THE NOSTALGIA OF ELMS

This is pretty close to the landscape grew up in. The watercolour by F. G. Fraser belonged to my great grandmother - "Grannie the Great" we called her - you can see her - she's the diminutive character in a black hat in the centre of the extra...

This was the official photo of the wedding of my godmother - my auntie Jeannie. It was taken on the 3rd. December 1942 - my second birthday - & that's me in the foreground in clothes made by my mother!

I remember the tragic catastrophe of Dutch Elm Disease in the 1970's - Brandon Hill in Bristol was an Armageddon of chopped up elms.

And now we have Ash Die Back & Conker Canker - what next?

We'll get over it - n'est-ce pas?