Crikey: I was young – once
It has not been a great time in the garden. The wind has been brutal again. Even the cat won’t go out. I did venture out to do some sowing yesterday – in the greenhouse. But I sowed them in the polytunnel and I fear that by the time I got them to the greenhouse the trays were probably empty. We will see.
Last week I visited mum in the UK (yes during those storms) and one of my duties was to go through dad’s slides and throw away all the images of plates of carrots at flower shows and keep those of family and friends. Those that were most interesting I have brought home so I can scan them so we can share them around. I have always kept away from cameras where possible (well the front end) but there have been a few of me and they are intriguing. None have been too awful so far but then it is early days.
But one interesting one (for me – and appropriate because of the year) is from 1977 and the Queen’s* Silver Jubilee.
We planted a bed with roses and it must have been June/July because of the lupin in bloom and Dad had made an ‘ER’ with alyssum in the adjacent bed. Flares, cable-knit jumper and mop of hair set the scene.
This was also the year that I got my first bike. I saved up money from weekend jobs (35p an hour for gardening on a Sunday, washing up in a restaurant Friday and Saturday night and working in a greengrocer Saturday) to get one on my 17th birthday. We used to go to Oulton Broad to visit family every summer and Dad obviously took a photo of me leaving on my Honda CB125, in plastic waterproofs because of the rain. I always seemed to have a small disaster on the trip from Oxted to Lowestoft and later my Honda 500 sprung a leak in the petrol tank at Chelmsford. But I think this trip was just wet. No wonder my joints ache!
*UK Queen – I appreciate there are others
The Biking Gardener 
My brother was so very proud of his Honda 50 but was brought down to earth one day when he went into a petrol station – in the days when a pump attendant would pour the petrol – and put sixpence worth of petrol into the tank only to have the comment, “I suppose you’ll want me to fart in the wheels for you now!” Dublin humour at its best!
I was recently (well a couple of years ago) out for a ride to Laragh on a Sunday and was greeted by ‘you’re a bit old to be riding that aren’t you’? A bit deflating, especially from a complete stranger.
LOL That put you in your place!