Thunder Bolts

We've had some fabulous storms overhead this weekend, spectacular lightning shows which thankfully didn't take out the electric supply. The rain made our lane look like a boating lake but instead of ducks enjoying the water we had a large family of sparrows taking baths instead. Everything has had a good watering so that is one gardening job off the list. We haven't managed to get outside so we still have our last raised bed in the veg garden to plant up. Can't decide what to use it for, it might get a scattering of late carrots, spinach and salading seeds. In a normal year we'd think about crop rotation but as we have had to wait so long to complete the beds, instead it's a kaleidoscope of crops out there, root crops rubbing shoulders with legumes, lettuces sharing bed space with onions.

Another bargain flower find this week was four fabulous Lavenders, all costing a mere £2.49 each. Ended up buying two white, one purple with a low growing habit and another purple tufted. They are still patiently waiting in their pots as I decide where they should live in our borders.

Bejewelled flower heads

All the poppy seeds that where casually broadcast through the borders are all coming up and making a colourful splash of petals.

The first of the Ladybird Poppies

Thursday morning while having our breakfast in the kitchen we spied a visitor to the garden.

Are you looking at me?

It was a baby Hedgehog sunning itself on the Patio steps. Hoping that our ever growing population of slugs and snails will keep Master or Mistress Hedgehog wanting to stay for the summer in our garden, do hope we see more of our new prickly companion.

It's been another very productive week here in the Studio. Gary has been working on a couple of feline beauties while I have started a new reduction linocut print this time using our magical landscape for inspiration. The first sky blue colour came off the press yesterday evening and the paper is hanging on the rack to dry. Now the delicate part of the process beings as I start to cut away at the plate, one slip and it's curtains for the entire edition! The new inks are proving a good investment, they are rich and thick allowing us to blend beautiful deep shades with them. As my new piece will use four colours we are looking forward to the alchemy of mixing up all those shades.

Thought we would let you have the first peek of Gary's two new cat prints, they are on the drying rack just now and will be in our Folksy and Etsy shop this week.

Two new Cat prints - in our shops soon!

'It always rains on tents. Rainstorms will travel thousands of miles, against prevailing winds for the opportunity to rain on a tent'.
Dave Barry.