I have decided to try and buy a bunch of flowers every week - to cheer up the house and perhaps inspire the girls to draw them in their sketchbooks. This week it's irises. They look purple in the photo but they are, of course, a vibrant blue.
This afternoon I made marmalade using a 'kit' from Riverford. It took me all afternoon and evening and undoubtedly cost me more than buying the equivalent number of jars from the nearest supermarket, but there is something so seasonally satisfying in transforming bitter knobbly seville oranges into sweet golden flecked preserve that will last us until it's time to make another supply next January.
I went to see the National Gallery touring exhibition this afternoon. The theme is Love. It was very busy and there was a queue to get in, so I only had a quick look. This is one of my favourites -Steppin' out with my baby (My Donna) by Amrit Singh. The artist has taken the Mughal miniature and given it a contemporary twist. The attention to detail is impressive and the colours vibrant. A jewel of a painting. Brilliant.
The Christmas before last Dad said that one of the enduring memories of his visit would be these lantern lights around the picture frame. It was the last Christmas he would spend with us.
I was given this flowering plant as a thank you for organising our reading group. The flowers are quite exquisite. It's nice to be appreciated.
It's not always easy to persuade the girls to chose fruit over crisps or chocolate biscuits when they come home from school, but serving it in a glass tumbler makes it a more attractive option (even if they do then reach for the biscuit jar!).
For those who chanced upon it, 3191 A Year of Mornings was an inspiration. Their subject material was very mundane: socks, coffee cups, fruit, toes etc but the composition was delightful. After a break of a few weeks they have returned with a variation on their original site, entitled 3191 A Year of Evenings, which promises to be just as fascinating.
