If life were a narrative, I'd say that mine's a bit lacking in plot just now. The days flow into each other, and it's pretty much same old same old. I fear I have become a Very Boring Person. My poetry has ground to a halt. I do keep trying to paint one thing every day, but even that is feeling flat and uninspired just now. Still, I soldier on.
Here's a path through the Scottish woods, inspired by s photo sent by Beth McDonough:
Some tulips, brought by my neighbour Harriet:
In the following painting I bit off more than I could chew. This is based on a stunning photograph of a Greek monastery on a hilltop, sent by my friend Kevin Reid. VERY challenging in terms of perspective, shading, etc.
This one's based on a photograph by my friend Sharon Larkin.
On other fronts, the garden here in London has been a source of delight. Following my Aunt Mary's saying, Bloom Where You Are Planted, I've been working hard. Looking back over my life, one thing I can say hand on heart is that I'm pretty good at making a home and making a garden. When Jonathan and I moved to BiFFO (Bivelham Forge Farm Oast, our home), it was pretty much a blank canvas. Here's an image dating form 2012, aka The Year from Hell:
After his death, I found a LOT of solace in my garden. Here are my roses in 2015:
And here they are now, in an image sent by my daughter and son-in-law, who are there now, thank god. The wisteria on the oast is glorious at the moment! In June the roses will be in full bloom.
So here in London I've planted a Maid of Kent, which is the same rose that frames the door in BiFFO. It's wonderfully vigorous and grows fast! It's by the patio in the sun:
Below is the first rose of the spring, which bloomed last week. It's a David Austin rose called Maygold, which is one of several I planted last autumn.
So we'll see. I water them every day, talk to them (Prince Charles is a very misunderstood man, IMHO), and they do seem to reward me by growing like gangbusters!
Some BRILLIANT news from Sussex is that the vines are in leaf! My family sent me this image, which truly did lift my heart. I really did think that the vineyard was a writeoff after the marauding deer stripped the vines bare last August, but it does look as though they've survived thanks to the deer fencing I put in in January. Whether or not we'll be able to harvest the grapes and get them to a contract winemaker next autumn, god knows, but if we don't this year, we will in years to come.
Take care, dear friends. We WILL get through this.
love, Susan x
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