At the ancient White Horse, plus video

You know,When I think about it, it's pretty silly that we haven't taken the time to walk up here in a few years.It's actually only about 20 miles away from home, and now that we're here I wonder what took us so long to come back.I know there are other monuments and even other horses in different parts of the UK but, to me, this prehistoric White Horse here at Uffington is truly a magical place.Actually, the whole chalk hill is a magical place. There isn't anywhere in all of Oxfordshire that you can be so high overlooking the whole of the county and miles beyond.We sat there in the tall grass just above the head of the giant horse. We watched the wind bend the grasses, we watched the people, the flying kites. Robbie decided that we should drive here, hike up, sit on the grass and be in the moment for at least a half hour. Every day.Here's a short little video for you. Hope you like it and if you do, plese give it a thumbs-up.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HO8VMS8AGU

Two day on the Thames River at Newbridge plus video

Hello everyone,I've spent two days beside the Thames here in Oxfordshire.We live very close to a special area where the Windrush River joins the Thames at a place called Newbridge.This is Newbridge. It's called new bridge because it was the newest of three bridges built across the Thames in the 13C. Some say it may be the oldest standing bridge in the country.On Friday, Robbie and I met some new friends, Ray and Jenny, at our favourite pub, The Rose Revived, for lunch.We love the Rose. It has some lovely food and the situation right beside the Thames is just so ideal.We picked out a table under the willows at the river's edge......and watched the little minnows nibbling at the trailing willow leaves.The resident swan family has raised three cygnets this year and they were parading them around the narrow boats on the opposite bank looking for a handout.Yesterday I spent another day at the river.This time I walked down the Thames Path and was hoping to walk all the way down to the Northmoor lock, but decided to turn back when a thunder storm swept in.I did manage to make this silly video though.https://youtu.be/l1re14yo2QYCome for a walk with me. :D

Nadine's Art Challenge: A room with a view

It's been a long time since one of us managed to host an art challenge and I'm so thrilled that we're back.Thank you so much Woolfie girl!Nadine suggested room, with a view, so I looked outside my studio here in West Cottage and guess what? My studio looks out onto our back garden, the fence, garden gate, and the meadow beyond!I've loved this meadow for years and years now and, even though the land has been sold and will most likely be developed, (with all sorts of conditions to provide for the wildlife which has been calling it home, so not to worry), I'm so happy I've had use of it this long.The meadow and our hedges and verges provide me with so much lovely material for inspiration that I don't need to look any further.Here is a little bouquet of teasel seed heads, hops, rose hips, crab apples and ivy, all from our hedges and verges and the meadow. Took me all of 10 minutes to assemble. Isn't it beautiful?And here is a little twist of wild hops hanging from a stray nail in the wall of the cottage.So with all this luscious late summer beauty just outside my room, I decided on a little painting.Now, I don't have a lot of time just now, so I just grabbed the cardboard end of a used up sketch pad and painted a quick abstract background in acrylics and inks.And then I grabbed a handful of wildflowers...Queen Ann's lace and hops......and painted them in inks and acrylics and chalks right on that abstract background.That's all the time I had this week, but I'm happy I got some art time in and so grateful for the art challenge inspiration.Thank you so much Nadine.When you have a chance, pop by Nadine's for a peek at everyone else's rooms with views.And consider joining us. Any art form will do. You can photograph, paint, sketch, sculpt, carve, print ... bake a cake ... anything you like. Always check Ariane's for upcoming art challenges.I like my wreath. Wonder if it will dry nicely?

Lunch at the palace next door: Blenheim Palace and a video

Hello everybody,this morning FB gave me one of those memories from __ suggestions, and it was from Blenheim seven years ago.It's been more like 13 years of me being a pass holder, of me casually parking up, flashing my membership card and enjoying the palace and grounds.There must be so many posts from Blenheim in my blog; whether it's a Blenheim palace post, a vintage car show post, or just memories, Blenheim is a big part of our lives here.Not only is the palace spectacular, but the park and grounds, designed by Lancelot Capability Brown, are so beautiful to walk in at any time of the year.Over the years, and I suppose inevitably, photography has been permitted in the palace.Also, areas of the palace have been made inaccessible...like the books in the library. Too many small and dirty hands we were told. But the history remains there for all to see.One of my most favourite pieces of the history jigsaw puzzle, is the story of Betty Ridge, a fisherman's daughter, who lived right here on the Thames in our village of Northmoor, and married William Flower, 2nd Viscount Ashbrook in 1766, whose granddaughter eventually became Duchess of Marlborough. From the banks of the Thames to Blenheim Palace in 80 years. What a love story! My village friend, historian Julie Godson, discovered the link and wrote a most charming book: available here.Old traditions carry on in the 21C in the little Blenheim gift shop, with modern versions of Victorian traditions in everything from kitchen ware to clothing.My most favourite though has got to be the below stairs collection of updated traditional palace kitchen items.I love to have a good mooch around.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKdzwFN0fx0Here is a silly little video of us at Blenheim. I love it when I can take you with me, and these videos are so much fun for me to make. If you like it, would you consider giving it a thumbs-up?Thank you for coming with me. I don;t think I say it enough, but I treasure each and every time you stop by.

Hello from Sunday night, and Somerset for Catherine's birthday party

Hello from Sunday night everyone.Here I go again finishing my Sunday night post on Monday morning!That's life round here. The problem is that our list of projects for our months together is so very long, that my posts get pushed a little to the edges of the days.But the one great benefit of us being together, (apart form the obvious being together bit; which is the best thing in the world), is that our friends reschedule their lives to have us with them. And this is why Robert's sister Catherine planned her birthday party for August.We drove down to Somerset on Saturday morning. I love driving X country with Robbie. I love being a passenger and having the chance to look around. We drove past the White Horse at Uffington and I saw it there on the hill in the distance. We drove on the M4 for a few miles and then took a short cut thru charming little villages. We reached the top of the hill at Charlcombe and then we could see all of Bath and the river Avon below us. Such a beautiful drive. Then a little past Bath to Catherine's beautiful home.Catherine's was filled with lovely friends and wonderful food. We chatted the day away, met some new friends and reconnected with old. Catherine and I exchanged birthday prezzies, (mine was in July), and too soon it was time to drive home.

Indiana Jones and an Andrews sister at Retro Festival

Hello everyone, it's been a wonderfully roller coastery Saturday for us at the Retro Festival.We had the most amazing time with our friends Chris and Diane and their darling granddaughter Kelsey.We toured the vintage car show grounds, shopped miles of vintage markets, listened to wonderful music and danced up a storm.I got my hair styled a la 1940's up-do and took part in a "best dressed" competition! Oh my goodness that was a lot of hairspray and 25 bobby pins! But I bought a vintage Royal Air Force hat to go with my outfit and had to figure out how to wear it.More cars! Wanna Bugatti?We stopped by the Spitfire tent to catch the live show. These three fabulous girls, My Favourite Things, did an amazing job of singing and dancing.Here is the little video I made for you:https://youtu.be/TukJke4xKPUIf you like it, could you give it a thumbs up please?My friend Diane took this photo of us just as we arrived.And we're already planning to come back next year! :D

Lately: Car port, Oxford, and lunch at The Vaults, plus video!

Hello everyone,It's been quite the busy week round here. We've (when I say we, I mean Robert), have chopped down an apple tree.It was a hard decision to chop it down, mainly because it was such a hardy and healthy tree, but we planned to put a carport up against the garage and, as much as we loved the occasional apple crumble, the best thing for us was to remove the tree.So down it came. The wood will be used for fire wood plus a little of it will be handed out to friends for carving.And the best thing is that Robert won't have to pick up millions of apples from the ground.Speaking of the apples, I put out a great big bin full for anyone to help themselves and some people did.After several days of apple tree, clean up and building the foundations for our new carport, we took a trip into Oxford for the Thursday vintage and antique market.We were after a hat or two for our costumes for Saturday's Retro Festival.We were not very successful with the hats, so went to have lunch at one of our favourite cafes, The Vaults.The Vaults is a basement room under St Mary the Virgin church dating back to 1320. It served as the first ever library in Oxford belonging to the university of Oxford.Now our friend Will Pouget runs the space as the most amazing organic cafe.We ate our lunch on the patio and Will came for a lovely chat.Here is a little video of our day:https://youtu.be/m9n3ONuSrfEOn our way home we drove thru the neighbouring village of Appleton and I picked up enough beautiful dahlias from one of the roadside stands for four bouquets.The post and video from our Retro Festival day coming tomorrow. :D

Visiting William Morris at Kelmscott Manor, plus video

I love it when my friend Elaine calls and says, "Are you free Wednesday next at about a quarter past one, dahling?"I love it because I know she's planning a surprise for me.In the past she's taken me to Charlecote Park, Seizincote House and a beautiful medieval tithe barn, so I know an outing with her is a treat.This year she's taken me to see Kelmscott Manor, the country estate that William Morris rented with his friend and colleague Dante Gabriel Rossetti.It's unnecessary to say that the manor is just beautiful, and for an Arts and Crafts movement lover like me, the ideal place to visit.I can see a lot of the founding roots of my Vancouver Craftsman cottage right in this house.The decorative details are just spectacular here. This is the top part of a settle, (a tall, wooden-backed bench), and it has gilded, embossed and painted designs. The designs carry on onto the back because it wasn't meant to necessarily stand up against a wall. What a fantastic room divider. Now I want o figure out how I can make one.Jane Morris, William's wife, is the muse and subject of many of the paintings and stitched designs. She was the favourite muse of Dante Gabriel Rossetti as well, so her image is everywhere.And so are the traditional Morris designed textiles.Here in the Green room there are even the two original wood carvings used for this print.The lights and chandeliers are also bespoke......and designed to cast shadows on the ceilings. Here a butterfly above the staircase.All the windows are old oak with metal handles and latches,and all have views out into the gardens and surrounding countryside.Here is Jane's bedroom.It has the Morris willow fabric around her bed, and a coverlet stitched by her daughters.This unusual little staircase leads up to the fourth floor and a beautiful lofted attic space.It's an unusual staircase and such a brilliant idea. You walk up it by putting your feet on either run and you feel a bit like a duck...lol...but the best part is that it's comfortable to walk up and down and occupies a space no bigger than a ladder. (A traditional staircase would have to come out twice as far and wouldn't fit here)Brilliant, isn't it?Here is one of the attic bedrooms.And here is another.This is the view from up here.The garden is divided into large spaces. Some are formal lawns with flower borders, and some are left natural.There are orchards and hay meadows, potagers and croquet lawns.Here is the link to the little video I made of my visit.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd39KqtShdcCan you imagine how lovely it must have been to live and create in this beautiful home.And, if you needed to have a break from all that creativity, you just go launch your boat on the Thames right next door. :DGift shop! Look at those umbrellas!Afternoon tea.

Midsummer, meadow, wildflowers and a tiny seasonal journal

The meadow keeps meadowing along with wildflowers and grasses going thru their season an I keep walking thru it taking photos and marvelling at how beautiful it all is.Right now there are tons of peacock butterfly caterpillars on the ragwort munching away. I can't wait for them to metamorphose into the beautiful adult forms which will feed off the teasel blossoms before the teasels form seeds and feed the goldfinches.I was wondering how to capture all of this in art and remembered that tiny autograph book I found at the steam rally.That little book seemed like the best place to capture the meadow.It belonged to a child named Clare and she started it in 1954.I chose the bright yellow ragwort blossoms for the front inside cover and first page.Watercolours weren't opaque enough, so I used a little acrylic paint.Then some wild brambles with their chalky, purple-blue stems.Nightshade,Wild cherry, which is already starting to colour and drop leaves because it's been a little too dry lately.Herb Robert,Grasses,Himalayan balsam. I love how the seed heads pop open to the touch.On the go right now are evening primrose and morning glory and I have room for 17 more wildflowers......while the meadow keeps doing its own thing.I'm rushing to document it all before the autumn settles in.

Oxford! Video, the Thursday vintage market plus shopping in Oxford.

Once I'm out of the city I just love to stay in the country. Love it to pieces.But I'm also a working artist, and that means I need to buy vintage maps and ephemera to paint on. Thursdays in Oxford is a vintage market with a stall run by Gary my favourite vintage map seller from Oxford Maps, so an ideal day to make the trek into town.Other than that, Oxford is a beautiful, quirky town with loads of unique shops, as well as the old familiar...like Primark for cheap reading glasses, and Lush for bath treats.But the most wonderful store in Oxford has got to be Scriptum.Scriptum is a dream come true for anyone who loves paper and books and pens and inks as much as I do.Come with me and explore Oxford for the day. Come to the vintage market, have tea in a 15C building, brave the summer crowds, and shop for beautiful things in Scriptum:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi-H65FwOZE&feature=youtu.be