn’t going to be the pattern of weather this  winter. Parts of the UK suffered dreadful flooding in recent winters and the main train line from Dover to London was only reopened a few months ago after being closed for months and months to repair last winter’s storm damage. Bright, crisp, frosty weather is what I love. And snow. A few snow days would be lovely.

Our garden is a sorry sight. A heavy oak bench was tipped onto the strawberry patch and the outdoor table-tennis table was flattened on the back lawn. Branches and twigs and leaves are scattered everywhere. It’s a mess. There is very little colour (other than brown and green). Little pink cyclamen flowers are still dotted about looking cheery, their leaves now unfurling, but that’s about it. There was a clump of Hesperantha coccinea with several blooms looking good before the weekend but they’re now bedraggled and ripped. I snipped the remaining flower stems to bring indoors earlier, together with a few fern fronds. Ferns are a group of plants about which I know next to nothing, other than I quite like them. I don’t know which species of fern this is but it’s looking good, with its sori (clumps of spores) prominent on the undersides of the leaves. Any suggestions?

This week’s ‘vase’ is a bit dull, I’m afraid, and I nearly didn’t bother posting it but I liked the shadows and patterns, and it’s the taking part that counts, isn’t it? The coffee pot is in the photo for no other reason than it was in the shot 🙂 I’m sure there are much more interesting vases over at Cathy’s Rambling in the Garden to see.

Wishing you a calm, peaceful week.