spring at Kew (and a final farewell to the Old Homestead)

Blossoms, everywhere, in Kew Gardens; and daffodils;

and more blossoms, with The Hive in the spidery background.

Waving at two of my cousins from up aloft in The Hive;

which happily this time that Alice visited, was playing bee-driven music;

which as ever I found magical.

Gunnera unfurling into leaf;

more blossom;

and then round to Hillside to have tea with friends/old neighbors who live opposite 20.  I never thought I'd see it standing again - but there have been delays with builders and quantity surveyors and all the rest of it, so here it is, still hanging on for a few more sad grey weeks.  I find the photo of it more melancholy than seeing it in person, for some reason that I haven't processed yet.  The trees out front have gone, of course - and maybe if I'm looking for that Barthean piercing punctum it would be the old curtains still hanging in the upstairs hall windows.  Anyway, today's really was the final, and unexpected wave goodbye.