Daughters in law

I love Joanna Trollope books. She's the only author for me whose stories are as comforting as a cup of tea and slice of cake whilst simultaneously being as subtly sharp as a knife in dissecting emotions and human frailties. Joanna is brilliant in all her books at providing a looking glass into family life and relationships and underlying the sense of obligation that are borne out of these. She's amazing! I loved her latest book Daughters-in-Law and can't wait for her next one. The Swiss cows have put the kettle on in anticipation. xx

On days like this

when I've had a long day in the office, all I want to do is go to the beach and paddle in the sea. Maybe eat some chips and have an ice-cream. Lie back on the hot sand and soak up the last rays of sun. Sally Anderson captures this perfectly in her art work - like this card for a  Summer Saturday. 

Running out of Water

"Water is our lifeblood...unfortunately we have a habit of using water as if there is an unlimited supply. We waste it even though the supply of fresh water is both finite and threatened...People genuinely concerned with saving the world could well start with saving its water supply. The need is great, the urgency is here, and the time is upon us to save our supply." (p.p. vii - x)


Reading the above book has made me change from using bottled water ( I used to have a bottle a day in my office at work, eek I know) to getting this:

and putting my daily water supply in this (ok it helped that it's such a sumptuous grassy green colour):

The Swiss Cows are nodding their heads wisely. xx

When it's a rainy week-end

Sometimes the only thing to do is kick back and eat some delicious home made raisin pancakes topped with some of Mz G's gorgeous home made medlar jam. Yummy... 

I love art but...

at the moment I can't afford to own any of the art I love. Instead I make do by visiting as many art galleries as possible and purchasing the cards of the art I admire. Like this studious chap - Hare Professor by Sonia Rollo. I found this in a lovely art gallery in Bath (I can't remember which one, sorry). It's beautifully done, isn't it?