A couple of months ago, I wrote about my watercolour debut. I tried out watercolour painting for the first time, and was completely captivated. My husband took inspiration from this, and for Christmas he got me some lessons. The lady responsible for introducing me to watercolours is, fortuitously, our friend. She is a member of … More My First Watercolour Lesson
When I was thirteen, we read Holes by Louis Sachar at school. The teacher set us the task of mapping out on a piece of paper all the connections between characters, events, places, objects and themes. I thoroughly enjoyed this task – especially as Holes is so full of connections. (The teacher commented that I … More Book Reviews: January
This year, for the first time in three years, our church was able to hold its usual carol service. We had adapted quite well in the Covid years – we sang outside, spaced apart, and Nicholas accompanied us on the accordion! But it was a pleasure to return to the usual format. The carol service … More A Musical Christmas
Painter of Silence – Georgina Harding This was December’s book group read. Book group was early this month, with Christmas coming. I tried to get a wriggle on and finish this promptly, but two days before we were due to meet I realised I was fighting a losing battle; there was a lot going on … More Book Reviews: December
In a previous blog post, I described a new series of events at our church that Nicholas and I have helped put together. On each fourth Sunday of the month from Easter to Advent, instead of having a traditional church service we have donned our walking boots and ventured out to different locations in our … More My Watercolour Debut
It’s been a little while since I picked up my crochet hook – but I like to make at least one thing for someone for Christmas. This year I thought I’d make something for my 8-year-old cousin. (Previous crocheted gifts for her have included a hat & scarf set and a fairy amigurumi). Knowing she … More A Colourful Crochet Project
Why Did You Stay?: A Memoir About Self-Worth – Rebecca Humphries This was an e-reader daily deal I picked up, knowing extremely little about it! The book began with a statement which I was surprised to realise I had read before. Rebecca Humphries is an actress whose partner had been competing on Strictly Come Dancing. … More Book Reviews: November
When we moved into our house, we inherited an apple tree. It’s still quite young, but each autumn it’s overladen with fruit. The apples are lovely to eat – crunchy and sweet. True to form, this year we were once again inundated with apples. I decided to put some of them to an ulterior use, … More Harvests
Tidelands – Philippa Gregory When I was 17 and applying to universities to do a history degree, I had to write a personal statement. In that personal statement, I wrote that my particular interest in the Tudors, initially lit in primary school, had been fanned in later years by reading Philippa Gregory’s Tudor court novels. … More Book Reviews: October
A few months ago, Nicholas and I made the (somewhat risky) decision to book an October camping trip. “We’re hardy,” we thought, “we can pack jumpers!” Besides, we were planning on going to Cornwall – not exactly a chilly clime. Living near Plymouth, we are outrageously close to Cornwall and yet rarely set foot over … More Camping in Cornwall
Cryptic Meg 