Resting spot

It's been a dreich day but it stayed dry long enough at lunchtime to sneak a stroll out in West Norwood Cemetery. I took my usual path by the lavender. The burnet moths, bees and butterflies are nowhere to be seen now, but I was delighted to see a lady tending the grave. I stopped to say that the lavender had brought much joy to my walks over spring and summer and we fell into easy conversation. She shared some of the stories of her mum and dad and of her nephew who died too soon. It's so lovely to know a little of the people behind the names on the gravestone. The lavender was planted 30 years ago when her father died. When her mum passed away, the lady promised that there would always be flowers on the grave and sure enough there's always a bunch there, as well as the red roses that are blooming at the moment. I was told that "there wasn't much gardening to be done except weeding and cutting back. The ground's fertile after all!" 

I'm glad I went out for the walk. I very almost didn't.

Here's the lavender bush on 21 July.