facts and fictions

Lots and lots of these meadow browns on the lavender today, but then the rain came back. So now I know four, with a few more fluttering at the edge of memory.
I always said I would learn the names of all the trees...........and types of clouds. Still don't, I do know a few trees, a few butterflies, a few birds.
Brain is a bit fey this evening as I spent a deal of the afternoon between two fog horns, M and ma. I am watching Midsummer Murders to settle down, nice and undemanding.
M left me the new Jeffrey Deaver, which is likely to be a bit more exciting, she swopped it for my Icelandic crime latest by Yrsa Sigurdardottir. Quite a flurry of Scandanavian crime books at the mo. I have just read Karin Fossum [Norwegian]- very good, a satisfyingly mature story even tho in the end she doesn't confirm who "dunnit"
I am enjoying a Bill James now, he's a very mannered writer of baroque 1980s criminals,[no mobile phones to ease the plot]. with the police - Harper and Isles- confusingly as bad at times.
Wolf Hall, my favourite so far this year, has made it onto the long list for the Booker, very pleasing. M claims she is reading it but tucked the Icelander away with swift glee, so i think Cardinal Wolsey may have to wait.
And waiting in the wings I have the first Fred Vargas [published last] I love these stories by the oddly name French woman; and the new Denise Mina whom I am giving a try, hoping she has left incest and accompanying nastiness behind. should get me through the next few days without too much reality.

nature notes

>
Aristotle maintained that women have fewer teeth than men; although he was twice married, it never occurred to him to verify this statement by examining his wives' mouths.
- Bertrand Russell

Thanks to Google page for this thought, not to say chortle, provoking quote.
Today we threw caution to the winds and went out for lunch in an effort to cheer me up and avoid having to cook tonight..
It worked. The sun came out, the pea and bean risotto was good [with truffles which is vaguely exciting if not that tasty]in one of the oldest pubs in Suffolk....500 years.
As RP had walked Hattie the Dog in the rain earlier [such a bold knight] we went for a wander in Wolves Wood as that is a Bird Reserve and does not welcome woofers, no matter how long in the tooth.
The wood has been "coppiced" which i learn means - chopping it about so the light gets in and wild life flourishes. Worked for me, but not so much as a tweet or a leaf shiver from any LBJs - as i believe they are technically called [little brown jobs].
We did see some butterflies flutterbye, there seem to be more this year, don't know their names.........these were little orange and brown jobs which may have been Meadow something, or maybe Marsh, the book is in the other room.
Still waiting to see some Painted Ladies which are supposed to be massing on the borders,yet more South Africans to critise our rugby......
Have been delivered of my books at last. Just finished the Behaviour of Moths,by Poppy Adams. Quite good in a weird way. Should have taught me more about moths than seems to have been retained. I do remember her squeezing the virgin moth to get the juice to attract male moths, no change there then

the pics are better on the wireless

On a Sunday morning i have Radio6 on in the background. The guy plays cheery music and people text in to report Good Deeds they have done during the week, so it is a change from all the negativity around.
On Saturday morning I listen to Adam and Joe for the music and the banter, but they are on holiday at the mo and I will accept no substitutes.
I always have the radio on during the day, drives RP mad, but i was bought up in a wireless household. G'ma had a set in each room, and g'pop fixed up speakers to complete the coverage in every other nook and cranny.
Mostly i listen to Radio 4 and 5, which does tend to make newspapers redundant, but the Guardian has a good section of thoughtful pieces to get me thru breakfast; radio is on in the background, but I only hear it when something in my brain picks up on some reference.
RP is thus convinced we women can split our attention equally whereas in his experience men are either doing the crossword or switched off. I don't understand this neutral position where he claims he is not doing anything. I am always buzzing, and in a in a way the radio has to be on to absorb some of the whizz so I can relax and concentrate on something else.
Wireless guy is asking for Reasons to be Cheerful........I did think this morning how glad I was that I no longer get as many spots. That is a very adolescent angst that still reverberates obviously. Auntie C and Uncle R are pootling over this afternoon from Romford as it is their 56th wedding anniversary. C was engaged throughout the war, then he dumped her when he returned. Both younger sisters were married and with child by then so she was stuck at her parents' home with the baby sitting and work at the GPO to pass the time.
Eventually in 1953 she pulled the young electrician who worked up on the corner of the main road and toddled off to their new home - never to move again.

They are both over 90 now.
Strange to think that when my friends such as Coffee Spoons knew my g'parents, they were younger than this their daughter.........one day my lovely g'son will be looking at pics of us.........or do computer pics get passed on? We back up occasionally. A few CDs better than those drawers, cupboards and boxes of unlabelled photos my grandma left us.

not for sale

Met S in Old London Town.
We walked from Waterloo to Tate Modern but spurned it's advances as it seems particularly boring at the mo, so we caught the fast boat to the other Tate and gave Richard Long another go. S was being very brave as she does not enjoy being on the water, but it was a swift, sunny trip, past a few landmarks for the country lass

S particularly liked the mud painted walls, I did too as they reminded me of textiles. The show was a mix of stones, words and photos plus mud of course. He is a remarkable man if only for the distances he hikes. Very little seems to have changed since he was first around in the sixties, a gentle soul but very solid.

Another day we went to the coast, I made a bit of a twit of myself as RP was driving my car as his was in dock. I had a fit of the vapours and we had to pull into a lay by and let me drive. I just felt so panicked not to be driving my own car, even tho I don't like driving, fortunately he is a good natured RP
The sea was brown even tho the sky was blue, all the sand dredged up by the windy waves we supposed.

We went to a couple of exhibitions and RP invested in a small green lino print called Abandoned Greenhouse, it is calm and satisfying. Once before he fancied a painting of boats when we were in ?Devon. I wasn't supportive enough, I always think "I could do that", so this time I was more forthcoming. It cost less, mind you, and I liked it more.
I could still do that........maybe.
We then went on to our exhibition which had not sold well at all. The small items in the shop sold well, but the bigger pieces sold not at all, so not a success, even tho some work was of a very high standard and widely admired. It is all accessible work, no question of "but is it Art" which is concerning some people about the living sculptures on the plinth. Whether it is Art or Craft may raise a discussion tho.
More to the point I think, "is it any good?"
.
The third exhibition was also not doing well, but the standard of work was not as high as usual so not so surprising.

consider the sunflowers......

Every shed should have it's sunflower

Today has been gorgeous - somehow it hasn't rained on the cricket and they are doing well at Lords, if cautiously. If they ever let the Aussies back in they may even win, instead of a boring but thankful draw.
I have done a bit of painting in my shed, I watched a programme on Francis Bacon last night, and as I am between stitcheries I thought I would have a splosh. He stimulated/scared me into painting several small canvases streaky blackish and then I thought i might try some figures.
My shed has photos pinned all over,one of my ma in her wedding dress caught my eye so I decided to have a go at a sort of ghostly b/w bridal image. I think i may try and find other wedding pics and extend my series of funereal celebrations ............ it just is sad seeing her then and now, so happy, so in love; makes me think of my time passing. Paint quicker!!
Maybe it was one of the Plinthers sent me on this trail. She was very exercised about Botox and why women used this poison to cling to their youthful looks, which didn't last and had to be repeated, so they peed it out and we all drank it in the water.........oh dear.
We have RP's parents coming for lunch tomorrow, plus my ma. Very dodgy, it will probably go quite well but we both feel so tense, me hoping I won't say something without thinking very carefully how to phrase it, or even say it at all. They possibly feel the same way, but they are practised at not saying what they mean.
Maybe it is the generation gap, those that were brought up before the war, and during the war - us who evolved in the sixties and flew away.
Somehow we see the world differently.

wet and windy

Phew that was some storm last night, lashing rain, thunder and lightning, power cut everything. All the electricals have to be re-set. The storm seemed to sweep up the river, revolve around this hill top, sweep off then just when you thought it was all over - rush back and roar.
Checked the plinth people out this morning, they seem to be present and correct, don't know what they did overnight. Being English we are rather ignoring all the lamentable exhibitionism it entails.
At the mo the woman is drawing attention [quietly in writing] to the children of Darfur. Oh now she is getting a bit showy and throwing roses [with tied messages] to peeps below.
We bought this delicate oregano plant when we were are Hampton Court, pale pink bracts [such a nice word] and now tiny mauve flowers. The seller warned us not to leave it out in the rain as the stems are very brittle and would break. Seems an unlikely way for a plant to behave. We put it's pot in a fairly sheltered position, but I assumed I would find firewood this morning, but it is fine. Obviously knows what it is doing.
The golf is swishing along in Scotland so i listen vaguely to that on the wireless [Tiger isn't doing as well as expected but hopefully he will pull thru, tho I do quite like old Padraig Harrington, a good name too].
Then the Test Match starts at 11am. on Test Match Special, I love listening to them chunter on, one day I would like to make a quilt with all the names of the field placings "Silly Mid On" etc.
Saving that till I am even older.
We did so well in cricket yesterday, and then we didn't. Aussies were cock a hoop as you would expect, I suppose we will collapse into a humiliated puddle , or a real one, it is at Lords so presumably got wet too. Tho I suppose the whole country got soaked; however the storms are due to return this afternoon so maybe that will save us.
That is why we pay such attention to the weather, it plays a significant part in the country's history.
Spoke to daughter last night, she is having a 90degree summer, but the roses still manage - with lots of irrigation. No hose pipe ban there, none here yet, but i expect there will be.
We have a well in the garden and next door have purchased a pump, [goes down about 40ft] to water the garden as they are on water meter.

plinth news

Now there is a woman spinning on the plinth, with a spinning wheel, not rotating. How craft worthy

plinth web site

I have been watching the "granny" on the plinth today, knitting.
There is a continuous streaming of the plinth people on www.oneandother.co.uk I recommend it for what ails you/me.

muse and musing

It was quite a long day, stewarding at the exhibition, tho the gallery is open and bright and we did have over 200 "footfall". Unfortunately the "feet" led more positively to the shop-side where we do smaller bits and bobs, and handed over about£250, but however complimentaryly they wriggled their toes I remain the only Exhibition seller so far.
This should not lead to great hubris as I priced my pots at £7.50 each to make sure they passed beyond. The beautiful shibori above was £900 I think.
My wonky Arches are £95 but I suspect mother will be the lucky recipient, should work as she has macular degeneration.

We hung H's cheery patchwork on the wall opposite the door to encourage a positive response to those brave enough to poke their heads round the door.

R's subtle landscape abstract was huge, and hugely satisfying. The framer did a good job with this one, but left wrinkles in her other piece which is a bit desperate.
We had a stitching group from Cambridgeshire, which was invigorating, and I was talking to one who also writes a Stitchey Blog, so we shall have to wait and see if she turns up here.

M's print and stitch on silk organza was much admired and really should be bought by the concert hall, if they ever took any notice.
It was a lovely sunny day, against all forecast. To gee me up I wore my Fat Face dress with asymmetric hem and leggings. Very sprauncy. However in the heat the leggings had to come off and expose my poor bristly pale legs to the public.
Pricing is always a matter of contention - to grab a cliche. Some believe they should be paid by the hour invested, which could add up to as much as the national debt, and takes no notice of the quality of the piece.
Some makers rely solely on their earnings, so selling cheap gets outrage as they feel undercut. Mostly we charge less than we ought as textiles is not a respected medium, water colours seem to successfully charge around £150 a pop with no embarrassment.
Some pieces I charge up to about £200, usually cos I actually don't want to part with them yet.
My rusty containers pleased me, but there is not a spare window sill in the house so I decided to down price them so that if someone really liked them they could afford them. I don't rely on the money, so I am happy to sell at whatever suits really, it is great to feel people will invest a significant amount to live with something I made. But the fact that someone just wants to have it in their life is very rewarding, so if C or G ever see anything they like I am happy to send for cost of postage, if not I will feel quite able to say so.
So far the Disco dancers are still dancing on the wall marked down to £20 as I need to make space; likewise Angry Woman. One elderly lady gazed at her with delight yesterday, I think her maculars may be degenerating too as the face is very nasty really.
PS a double click on the pic will enlarge it on my machine

potted exhibition

This vessel was the most eye catching I thought. Certainly was a deal straighter than my Arches, which when viewed from a distance are shamefully still wonky.

Sadly the pink lady lost her pot when some idiot reversed into the plinth, I have put the shards back up so now she looks a Sad Weed.

This lady had already melded with her pot to ensure total security

My quieter containers sold almost immediately, should have charged more.

city women

When we went up to London this week we took a peek at the Live Statues on the plinth in Trafalgar Square.
I think this was a man, it seems to be an English male habit to dress as women at the first opportunity. Each volunteer [chosen from a lottery] gets an hour on the plinth to do as they like. The previous art work was a young woman, she spent most of her time on her mobile phone, which seemed fairly representative.

In the national Portrait gallery I was very taken with this collection of 300 Fabiolas. The artist, Francis Alys, has allegedly spent his time collecting portraits of her from flea markets and where ever. They covered the walls of two rooms, on the beautifully coloured walls of two rooms. Strange and weird and somehow fascinating.

Fabiola belonged to the patrician Roman family of the gens Fabia. She had been married to a man who led so vicious a life that to live with him was impossible. She obtained a divorce from him according to Roman law and, contrary to the ordinances of the Church, she entered upon a second union before the death of her first husband.

Upon the death of her second consort, she decided to enter upon a life of renunciation and labour for others. On the day before Easter, following the death of her second consort, she appeared before the gates of the Lateran basilica, dressed in penitential garb, and did public penance for her sin, which made a great impression upon the Christian population of Rome. The pope received her formally again into full communion with the Church.

Fabiola now renounced all that the world had to offer her, and devoted her immense wealth to the needs of the poor and the sick. She erected a fine hospital at Rome, and waited on the inmates herself, not even shunning those afflicted with repulsive wounds and sores. Besides this she gave large sums to the churches and religious communities at Rome and other places in Italy. All her interests were centered on the needs of the Church and the care of the poor and suffering.
Maybe she could be the patron saint also of second wives...........

vessels launched

These are my "vessels". We decided to make sure everyone did some 3D work for the exhibition this time, on the same theme of "Bridging the Gap" at the maltings. I used my rust dyed calico and odd bits of wire and fencing.
Actually i think they came out quite well, better than my poor bloody arches which died the creative death weeks before I finally finished them [sadly on the wall it is clear that they are less well made than the originals], definitely not straight. I know I can't make things straight, why do I keep trying.
Anyway the vessels look quite serene, were well received and displayed in a good position so all hope is not extinguished
. Disco dancers are up yet again. They have entered many a show and then bopped along home again.
Angry lady is also going cheap, her sisters [calmer] of the trilogy achieved new owners, but apparently no-one wants an angry woman, same old story

Finally finished Arches.

When we went to the maltings for lunch yesterday I took a real fancy to this ivy covered house. It is the RSPB centre, so I guess over growth is a lovely blanket for nesting birds.
I would love to let the ivy enclose this house but I worry about the brickwork and the gutters. If the ivy joins forces with the weeds and grasses flourishing in the gutters it could get very dark in here.

We met some old friends there - after nearly an hour sitting separated by the cafe. We probably walked by in the middle distance without clocking each other. Fortunately A came for a look around and saw us discussing how much longer we should wait.
Timing is everything.
I only see A&D about once a decade so it is always a shock to see how I must have aged. D had a nasty cancer recently - there is no other kind, but one can be polite about this one, as he seems to have shaken it off.
It is weird linking up with old friends again, especially those made in the formative years [20s?] we chatted on as if we saw each other regularly, not just in occasional emails. I suspect we are actually talking to those people we were in our 20s and a shudder of disjoint derails a conversation now and again when opinions and attitudes no longer fit. Or maybe the way we saw it each other wasn't too accurate to start with.
In the main we were all the woolly liberals we always were.
The marshes were gorgeous in the sunshine, ducks and ducklings shovelling their beaks through the glistening mud. Seagulls yelling and cursing at each other. Older persons perambulating around in an eternal slow waltz.
Lunch at the Snail and Sail or whatever it was called, was very nice, I tried to be good and had fish, but was led astray into a huge, ginormous meringue topped with cream and strawberries.
A was warning me against processed meat consumption, she reckoned ham sandwiches were D's downfall, but i think huge mounds of sugar and cream can't do too much good either. But it was delicious.
RP's birthday today - fortunately we couldn't find room for dessert.