It is a short blog today because somehow my day ran away from me and I am tired! The weather is shitty again today - Summer is very very late arriving - we have had some glorious days and then it has returned to feeling like Winter - in fact had it been much colder we would have put the fire on! I am guessing global warming is to blame because we have had it much wetter then normal, wet and miserable rather than short sharp cold snaps.
This weather obviously suits some and not others. It is clearly good for the lilies that grow in Effie's garden next door to Mum and Dad as she gave me a huge bunch and they are absolutely fabulous. The smell, which some people like and others not, is permeating throughout the house. I have been vigilant in removing the stamens otherwise everything would be covered in yellow dust which stains like buggery. It is Chelsea Flower Show time in the UK and I have been watching it on the TV - I am sorry I never got to go and see it in person. Gardening programmes fill me with such enthusiasm although there is little more I can do with our garden save keep it tidy and replace the failed plants - sadly the bougainvillea has shown no sign of recovery having put on some new green shoots which then withered away - I am quite sad about this because a bougainvillea is such an iconically mediterranean plant and there was a beautiful one here when we took on the house which we had to remove in order to build the woodstore, until this year the replacement had done well too. The passion flower in the front remains stoically green but not a single new leaf has appeared since it showed the first few signs of growth months back and these then withered away and the temperatures here were clearly too low for the flame vine I bought as that too has failed to make an appearance this year along with the lovely unusual hibiscus that was outside the guest bedroom. I should learn that the more exotic plants here cannot withstand the rigors of a Drouseian Winter.
On the subject of plants I am nearing the completion of my Peony Picture. The flowers are completed and I am working on the glass vase and the magazines underneath.
I am not sure you can see too much from this picture as it was a bit dark and hastily taken with my phone. The magazines challenge the way I deal with perspective as I have had to redo the outline several times in order to make sure they look the right shape. On the cover of the top one should be a picture of a woman holding a hat - I think I may adopt a bit of artistic licence on that bit as that area of the picture is a bit small to get much detail in!
I am now beginning to look for my next subject matter and I have no idea at the moment so I am hopeful that someone will come up with a picture they would like done and I will happily do it for them.
Sheila is also working on a picture of flowers which is a departure for her and between the two of us we fill the dining room with sighs as we work away. Sheila tells me they have had some interest in their house from a Chinese family - it would seem that Klaus's spice cupboard was of huge interest to them!!! I do hope things pan out for them and that they stay in the area as John and I would miss them terribly.
Finally I managed to drop off my photograph which I am entering into an exhibition and calendar competition in support of PASYCAF (Cancer Support). The exhibition starts on June 10th and I will be able to pop in and see it on my way to pick up our next lot of visitors Jordan and Abi. I would like to think that my photograph might be included on a calendar - I specifically chose a shot which could be used for an autumn/winter month. Anyway fingers crossed I should find out shortly as the exhibition is only in a couple of weeks.
This weather obviously suits some and not others. It is clearly good for the lilies that grow in Effie's garden next door to Mum and Dad as she gave me a huge bunch and they are absolutely fabulous. The smell, which some people like and others not, is permeating throughout the house. I have been vigilant in removing the stamens otherwise everything would be covered in yellow dust which stains like buggery. It is Chelsea Flower Show time in the UK and I have been watching it on the TV - I am sorry I never got to go and see it in person. Gardening programmes fill me with such enthusiasm although there is little more I can do with our garden save keep it tidy and replace the failed plants - sadly the bougainvillea has shown no sign of recovery having put on some new green shoots which then withered away - I am quite sad about this because a bougainvillea is such an iconically mediterranean plant and there was a beautiful one here when we took on the house which we had to remove in order to build the woodstore, until this year the replacement had done well too. The passion flower in the front remains stoically green but not a single new leaf has appeared since it showed the first few signs of growth months back and these then withered away and the temperatures here were clearly too low for the flame vine I bought as that too has failed to make an appearance this year along with the lovely unusual hibiscus that was outside the guest bedroom. I should learn that the more exotic plants here cannot withstand the rigors of a Drouseian Winter.
On the subject of plants I am nearing the completion of my Peony Picture. The flowers are completed and I am working on the glass vase and the magazines underneath.I am not sure you can see too much from this picture as it was a bit dark and hastily taken with my phone. The magazines challenge the way I deal with perspective as I have had to redo the outline several times in order to make sure they look the right shape. On the cover of the top one should be a picture of a woman holding a hat - I think I may adopt a bit of artistic licence on that bit as that area of the picture is a bit small to get much detail in!
I am now beginning to look for my next subject matter and I have no idea at the moment so I am hopeful that someone will come up with a picture they would like done and I will happily do it for them.
Sheila is also working on a picture of flowers which is a departure for her and between the two of us we fill the dining room with sighs as we work away. Sheila tells me they have had some interest in their house from a Chinese family - it would seem that Klaus's spice cupboard was of huge interest to them!!! I do hope things pan out for them and that they stay in the area as John and I would miss them terribly.
Finally I managed to drop off my photograph which I am entering into an exhibition and calendar competition in support of PASYCAF (Cancer Support). The exhibition starts on June 10th and I will be able to pop in and see it on my way to pick up our next lot of visitors Jordan and Abi. I would like to think that my photograph might be included on a calendar - I specifically chose a shot which could be used for an autumn/winter month. Anyway fingers crossed I should find out shortly as the exhibition is only in a couple of weeks.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.