Dappled sunlight and shadows

Today I took my paints to The Wild Wood; Cliff has constructed a rustic bench from yew branches, the seat is a flat plank of wood – it looks too pale, too plain, it needs something more.


Of course the senior under-gardeners and the Spice Girls asked to come too – they love The Wild Wood, natural fossicking terrain for would-be 'jungle fowl'.


They found plenty to do in the pile of leaf mould; I did a tail count from time to time – they know of a way to get to the vegetable garden from The Wild Wood!


I didn't have a plan before I started painting the seat, but the dappled sunlight and shadows of the yew leaves gave me an idea – I'd record the moment and the light and shadow would mix with the leaves and golden sunlight I was painting . . .



As the paint fades over time I'll paint more shadows and sun dapples – layer on layer, dappled sunlight and shadows.

The Online Gallery Raffle winner is . . .

Thank you everyone who visited my new Online Gallery during June and wrote lovely encouraging comments in the Guestbook; and a big thank you to those who bought prints too :-)

I'd planned a cunning selection procedure involving my studio assistants. Who said "never work with animals"? – how very true! It's a hot and humid day and there had been no sign of the tabby one or the ginger one all day; I called their names and after a very long time they strolled languidly into the courtyard stretching their furry striped cat-suits and jumped effortlessly through the open studio window. But this was a brief materialisation – before I could pick up the pile of numbered paper strips the studio assistants had dissolved into thin air as only cats can!

So . . . I had to resort to a random number generator


and it picked number 20


which is Marguerite from Chichester – I've sent you an email Marguerite and the selection pack of my greetings cards will be on their way to the south coast very soon.

Berry shades

Luscious reds, purples and pinks on lips, cushions and frocks

– and in my garden . . .


And there are berry shades wherever you look this year – Sweetpeas,

lovely to keep cutting every day and filling all my favourite pottery jugs


Even the spuds want to be purple – 'Edzell Blue'

That's as spectacular as those spuds get – I was seduced by the colour again. I forgot that a) I'd grown them before and they were rubbish; and b) Rebsie's review wasn't that enthusiastic about their culinary qualities either. I decided to use Fiona's recipe, in the hope some of the colour would remain – it didn't. They took ages to cook, frustratingly delaying our supper; and they didn't even taste like new potatoes :-) If anyone can suggest a recipe for small very floury potatoes, I'd love to hear from you.


And, before I go, there are a few hours left for you to enter the opening of my online gallery prize draw. Just leave a comment in the guestbook (lots of you have already done so – thank you so much) and tomorrow I'll draw a name from the hat to receive a selection pack of my cards.

Entry for the raffle is now closed - the draw will be made shortly, with the help of my glamorous assistants . . .

Didn't we have a luv-er-ly time!

A light shower got everyone in the mood for defying the weather and enjoying our village fete, whatever the English weather was going to throw at us . . .

Defeated by our defiance the showers went on their way and the sun shone for the rest of the afternoon – Hurrah!

The sausages were sizzling . . .


Hilary and I had spent hours setting up a plant stall to be proud of . . .


There were mini-muffins containing a mystery ingredient* . . .


And games and competitions requiring skill and accuracy . . .


The book stall spotted a money making opportunity which would have made Mary pround . . .


Of course there was tea and cake . . .


And a band to get our toes tapping . . .


And afterwards? – everything's now packed up and the pennies and pounds counted; until we do it all again next year. Right now I want to put my feet up and have a snooze :-)

* answer: frozen mashed potato

The fate of the fete

Tomorrow afternoon is the Village Fete in our village – tents are being erected, bric-a-brac sorted, cakes have been baked, plants have been potted up, games dusted down and bean bags/balls/bowls/darts located, the band has been booked and the archery club persuaded to come along, balloons are being inflated, bunting untwiddled . . .

But will it be sunny?

Now, that is the big question! The weather is the wild card in any outdoor summer event in England, our weather is so unpredictable. We're assured that forecasting is getting more accurate, but that just means that people might stay at home only to realise, too late, that it was sunny anyway! It's best to be relaxed about it and hey! if it rains, just put on your mac and wellies and carry on having fun. Don't get too serious about the forecast, as BBC weatherman Tomasz Schafernaker demonstrated beautifully yesterday.

So, wherever you are this weekend, and whatever the weather, have fun.

I'll be back after the fete :-)