October's arty challenge

Throughout last month I'd had an intention to try to pull an hour's worth of art, or something vaguely arty (maybe needlework or collage), each day

It didn't really work but has set the seeds for a longer term goal.

The first thing I realised was that I needed space and something a little undefinable - quietness, privacy, or solitude - so I had to work round my husband's trips to the allotment, though there aren't any when it rains.

Next I wasted a lot of time in getting sorted. It's such a long while since I've done any drawing or needlework that I couldn't find the things I needed. I was getting ready to put the whole idea on hold.



Then over on Twitter I saw @behindthewoman1 suggesting as #SundayMotivation that for one week we picked an area of health/lifestyle to improve, and I jokingly replied that my day had been spent setting up the ingredients for rose hip gin. She instantly declared that to be a soul nurturing creative activity, and set me thinking ...

Soul nurturing creativity exactly describes what I was looking for with my arty-hour, but it didn't need to be confined to actual 'art', so I widened my criteria.








I decided that walks and days out visiting gardens provide inspiration - either on a practical 'want to try that in my garden' way or as potential source of artistic inspiration.




Knitting and jigsaw puzzles are both relaxing and constructive, so I'd include those. Oh, and yes, making fancy gin counts.








Some days were planning, hunting through pattern books, looking at old embroidered textiles; some were just spent scrolling through Pinterest or watching tutorials on You tube; sometimes the sun shone and I went gardening instead.







I think it sort of served the purpose - a bit of time every other day away from housework, doing something pleasurable and creative, or at least planning it. I'll definitely be carrying on, hopefully with some interesting results besides the gin :)

One Hour Outside 2019

rough seas at Porthgain, Pembrokeshire

It's always nice to get out and about in spring and summer, but over at Splodzblogz I spotted an encouragement to embrace the autumnal weather and get out for an hour each day throughout November.

It's not the pleasantest month to try such a challenge, but I'm in!


I recently realised  that over the past few years (nearer to a decade) once I no longer had to do the school run, I've stopped going out if the weather's the least bit dodgy. There's no longer any necessity to go out on a set day, or at a set time. Whether it's walking, visiting somewhere or for practical reasons such as shopping, if there's rain forecast or fog hanging round I'll stay home. A hint of drizzle? Stay in, it'll improve tomorrow or the next day.

I've become 'nesh', too comfortable in the warmth, and unwilling to risk a spot of rain. At the end of September, we went away for a weekend to Pembrokeshire, and most days were wet to some extent. But we survived and even had fun - though the wind tried to blow us over, and the rain came down in torrents at times.

I tried to join in with a previous challenge back in March 2017 - and looking back I see it didn't quite pan out the way I expected. I'd expect this coming month to be different - hopefully with more walking and exercise, though some of that may just be wandering round outdoor markets in the run-up to Christmas.

River Eden at Appleby

The first two days have proved easy - we were away for a couple of days so went walking around Appleby-in-Westmorland one day, and Dunham Massey the other.

Dunham Massey

An hour a day will test my resolution to go outside no matter what the weather, but I'll try at least :)

More walking under trees - and floods at Swakestone

After last weekend's rain, the sun has returned, so I've been out again, walking under trees, this time at Calke Abbey.

 Not a long walk as we went fairly late in the afternoon - just round the gardens, though there are plenty of trees there, giving the feel of a small wood. I'm not sure but wonder if these were originally planted to hide the practical kitchen gardens from the house.

 Indoors trees are taking on an autumnal tinge too - this is a pomegranate in the old orangery.

The palms still look much the same as ever but the bedding plants underneath have been changed, with wallflowers ready to brighten up spring.

As I said, there was rain at weekend - lots of rain! I'd heard of floods elsewhere but hadn't expected this sight as we crossed Swarkestone Causeway.











Normally this would be a view of fields - low lying and close to the river, occasionally damp looking but I've never seen them flooded like this. The Causeway must of course have been built for a reason, so perhaps it's more common than I realised.

Returning home, and looking west from the causeway. The area beyond the line of trees is a lake with yacht club, but just in front of them is the access road to it! 

Fortunately, or perhaps deliberately, the houses either side sit on higher ground, though one of their gardens looked threatened.

Gaining an hour

It's that time of year for fiddling with the clocks, and turning them back making evenings darker. On Sunday morning everyone (well, those without babies, pets, or anything that doesn't live its life by the artificial time of a clock) was feeling pleased with gaining an hour's extra sleep. Oddly I wasn't; I was up an hour early.

Always one for a resolution, even though we're a long way from New Year, I've decided to follow my body clock, and stay on 'summer time'.

I'm dreadful about getting up in the morning (or going to bed at night). Always have been. Now, with no absolute need to be up and about, I could sleep till lunch time, or go to bed at 3 am. So as the clock change makes my normal waking time of 8 become 7, I want to roll with it. Get up that hour earlier, make the most of the daylight. Go to bed by midnight at the latest.



A couple of days in, it's worked fine. Let's see how it goes

Magnificent maples at Chatsworth

Give me the merest hint of a dry sunny day, and I don't need a lot of persuading to head out somewhere - and Chatsworth, of course, is a favourite destination (I've got the annual pass, so I'm determined to use it). The flowers in the garden are mainly dying back now but the trees are just coming in to their autumn glory, so after a brief wander through the cottage garden and the vegetable patch we headed in search of autumnal reds and golds.

We walked along the path above the cascade, then higher still, following one of many streams working its way down the hillside.

These further reaches of the garden always seem neglected by visitors - hardly anyone seems to stray this far, confining themselves to the showier parts.











 I like these quieter areas though, with their wonderful trees - the huge specimen firs in the pinetum, and these wondrous acers in autumn finery.
















Walking here might not quite be forest bathing, but it almost is.

Having first passed by higher up the slope, we dropped down to the Grotto pool, and from there to the Stryd, and eventually down to the Canal Pond and Emperor Fountain.

As we reached the end of the walk above the Canal, the sun came out, sandwiched between a bank of cloud and the hillside, and bathed everywhere in a warm golden glow.
A lovely end to the day