A reminder

I am still here (well sort of).  Just a reminder that with my new website my blog has been incorporated into that so if you want to keep up with what I am up to, please check out my website (click on the word website and it will take you there) and check out the blog posts on the right hand side of any page (underneath 'pages').  Hope to see you there :)

Where have my photos gone!

For some reason my photos have all disappeared from this blog?  Not sure why and frankly trying to find them all again is going to be a bit of a pain, soooo, I am letting you know that I am going to stop posting on here from now on as now I have a new wonderful website which I can also use as a blog, so from now on I shall only post on there.  If you would like to carry on reading what I have been up to, check out the site (the blog posts can be found in the bottom right hand corner of the website). 

Hope to see you over there :)

Autumn comes

Yes I know, been quiet on here, but it has been a crazy summer (as usual).  All those good intentions over the winter to get stock made up so I don't end up working 7 days a week over the summer just never seemed to happen last year and what with a new house (well old house that needs LOTS of work doing on it); the sad passing of my beloved Daddy (born Guy Faulks day, 5th November, died 21st June - Summer solstice, dates not easily forgotten!); and being involved in some new galleries I have been completely snowed under.  Oh and 3 acres of jungle, sorry garden, that needed taming!!!

So now the weekly summer market has finished for the season and the studio/shop in Bude being now open 5 days a week rather than 7 you would think I have learned my lesson and am getting on with stock making for the Christmas markets and next year, but... I have learned that I need to be in a panic to get stock made.  Have all day today to make, but my mojo is still curled up warm in bed with the cat whilst the rain batters on the windows. It would be nice and warm if I got on the torch with the kiln going so maybe in an hour I will get down to it! 

Here are some photos of what I have been up to over the summer, both garden wise and work wise to keep you entertained!

 

Glass fish windchime

 

May tree in full bloom

Pretty rose outside our kitchen window

Towards the sea from the lock gates at Bude

 

Glass tree, handmade by me, apple wood base, handmade by himself.

 

A very small selection of the fruits of the garden

My stall at Clovelly (N Devon), at the Maritime Festival

Sorry

I am sorry I have been away for so long, rather a few things going on (or have been), some nice some very sad.  I will be back in September and will try to update you on everything (well most things anyway).  Hope you will be back to see what has been going on.  Thank you for your understanding. :)

Busy busy busy

Well my weekly market has started up again on a Friday and the studio/shop is now open mostly every day and there just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the week (I so meant to make sure I had loads of stock for this year, but folks will keep buying and so no matter how much you think you have it soon goes!  Then of course there are commissions!!!!!  Not complaining but....).

Summer is comming, heard a cuckoo for the first time ever (well I might have heard one as a child but that was a while ago).  My mother, who was brought up in rural oxfordshire in the 1920's and 30's used to sing me this song as a child

The Cuckoo is a pretty bird
She singeth as she flys
She bringeth us good tidings
She telleth us no lies
She sips the sweetest flowers
To keep her song voice sweet
And when she flies she sings
cuckoo, cuckoo

I think there are probably many versions of this song, but I love this one as it was my mummy's :)

In the garden we have dug the 3 beds over (ok the edges need attention but there are limits on what one can do!).  We now have in.... runner beans, french beans, peas, carrots, potatoes, swede, garlic, shallots, sweet corn, spring onions (scallion I think in some countries) and lettuce.  In the greenhouse we have cucumber, chillies, lettuces and tomatoes.  We also have grapes, apples, pears...... and so on!  I really will do a post about this garden one day with pictures!

Work wise here are some photos of some new ideas I have been working on.

Promise of things to come

Keep meaning to tell you about this house and the jungle it came with (think it is supposed to be a garden, we are gradually finding bits as we mow through the long grass and hack back the trees and shrubs), but busy time work wise for me with the markets starting up and the lovely visitors comming down to the South West for their holidays.  So whilst I write up my masterpiece on the garden here are a few photos of promise of things to come!  The grape pictured was unbelievable last year, we ended up throwing them out, we just couldn't keep up, or keep up with the figs (we have two fig trees and 14 grape vines!!!!!  Only one vine produced last year but they had all been neglected, they have been pruned back now and should produce, many are wine varieties, lucky I kept all my wine making equipment!  We also have 3 eating apples and 3 cooking apple trees, the one pictured is a Russet a fine old English variety (that actually I am not that keen on, but am I going to refuse free apples? No!)

Dairy Jam

Ah such a sight and one that reminds you that winter is over (the bullocks/steers are back too in the field by the house, they go mad on the first day out, so pleased to be back on grass again, they have got very very muddy too, think they have been having celebratory rolls!).

I don't mind getting stuck in a cow jam, it's quite nice seeing all the girls on their way with their great big swollen swinging udders to the milking parlour and they will back in the field in no time :)

Ooh and spot the N Devon trees in the picture, can you guess by looking at them which way the wind blows by any chance ;)  Not the best example round here, must remember to take my camera when I go out next (these were taken on my mobile which has a rubbish camera!).