No Man’s Land

How was your Christmas? All good I hope.
Ours was merry and bright with various family members visiting and staying at different times all week culminating with twelve here for lunch on Friday, although by then I think everyone was a little tired. So a good time was had but then it was all over in the blink of an eye. I'm resisting taking down the Christmas decorations! I usually relish this quiet no man's land between Christmas and New Year as a time to potter about and recharge my batteries but I have felt a bit restless and low in mood. I'm not sure why, and it will pass as all things do. The answer has been to stay busy and partake in activities that are good for the soul...

I have started some new knitting - a lovely pair of fairisle mitts from Lucy Locketland. I don't need more mitts and I have another knitting project half finished but I couldn't resist starting something new! And these are very portable which my other project isn't... that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

I have been reading, both fiction and non fiction. I heard Dave Goulson speak earlier in the year and I'm thoroughly enjoying his book, whilst dreaming of turning my garden into a haven for wildlife. The painting book was a Christmas present which I hope will encourage me to keep painting into the new year... that's my resolution anyway.

The latest book from Barbara Kingsolver is every bit as good as I anticipated... I don't want to put it down but also don't want it to finish. I just love everything she writes.

We have also been blessed with some beautiful weather over the past couple of days - cold, crisp and sunny which is perfect for walking. If I'm honest I could take it even crisper as it is still muddy underfoot. We seem to be constantly be cleaning muddy paws!

 

I've also managed to do a bit of cutting back and clearing in my potential wildlife haven... although not too much clearing so not to disturb any hibernating creepy crawlies! Plus the blackbirds are rather fond of the berries.

 

And in doing so I have discovered absolutely dozens of little snowdrops emerging. One of the joys of owning a new garden is discovering all the hidden gems.

 

The previous owners seem to have had a thing about hellebores too as they are everywhere, not that I'm complaining. So pretty to have flowers at this time of year.

 

The biggest highlight of my Christmas week however has been being responsible for winding the church clock. Every morning I have climbed the narrow spiral staircase in the clocktower to wind up this amazing clockwork mechanism, something that has been done pretty much every day for the past 267 years. It's wonderful to think of all the different people who have done this before me and is definitely something to be counted in my 100 x 100 list!

So that has been my week and here we are about to enter a new year. We've no special plans to celebrate and for the first time since we met we are not going out or spending new year's eve with friends, which does feel a little odd. I guess we might crack open a bottle of fizz but there's a good chance we'll be fast asleep by midnight!

Whatever your plans... Happy New Year!

Chihuly at Kew

A few weeks ago my friend Jude and I had a long overdue get together. Mostly we meet in central London and visit an exhibition and/or have a meal but this time we ventured west to Kew Gardens to wander, natter, catch up and see the fabulous glass installations of Dale Chihuly. The exhibition Reflections on Nature runs until October 27th and is well worth a visit. Actually Kew Gardens is well worth a visit never mind this wonderful exhibition. Who would thought that until two years ago I had never been, but since visiting for one of my sixty x sixty projects I have now been three times.

The exhibition is a wonderful partnership of art and nature, transforming the gardens into a fabulous outdoor gallery space. My favourite piece of the  installations we managed to spot was this glorious plant like sculpture comprising of wonderfully organic blown glass forms. Nestled in the pond in the newly refurbished Temperate House, against a background of ferns and trickling water, it was truly captivating.

There were several sculptures in the Temperate House, mostly well hidden in amongst the plants but one of the stars of the show was the "Temperate House Persians", large blue flower like forms specially designed for the exhibition and suspended 19m above the ground like a huge chandelier.

Two more stunning pieces were the matching pair of sculptures outside the Temperate House called "Opal and Amber Towers" perfectly reflecting the colours of the house.

"Sapphire Star" was quite breath taking, rising from the flower bed like a giant allium, again made of hundreds of individually blown forms.

And by the lakeside "Summer Sun" also built from individually blown forms... 1,483 to be precise! This one reminded me of writhing snakes just like Medusa's hair.

The Seattle based artist has said about the installations that he wants then "to appear like they come from nature, so if someone found them... they might think they belonged there". Mostly I think he has achieved this with spectacular art forms sitting together with one of the most amazing plant collections in the world. Definitely worth a visit... and we only saw a fraction of the 32 individual installations! That of course is the problem with meeting a friend to visit an exhibition, when you've not seen each other for a while. In fact Jude and I have been known to visit the V & A in the past and not get any further than lunch in the member's room... although if I remember correctly it was a very good lunch!

Moving House

It is hard to believe after all the waiting but we have been in our new home for nearly four weeks. I could probably write about the move itself but we've all been there... and it's stressful. Trying to remember everything feels overwhelming, what to leave behind, what to pack in the last minute box, not to mention the several hours cleaning everything as we emptied each room. That was a complete waste of time as the new occupants of our old house haven't moved in but instead are gutting the place. Bathrooms, fitted wardrobes, carpets... you name it, it's all coming out. Wish they had told me... the place hadn't been that clean in years! Despite only being a mile and a quarter away from the last house, and us both having friends in this village, not to mention all the activities we already do in here, it does feel completely different... and we love it!

 

The view from our front door looks right across the road to the beautiful church and we love hearing the bells as well as the hourly clock chiming. It kept us awake the first night and we did wonder if it had been a mistake to move into a house right opposite a church, but we really haven't heard it since and I have already managed to get myself on the clock winding rota.

We're lucky that the house itself doesn't need anything doing to it. It's clean, well maintained and the decor is very neutral so we can take our time putting our own stamp on the place. However that doesn't mean that we are all unpacked and sorted... far from it! We thought we had done a really good job of clearing and getting rid of stuff, after all we were doing it for long enough. But we still have far too much stuff so the decluttering continues. And I no longer have a studio, so everything that was in my previously spacious studio is now in boxes scattered all over the house, which makes gathering things for teaching an interesting experience to say the least. The plan is to replace the rather tired looking garage at the end of the garden with a purpose built studio and shed, but all in good time. The garden also needs a complete overhaul but I have decided that waiting a year to see what comes up etc will be the sensible approach. Which of course is just a ploy to put it off for a year! At least it is looking a little greener today after all the rain than it does in the photo below.

One of the major changes I have had to adapt to is cooking on an Aga. I have never been one of these people who have longed for an Aga or the lifestyle it implies. I couldn't really see the appeal. I also happened to love my electric/gas range cooker and knew that would be the one thing that I would really miss in my old kitchen. But I admit, the Aga is a thing of beauty and I have started to get the hang of it.

Meals tend to be oven roasted combinations that all go into one pan and get cooked together.

Virtually anything goes and so far everything has been a resounding success (although I have yet to be brave enough to bake a cake). But... and it really is a big but... I just hate the fact that the thing is hot for twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, using electricity and pumping out heat when I might use the oven once a day if that, I boil the kettle a few times a day and sometimes make some toast. Maybe in the days of having four teenage sons at home when the oven always seemed to be on it would have been fantastic but with just two of us I am struggling to see how it can possibly be cost effective or in the least bit environmentally friendly. And so although it feels like heresy, I'm not sure the Aga will stay. The jury is out and there won't be a rushed decision, but I'm not convinced it's an asset.

 

Despite my doubts about the Aga I rather like the rest of the kitchen. There is a central island that has the sink, dishwasher and a fridge fitted along with some cupboard space. There is a free standing larder and these fitted shelves. I managed to find a real bargain in a closing down sale and bought this sideboard that fits snuggly underneath  the shelves. Except the cupboard is painted off white and the shelves were a sludgy looking green. Actually I'm guilty of heresy again... they were painted in Farrow and Ball "Vert de Terre" which I'm sure is very classy but just happened to look a bit dark and dingy! There is no before photo but I have spent the past three days painting them off white to match the cupboard and I think it's a big improvement. I might be over sharing here but it was so hot in the kitchen during the heat wave this week given that the Aga was also throwing out heat, that I was stripped down to my underwear to do the painting. Fortunately there was no-one but the dog to see me because it was not a pretty sight and there really was paint everywhere!

 

It has certainly brightened up this little corner.

The squashed bucket thing on the wall was left with the house and I was all for getting rid of it. It caused a bit of a debate on Instagram and suggestions were made that it could be used as a planter (too many holes), it could hold dried flowers (no way... dusty things), it could hold utensils (potential in that one) or it could be a magazine holder, which is what I have opted for... for now. The thing still doesn't really 'spark joy' as they say!

And so there we are... we have moved, we are happy, there are lots of changes we would like to make but we are also in no hurry. Just don't ask if we have unpacked yet!

In other news, I am off teaching at the Festival of Quilts next weekend (it has been a challenge finding all my resources to say the least) and with the move etc I complete forgot that I have some complimentary tickets to give away. If you are going to the FOQ and don't have a ticket please email me and let me know. If I post them on Monday you will still get them in time!

Sunshine and Snowdrops

A quick post today... lots of photos but few words (I say that now but of course that could all change by the time I get to the end of this post)

I know I have written posts about visiting the winter garden at Anglesey Abbey before but on Monday I met up with Gill specifically to see the snowdrops (which of course means it counts as a sixty x sixty). Apparently there are over 250 different varieties scattered around the estate. I can't tell you whether we saw them all but we certainly saw a  lot.

We were so lucky with the weather - it was bitterly cold but a beautiful bright sunny day, the sort of day when the winter garden looks its best. Of course, also being the first day of half term the place was heaving with families and hoards of small (and mostly well behaved) children but I'll gloss over that.

As well as snowdrops there were stunning Tibetan Cherry trees with the shiniest trunks imaginable. I'm sure someone had been out with their duster and Mr. Sheen!

Fabulous fluffy Witch Hazel

Dogwood in colours ranging from the brightest yellow to deepest red... you can see why this variety below is called Midwinter Fire.

There was blossom...

and even a few lone daffodils.

And the specatcular grove of Himilayan Birch, which apparently they wash to keep them bright white.

This one kept its eye on us!

Lots of pretty Hellebores too

We walked and talked, browsed the second hand book shop where we each bought gardening books and then we camped briefly in the coffee shop for a cheese scone and a hot chocolate (just to prove I don't rigidly stick to rules). There had been plans to sit and knit but as I said it was half term and it was loud, crowded and messy (yarn and crumbs of chocolate cake don't make a good mix) so we didn't linger too long but lovely to catch up all the same.

Back home I looked through my photos and dreamed how I might transform my garden or possibly even wash my single Silver Birch tree (no, you're right, I didn't even consider this), but I know it won't happen. Plus we are starting to seriously think about downsizing before too long so not much point investing money and effort if we won't reap the benefits. Although we've been saying this for the past five years which adds up to a lot of benefits that could have been reaped had we been so inclined!

Random Moments in Another Week

In a moment of rather ambitious optimism and because I really would like to introduce more art back into my life I thought I might do a little sketchbook project in August... I've done it before, a couple of posts each week with ideas of drawing in sketchbooks*, starting on 1st August with you joining in if you fancied it. 1st August came and went and I can tell you now it's not going to happen. Plenty of other things happened, but not sketchbooks.

• There was a day out painting with my Mum last week. Despite doing A level art I've not really been taught to paint and especially not painting abstracts in acrylic, so it was new to me. I was aiming for a "buildings along a shoreline" sort of impression and surprised myself in that I actually quite like it. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it mind you... it's big Next week we're off for a day watercolour painting, so looking forward to that.

• I've grown radishes! Four rows of seeds planted and this was the sum total of my harvest. I had hopes of beautiful jars of pickled radish, but that's another thing that's not going to happen. Since you ask, the bindweed and thistles however are coming on a storm, thank you (speaking of which, storms that is... it's like the tropics out there, torrential rain like I've not seen in a years)

• The radish may have been disappointing but look... I've grown aubergine! No greenhouse, they are just plonked in the veg beds amid the bindweed! I had to take a photo just in case they don't survive as I'm not sure when they are ready to pick (any advice welcome). Last year I grew melons but the dog thought they were tennis balls... needless to say we didn't get to eat homegrown melon!

• I was taken out  for tapas by four friends who couldn't make it to my birthday celebrations. It was a lovely evening that started with gin served in goldfish bowls. (okay, not literally). Gin and pink grapefruit is a match made in heaven... just saying! The evening finished with probably a glass too many of red wine and I may have felt a little out of sorts when I walked the dog at 6.15 the following morning. But it was worth it.
• Stewart has a new job and started on Tuesday, back commuting into London. All going well so far and no cancelled trains... yet.

• I made a cake... well actually I have made five cakes, brownies, granola bars and cheese scones since Monday but this was probably the prettiest of them all.

• We watched the athletics on TV and the dog was obsessed. He doesn't usually pay any attention to the telly but I think he was trying to work out how he could chase the runners! Lovely watching Mo win the 10,000m.

So that's another week done and dusted. 

*Should you be the least bit interested and have more time on your hands than me you can find previous sketchbook tutorial posts here and here! I don't think I'll be joining you though.

Kew Gardens

Amazingly in all the years I have lived in or around London I have never managed to visit the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, yet it has always been one of those places I have wanted to see... so another thing to do for my sixty x sixty list that I finally achieved last week. I joined a coach trip from our village on the warmest day of the year so far. There were mutterings about being of an age where one goes on day trips on a coach but I rose above it...

 

And I'm so glad I did because it was a fabulous day out, once I got over the embarrassment of turning up at the bus stop at 9.50 for a 10.00 am departure to find everyone already on the coach waiting to go. Of course the last remaining seat was in the back row (it's where the naughty children always sit) so I had to do a walk of shame down the entire length of the coach! On arrival we were greeted by the sight of an avenue of magnolia trees in full bloom which was stunning.

 

From there I ventured into the Princess of Wales Conservatory where there was an amazing display of orchids and other exotic plants.

 

Beautiful succulents

 

and cactii too.

 

Outside, the highlight for me was the cherry blossom

 

It was breathtakingly beautiful and I can fully appreciate why in Japan that picnicking under cherry blossom is something of a tradition, known as "hanami"

Instead I chose to eat my picnic overlooking the tranquil Japanese garden.Not a bad place to stop for lunch!

 

 

This inquisitive chap sat at the end of my bench getting ever closer to my lunch box the entire time I was eating... but I didn't share it with him!

 

I then walked around the treetop walkway with it's wonderful bird's-eye view of the gardens and beyond. I imagine it will have a very different vista once the canopy is in leaf.

 

But at the moment it still looks quite bare.

 

I couldn't visit Kew without a going into the iconic Palm House but I'm afraid my interest in palms wasn't enough to make me stay in this giant greenhouse for very long as it was overwhelmingly hot... so hot my glasses steamed up and I couldn't see anything anyway!

 

And so I spent the rest of the day strolling around the park admiring the woodland garden and majestic redwoods.

Wandering around the lake and being impressed by the displays of tulips with the clever underplanting of primula

 

The day finished with a well earned ice cream whilst I admired the classic proportions of Kew Palace, country home to George III. It looks just like a dolls house!

 

Of course I came home inspired to get my garden into shape which seems a never ending job. Having spent most of last spring unable to do anything in the garden due to the broken ankle and then the arrival of a boisterous puppy meant it was rather neglected last year so there is much to do now and I despair of it ever looking tidy, never mind beautiful. But I doubt the gardeners at Kew have help from a lively labrador who likes to dig everywhere, chew anything that resembles a stick... and thinks that flowers pots are there merely so he can up end them onto the patio!

That said... I'm off to do a bit of digging now*. Have a lovely weekend. It sounds like it's going to be a good one.

* Blogger wouldn't load my post this afternoon, so I have now been and finished my digging and I'm enjoying a Friday night G & T!