Autumn Cottage Diarist

And the Rain it Raineth Every Day

Where is the scorching summer that we were promised/threatened with? The last two months have seen almost continuous wet weather here at autumn Cottage – though we have not suffered anything like the deluge that the northern parts of Britain have experienced over the last week.

Nevertheless, it has been wet enough to prevent any really extensive work in the garden (I have managed a few sessions of weeding, but in this warm, wet weather it is a battle between me and the weeds – and I know who is winning!

So today, I put my other summer plans into motion. I have had a "lull" in running writing and craft workshops ever since I started the MA course at Winchester University, but have missed them – and particularly the participants - very much. So I had marked these three months of June, July and August for more course preparation – and part of that entails preparation of the Garden Studio for the more messy creative activities (such as collage and miniature-making) that are part of some of my courses. (The purely written sessions take place indoors, in the "Sunroom")

For the last year, the old garage, now the Garden Studio has, to be honest, become a chaotic repository for my growing collection of dollshouses, boxes and boxes of old books, plus an ever enlarging pile of magazines for collage use. This week, all that has changed – and within a couple of weeks, I hope to see the re-emergence of the studio as a welcoming space for new workshops in the autumn.

But first, more mayhem, as books were sold, old dollshouses sorted and discarded (I promise you, only the worst, really decrepit, and frankly, never worth the space of storing them). I have taken all day to sort out the chaos there, listening to the rain pitter-pattering on the roof, and battling with the humidity. Alec has been my right hand man, taking loads of rubbish to the council rubbish dump – items not even worth offering on the Newbury branch of FreeCycle.

The final effort of the afternoon was to re-site the architects plan table – heavy and awkward, but accomplished in fifteen minutes with a bit of forward planning and two pairs of hands. Above is the interior chaos that existed at the start of the day - watch this space to see the re-emergence of the Studio as a welcoming space inviting creativity. I'll be working on both inside and out - including a new window and patio door to let in the light, and a shady patio garden where workshop attendees can sip a cup of tea - or something stronger. Here are the "before" photos - go on, use your imagination!

Deeply Shocked

Coming late to news that others may have heard several days ago, it was only when visiting my friend Artjournal’s blog that I heard of the sudden death of fellow blogger Daisy Lupin. We were in email communication only a few weeks ago, chatting about Pantomime and Music Hall history, Italian gardens – and about Playing Hooky down by the pond The last words she sent me were that she was also doing the same, sitting in the garden, with a book and a sunhat, listening to a friendly wood pigeon.

One more good person with gentle words has gone from this plane. My sincere condolences to her family – she was a much liked and admired lady, and I shed a tear as I  type this for her all too sudden loss.

Rest in Peace, Daisy Lupin, rest in peace.

Oh, I Do Love a Bargain!

Went to the hardware superstore this morning to buy some "Brasso" – to clean my brass doorknocker. I forgot the Brasso – but came back with this little lot instead (It’s ADD city at Autumn Cottage!).

Yes – I really cannot resist a bargain – I had intended to buy one ready planted hanging basket (as it‘s really a bit late to do my own) – but discovered that all these plants had been reduced to half price – so they all had to come home with me, I’m afraid!

There are some tender perennials (2 boxes of fuschias), two grasses and two rosemary bushes to replace the ones sprawling all over the place in the herb garden. (Don't worry - I will take loads of cuttings before I dig out  the old shrubs!). Two hanging baskets - ok, some of the plants are a little yellow, but a drop of water and some plant food, (both of which they seem to have seen little), should put that right – and a lax hydrangea, which has now already been repotted and tied up to a more attractive shape. There it is, below, in the tall grey pot on the patio.

The patio area now looks even jollier (a big clean up and addition of more pots due there this weekend) and the front door now more inviting. The rest of the gardens here at Autumn cottage are loving the warm, wet weather – I don’t think Alec will be so amused though, when he sees how long the lawn has grown in a week!

Taking a stroll around the garden, here is an example of just how good the macro facility of my new camera is - a couple of flowers and the seedheads (which dry well for arrangements) of a Jerusalem Sage

Here are the acanthus, flourishing and flowering today down by the pond

And to see what the garden was like last week, when we had more traditional June weather with a little more sun, here is one of the midsummer roses from the front cottage garden – (click on it to see the beetle roaming around) – isn’t it beautiful?

Playing Hooky Down by the Pond

After weeks of rain, this first day of June is sunny, warm and deliciously summertime. There’s a water snake snoozing in the pond, dragonflies on lily pads, the grasses are swaying in the field over the fence, 3 chestnut fillies and a foal are playing through the hedge, and the philadelphus blossom is filling the air with its heavy scent. Heaven on earth surrounds Autumn Cottage today.

I should be sorting clothes in the bedroom or washing floors – but on a day like today, who wouldn’t want to play hooky down by the pond? Join me there in the summerhouse for a cup of tea? – the blackbird might even join us by the waterside for a drink.