Spring Inspiration and Creative Urges

Spring is definitely in the air! The birds are calling, the frogs are spawning in our pond and the pear trees have lovely fat buds.

More Daffodils are appearing with their glowing yellow or orange trumpets. Perky little “Tete-a-tetes and “Jetfire” are the earliest to appear in my garden. The Crocuses keep surprising me although the best of the show is almost over. The pink Hyacinths are almost out in front of the house and multi-coloured ones are peeping up at the back.

So many lovely flowers appearing now. Leucojum is blooming and resembling a giant Snowdrop with it’s green-tipped petals.The white Iberis is an abundant flowerer and goes on for a long time. So fresh and pure looking. The beautiful Corydalis under the fruit trees is a pretty sight and will be even lovelier when the blue Muscari pop up to complement it.

I discovered I have a yellow Hellebore. It started flowering this year. A small plant with only two flowers but very nice. The pink ones are still a wonderful sight.

One of the unexpected pleasures of the replacement paving is the shadows which fall across it from the trees. Lacy streaks cast by branches give an added appeal to the eye.

I’m sowing seeds now in the polytunnels. Early carrot “Nantes” and parsnip “Tender and True”. The carrots will only take a few weeks but the parsnips will grow slowly and be ready next Autumn.

The garlic is coming on. Nice green leaves are standing up and looking promising. I hope the bulbs are fattening beneath the soil to produce delicious cloves in May. I only have a few stored ones left to use in the kitchen so the fresh crop will be eagerly harvested when the time comes.

The Spring cabbages and the kale are growing nicely with the extra light and warmer days. The kale was almost destroyed by Wood Pigeons a few weeks ago and had to be netted but it’s recovered well.

This is my favourite kind of kale called “Red Winter”. It’s more tender and sweeter than the very curly types and cooks very quickly. Goes brilliantly with my cheesey potato bake. ( The recipe will be in my cookbook, which I hope to publish soon.)

The longer, warmer days are welcome but it’s still nice to snuggle up by the fire at night. I enjoy making up the fire in the morning, setting it ready for a chilly evening. I never need to buy kindling. We use the dried flower stems, small twiggy bits which fall from the fruit trees and little branches from pruning, to start the fire.

The logs are placed around and over the top. Some paper underneath and a match will bring about a good blaze in minutes.

If you have a log stove it’s worth remembering that you don’t need to buy cleaning products for the glass door. Just wet a piece of kitchen towel and dip it in the wood ash. A rub over the glass with this will bring all the smoke and tar off like magic. Shine it up with a clean dry piece and it will be crystal clear. We’ve had our stove for thirteen years and the glass is still perfectly free from deposits.

When I sit by the fire it’s nice to have something to do. Although I struggled with my last knitting project I’m missing it now. There’s something satisfying about having a bit of knitting or crochet ready, to pick up and do a row or two whenever I sit down. Won’t be long I expect before the needles are clicking again. I have some very tempting balls of yarn tucked away to inspire me and bits of wool to make little flowers or nice stripey things.

I haven’t painted anything for a week or two. I did some little black and white drawings for my cookbook, outlined in pen, but I’m itching to paint some lovely colours again. I often do Still Life, usually objects I love around the house; pottery I have collected or kitchen utensils.

Familiar everyday objects have beautiful features as well as sentimental value. If you like to paint but struggle to find appealing subjects just look around at the things you love. It can often be something so familiar that you hardly notice it but when you paint it you will be surprised how lovely it really is. Painting and drawing make you observe proportions, light and shade, the reflections on a shiny surface, or a rough texture. The roundness of a pot or the angular lines of a knife are challenging to draw or paint and this is what makes them interesting and satisfying to reproduce. Close observation makes you appreciate the design, the craftsmanship and the beauty.

Here’s an acrylic painting I did of some favourite pottery.

I’ve probably rambled on enough for this week. I hope you’re finding pleasant ways to relieve sad thoughts at this worrying time. All our hopes and wishes go out to all those who are suffering.

Bye for now and with you again soon.