fairdrookit: 2014

Wednesday 31 December 2014

In June, a few of us headed off to a farm where the farmer has dedicated a substantial amount of his land to wildflower meadows. As we were walking up I spotted this - a sort of 'honesty' stall - where you can often find eggs, honey or plants for sale, with an 'honesty' box for popping in a few pennies or pounds in exchange.

At the farm we were greeted by John, who led us off through the farm and up to the meadows. The day was slightly dull, unfortunately, but we still managed to see plenty of flowers, hundreds of Burnet moths, and glistening black caterpillars, like caviar covering the plants.

A Bee Orchid

Poppies lining the route home.

Tuesday 30 December 2014

Time flies...

Well, turn your back for a minute... The year is drawing to a close and I have been so otherwise occupied that I've neglected my poor blog. The year wasn't without its small excitements - just the sort that I like, in truth, as I'm not much good with big excitements. But perhaps it's too easy to forget the little things that gladden my heart - like the Open Studio event in early June, when Mr Drookit and I got on his bike, and he ferried me very sweetly, and not too quickly, from one lovely studio to another. In fact, we went so slowly sometimes that we were in danger of falling over - the satnav even refused to acknowledge we were actually moving at one point...!

We were met by the most charming of hosts, brave enough to invite us into their studios and courteous enough to demurely accept copious amounts of fawning and envious sighs!

Among others, we visited the rather dandy studio of Brin Edwards. His studio (above - mentioned in wistful tones by several other artists on the trail) is a thing of great beauty - an oval straw-bale barn he built in his garden(with a little help). Even the cupboards and surfaces look like works of art! Whilst he paints birds more than anything else, it is his landscapes that appealed to me most.

Whilst Brin had, possibly, the best studio, Carol Saunderson, for my money, had one of the best views from her studio... She lives in a ridiculously pretty cottage, and tucked round the back is her garden shed cum studio, and a garden that opens out onto rolling hills and farmland.

We were greeted with home-made lemon shortbread and a cool glass of (proper) lemonade in her gorgeous kitchen before wandering down the path to her studio, to where a work in progress was displayed. Have to say, if I had the money...

Another favourite was Lucy Perry who had a fab, Charleston inspired, house filled with her lovely paintings, small ceramic pieces and little quirky things, like an Easter bonnet hanging from a hook. I particularly admired her Charleston-style painted chimney - the photo doesn't do it any justice!

Meanwhile, back home, the garden continued to seduce me into spending many hours in the sunshine. Much of that time was spent crouched in front of the pond observing the changes in the little tadpoles there, or checking on the progress of the tomato plants, and admiring the weirdness of the new succulents.

Friday 27 June 2014

Flowers...

Now, at the end of June, it seems like a lot of the flowers in the garden are already exhausted - whilst the second wave hasn't quite arrived yet. This proves that I'm not a gardener yet, otherwise I'd have planned things a bit better! The front garden is looking slightly worse for wear after starting off so well (below), and providing me with enough Californian poppies to be able to sacrifice some for an indoor treat...

Sadly, someone decided that the two beautiful hollyhocks by the wall, just about to flower, were perhaps overkill, so they broke one stem, and the next day someone pulled up the other one and left its leaves strewn up and down the street... Mindless. I guess it's the risk you run with having flowers outside the garden wall. Never mind, the garden is still providing a haven for lots of bees, bugs, butterflies, frogs and birds, so it's all fine.