As the title says, it’s a cloudy and chilly day. (Have you noticed that how cold you feel doesn’t necessarily correspond to how cold the thermometer thinks you should feel?) I think we would both have been happy to stay at home in the warm like two hibernating field mice but, happily, a desire for a coffee reward persuaded us to confront the Outside!

Tailbacks still

In passing through Pentonville Road, we saw that the traffic is still obstructed by the seemingly never-ending works, reduced to tailbacks and a slow crawl to the lights at the junction.

Bushy window box

As our walk to Myddelton’s was through very familiar territory, I did rather binge on window boxes and while some of them I had already, there seemed to be more than before. Perhaps they have declared “Window Box Season”. I collected a few samples.

Fine letterbox and lion knocker

I paused at this door because I have admired the letterbox several times in passing. Unfortunately, its details don’t show up well in the photo. I also like the lion door knocker. This design is traditional and very many houses in the neighbourhood have them in various styles. They would make an interesting study of their own. Lion decorations abound in the area and not only as door knockers.

Small but colourful

There are many different styles of window box displays, from the small and neat but colourful, like this one, to the big, bushy ones that seem to be trying to burst out of the confinement of their boxes.

The Circling Cyclist

And, yes: we again saw her whom I have for now denominated “The Circling Cyclist”, cycling round and round Myddelton Square. She was wearing her familiar red top but with a jacket over it today. She too must be feeling the chill in the air.

Variation on a theme

At this house, instead of a window box, they have plants in pots. Does that work? Maybe, but I think I prefer a well arranged box which is more like a miniature garden.

Talking of which, I wonder whether any of you remember the fad for “Chinese gardens” that swept through the nation in the decades after the war. Such a “garden” was a miniature, planted in a bowl, with tiny cactus plants and decorations such as a mirror, half-buried to represent a pond, and tiny porcelain figures such as pagodas, bridges and even diminutive human figures. The inspiration, I think, was the traditional willow pattern crockery. As with most of these fads, everyone seemed to have a “Chinese garden” at one point and then, suddenly, they all disappeared.

The family bicycle

We stopped to admire this very adapted bicycle, no doubt intended as transport for one parent and several children. The bicycle you can see chained to the area steps is perhaps the other parent’s vehicle. It too has been adapted though not as extensively.

Mainly foliage

This box with trailing stems (ivy?) contains mainly foliage but there look to be some flowers beginning to show as well.

My mother was superstitious about many things and ivy was one of them. You could not take ivy into the house or it would bring bad luck, according to her belief. Presumably, ivy in a window box outside is not a danger.

Still circling

Talking of bicycles (well, we were a moment ago), here comes the Circling Cyclist again. I don’t know how many circuits she does but this was one of the last for today – we later saw her parking her cycle in front of one of the houses in the square. I’m pretty sure she saw me photographing her but she didn’t react so perhaps she’s used to it.

Pretty flowering window box

This was perhaps my favourite of the boxes we saw today but, then, red is my favourite colour. No trailing greenery here, just a good display of pretty flowers.

Pennies Vintage
Photo by Tigger

On the way home, we passed in front of Pennies Vintage and, as I was carrying the coffee, Tigger took a photo for me. During lockdown, the shop has been closed, as was to be expected, but today the door was open and some of the stock was outside. I don’t think the shop was open for business, perhaps just getting ready for April 12th when, if all goes to plan, “non-essential” shops will open again.

Here, to end with, are some flowers from Tigger, photographed in Inglebert Street.

Flowers from Tigger