Sunday 29 August 2010

Went up to town to-day to buy wine-making supplies. While there I thought I should avail myself of some of the delights of the Festival, but there's so much on offer you feel saturated just reading the programme. I reckon the best show in town can be enjoyed by watching the ebb and flow of  humanity: the look-at-me's, the wannabes, the ninja- like black-clad techies. But I dragged myself away from all this and visited  the Impressionists' Gardens, courtesy of the National Galleries of Scotland. It includes work by pre- and post-impressionists, from Corot to Klimt and recognises the debt owed by artists to horticulture. One Monet in particular stood out, and I envied the gallery attendant as he can spend from now till October looking at it. This Berthe Morisot, "Child Amongst Hollyhocks", was new to me and has embedded itself firmly in my all-time favourites list. I am that little girl! After Edinburgh the exhibition transfers to London. If you can, do yourself a favour and spend the day with these paintings, I know I'll be back.

Wednesday 4 August 2010

Lammastide

Lammas, the third quarter day of the year, was traditionally the celebration of harvest and came under the dominion of the sun god, Lugh. So it seems appropriate to pause and count my blessings. The potager has lived up to its name and given us wonderful peas, carrots, beets, onions, shallots and leeks, with potatoes and beans still to come. The Future Jobs Scheme boys did a magnificent job of preparing the ground, trenching and barrowing in innumerable loads of manure, and the results have been impressive. A nice by-blow has been Ped's conversion to growing veg, he's planning raised beds and has meantime sown some phacelia to green manure his garden.
The hanging baskets have also been outstanding this season, Fi1 did a great job of them and she and Jesus have looked after them well. No, she's not become a Holy Roller, Jesus is our summer temp from Spain.
At home it looks as if the celery is going to be the top crop. The walnut trees in the park have set well and I hope that later on we'll be enjoying homegrown Waldorf salad.
A phrase I haven't thought of for years comes to mind, my old school motto : Ah, qui'l est bon, le bon Dieu!
 
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