Overtaking myself...

If I don't get a move on I'm in danger of being overtaken by myself, and will be posting things a year after they happened. There seems to be no time to catch up on everything, so I think a quick run through the last few months is in order. What do you think?

July found me back once again accompanying an old friend to her mother's house to continue the task of clearing it out. Still lots to look at, and to photograph.

The month seemed to melt away in a haze of heat, filled with bees buzzing, flowers blooming and what looked like tropical sunsets. I popped into London and visited an old neighbour, and we sat for an hour or so in her garden eating choc ices. Lovely as it all was, no regrets about leaving London...

Jill's cat, hiding from the sun.

The 'village', looking prettier than ever - and yet, not more than 5 minutes stroll away...

...this part of London just gets busier and busier.

 

Back home, the meadows were the backdrop for ambling, and the garden was the playground for bees and butterflies, birds, snails and miniscule frogs...

 

Pink and purple...

Full bloom in June, with a stolen poppy stealing the show. First up, tho', the lavender looking utterly lovely... The bees agreed.

 

We pinched a seed pod from a garden, and tho' we only managed to get a couple of flowers this year, I'm hoping for more next time. Isn't this gorgeous?

The pink roses are ours, I think, but the pink flowers at bottom left are definitely escapees from the garden next door, while the poppy is courtesy of the birds...

Poor little thing. Looks quite shame-faced.  No wonder...

Pink lolling tongue. Perhaps he'd spotted the little lady from the picture before....

The Wildlife Site...

 As June continued....

...the garden continued to provide lots to do (picking raspberries, encouraging the tomatoes) and to see...

Baby sparrows having a splash about.

Pigeon hogging the bath.

Astonishing colour combinations.

Froglets emerging.

The wildlife site was in full bloom in summer, and with nothing much to do except admire it I managed to take loads of photos.

13th June 2014

20th June 2014

A Lovely Day...

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.

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.