Linda, how lovely - welcome! Thank you for your comment - you've lifted me out of (another!) grey day, which despite the promise of spring is unrelenting in his gentle drizzle....! We've got a pink camellia, too - I call it 'the Barbara Cartland', because gosh, it's SO pink!
Thank you for such kind words about my art - I'm really enjoying creating this series of 'Art and Treasures' posts (an excellent excuse to get the paint out)!
Cyclamen = 'hot lips' - how had I never thought of that, Luisa?! That's brilliant! They're such joyful little plants, aren't they? We've got a bit of a project on our hands with our front garden at the moment - thankfully it's only tiny - and there are going to be LOTS of cyclamen in there!
The drought and then the cold scuppered my parents' olive - it's looking very sorry for itself. Fingers crossed that yours recovers!
Oh this is lovely! What a wonderful and plucky plant friend to have had for so long (I have zero ability to grow anything so I think it’s truly remarkable). Also that art journal! 😍
Nice post, Rebecca. I think of your garden quite frequently. When I head out to the chicken coop to cast some old bread to the ladies or refill water or feed,I pass by our little raised garden that's nestled next to the chicken yard. We planted garlic last fall there and covered the whole area under hay. Yesterday, I noticed that some green shoots have poked through the matted hay. Garlic.
Of course, it makes me wonder about your garlic plants, too. How are they doing?
And you'll be happy to know that I went back to the "expensive" chicken feed after some afternoon consultation with the old biddies. They like it better, I'm convinced. And our Oliver hens have rewarde us with much more richly colored eggs. Now that winter is subsiding (rather early, actually furiously early), the ladies are taking up their role again.
Thank you, Mark, and yay to the green shoots of garlic - that's so exciting! Actually the 'elephant garlic' I'd referred to in a previous post had been my parents' - they've got the green fingers in this family (I think they call it a 'green thumb' over there, don't they?)!
Having said that, we have got a bit of a project on the cards at the moment - we've just had some work done at the front of the house, and it's exposed a really scruffy area of ground. I need to get going on some weeding pretty soon, and then I get to plant it up!
Hurrah for the hens - glad they're showing their appreciation for their new rations already! You never know - they might just reward you with a chocolate egg for Easter (when I was a child, ours always did)!
Thank you so much, Jillian! I'd been inspired by this post https://jessicamaybury.substack.com/p/making-art-in-books-you-already-own to turn this book into an art journal. It's not quite an 'altered book' as such - I just happen to be using its pages to paint on - but I'm really glad I started this project, because it's such fun!
Thank you, Rosy! They're super plants, aren't they? I love how the flowers are inside out! And I'd say that EVERY kitchen windowsill needs its own pink cyclamen - I'm so glad that yours is furnished with one, too! 😊
"And although the plant is gone, by golly it had done its job for over twenty years." Twenty years! I cannot imagine any potted plant living so long! You were, apparently, a loyal and careful steward. We all have life cycles and no amount of love and care can keep us alive. Such a beautiful little story- and the altered book art is brilliant. I have never heard of using a book in this way. Such a lovely idea -- so clever. Your watercolors are a delight, Rebecca.
Sharron, you're so kind - thank you. You've made me feel much better about my little friend!
Thank you for your kind comments about my art - I really appreciate them. I'm really glad to have found this project - it's something that I'm really enjoying, and I'm already looking forward to what I'm doing for next month's 'Art and Treasures'!
"my horticultural helpline" : LOL. Another beautifully written and beautifully illustrated post, Rebecca. I sometimes sing to my plants -- not to encourage their growth directly, but as a threat: "Either grow or I'll sing even more".
Terry, thank you very much for your very kind comment!
Yeah, that helpline of mine is excellent and very much appreciated! Both parties (they take it in turns to answer telephone queries) even visited in person this afternoon to survey the site of our latest gardening project. I have higher hopes for it now! 😊
It's an interesting approach, singing to your plants. Or indeed, not singing! 😉
Thank you for this lovely comment, Lisa - it's really made me think! I hadn't realised how much I'd been missing my friend on the windowsill, and now that I've got a replacement I feel I have an 'always-there' piece of nature in the room with me again.
I love the Art & Treasures series--drawing in the book is cool, but to aim to do one a month is brilliant! Something like that would keep me from biting off more than I can chew with an art journal. The illustration is beautiful, and for a brief moment I thought of getting my own “positive pink-petalled power”...but then I remembered that I suck at keeping plants alive!🤣
Thank you so much, Holly! I've been trawling my memory to identify the 'treasures' I want to write about and fill the book with, and I'm really enjoying the process. I thought I'd try to make it a regular thing in order to motivate myself to keep 'arting'!
Everyone needs a pet plant (not a typo)! I struggle with plants, even to remember to plant stuff 'green side up' (barely joking), but I find that having a little flowery number on a windowsill is pretty doable - it's close enough to the kitchen tap for me to remember to water it, for one thing! (Just as long as I don't ever lose THIS one down the garden in a drought....)
I forgot I do have a couple of miniature orchids. I purchased them when they were blooming, and only time will tell if they’ll give me color again in my kitchen windowsill.
Linda, how lovely - welcome! Thank you for your comment - you've lifted me out of (another!) grey day, which despite the promise of spring is unrelenting in his gentle drizzle....! We've got a pink camellia, too - I call it 'the Barbara Cartland', because gosh, it's SO pink!
Thank you for such kind words about my art - I'm really enjoying creating this series of 'Art and Treasures' posts (an excellent excuse to get the paint out)!
Cyclamen = 'hot lips' - how had I never thought of that, Luisa?! That's brilliant! They're such joyful little plants, aren't they? We've got a bit of a project on our hands with our front garden at the moment - thankfully it's only tiny - and there are going to be LOTS of cyclamen in there!
The drought and then the cold scuppered my parents' olive - it's looking very sorry for itself. Fingers crossed that yours recovers!
I would have been upset about that plucky little plant, too. Those drawings are beautiful! It lives on in your notebooks. Thank you for sharing them.
You’re so kind - thank you, Nancy! I still feel pretty bad about not taking care of it properly, but lesson learned, I’d say. 😊🌱
Beautiful words, as always - but my goodness that art journal and your creations. 🥰
Awwww Bryn, thank you! I’m enjoying making art - and I really enjoyed the art in your post last week, too! 🙌
Oh this is lovely! What a wonderful and plucky plant friend to have had for so long (I have zero ability to grow anything so I think it’s truly remarkable). Also that art journal! 😍
Thank you so much, Alison! 😊 I find plants really tricky, but I'd love to be better at looking after them! 🤣
Nature, nurtured. “Mum”, indeed.
😊 Thanks, Amie.
“positive pink-petalled power” hhhmmmm. it was also perspicacious, prolific, and photosynthetic. A paragon of P!
LOL, Peter - thank you so much! It's the perfect plant that's pretty in pink! ⭐️
Nice post, Rebecca. I think of your garden quite frequently. When I head out to the chicken coop to cast some old bread to the ladies or refill water or feed,I pass by our little raised garden that's nestled next to the chicken yard. We planted garlic last fall there and covered the whole area under hay. Yesterday, I noticed that some green shoots have poked through the matted hay. Garlic.
Of course, it makes me wonder about your garlic plants, too. How are they doing?
And you'll be happy to know that I went back to the "expensive" chicken feed after some afternoon consultation with the old biddies. They like it better, I'm convinced. And our Oliver hens have rewarde us with much more richly colored eggs. Now that winter is subsiding (rather early, actually furiously early), the ladies are taking up their role again.
Thank you, Mark, and yay to the green shoots of garlic - that's so exciting! Actually the 'elephant garlic' I'd referred to in a previous post had been my parents' - they've got the green fingers in this family (I think they call it a 'green thumb' over there, don't they?)!
Having said that, we have got a bit of a project on the cards at the moment - we've just had some work done at the front of the house, and it's exposed a really scruffy area of ground. I need to get going on some weeding pretty soon, and then I get to plant it up!
Hurrah for the hens - glad they're showing their appreciation for their new rations already! You never know - they might just reward you with a chocolate egg for Easter (when I was a child, ours always did)!
Oh those flowers are lovely! And your painting on top of a book page is just gorgeous! Definitely my type of art!
Thank you so much, Jillian! I'd been inspired by this post https://jessicamaybury.substack.com/p/making-art-in-books-you-already-own to turn this book into an art journal. It's not quite an 'altered book' as such - I just happen to be using its pages to paint on - but I'm really glad I started this project, because it's such fun!
Oh, I read that post too! I loved it.
What a wonderful story, Rebecca. I have always liked cyclamen especially the dark pink variety. I have one on my kitchen windowsill too!
Thank you, Rosy! They're super plants, aren't they? I love how the flowers are inside out! And I'd say that EVERY kitchen windowsill needs its own pink cyclamen - I'm so glad that yours is furnished with one, too! 😊
Really enjoyed everything about this, Rebecca. I love how you draw your art in too. Beautiful 💕
You're so kind - thank you so much, Claire! 😊
You made your plant into a real person. :)
I guess I did! It was such a friend! 😊
"And although the plant is gone, by golly it had done its job for over twenty years." Twenty years! I cannot imagine any potted plant living so long! You were, apparently, a loyal and careful steward. We all have life cycles and no amount of love and care can keep us alive. Such a beautiful little story- and the altered book art is brilliant. I have never heard of using a book in this way. Such a lovely idea -- so clever. Your watercolors are a delight, Rebecca.
Sharron, you're so kind - thank you. You've made me feel much better about my little friend!
Thank you for your kind comments about my art - I really appreciate them. I'm really glad to have found this project - it's something that I'm really enjoying, and I'm already looking forward to what I'm doing for next month's 'Art and Treasures'!
"my horticultural helpline" : LOL. Another beautifully written and beautifully illustrated post, Rebecca. I sometimes sing to my plants -- not to encourage their growth directly, but as a threat: "Either grow or I'll sing even more".
Terry, thank you very much for your very kind comment!
Yeah, that helpline of mine is excellent and very much appreciated! Both parties (they take it in turns to answer telephone queries) even visited in person this afternoon to survey the site of our latest gardening project. I have higher hopes for it now! 😊
It's an interesting approach, singing to your plants. Or indeed, not singing! 😉
You open up a whole world right here with this post. I know nature is important. You show this human need with much illumination.
Thank you for this lovely comment, Lisa - it's really made me think! I hadn't realised how much I'd been missing my friend on the windowsill, and now that I've got a replacement I feel I have an 'always-there' piece of nature in the room with me again.
I love the Art & Treasures series--drawing in the book is cool, but to aim to do one a month is brilliant! Something like that would keep me from biting off more than I can chew with an art journal. The illustration is beautiful, and for a brief moment I thought of getting my own “positive pink-petalled power”...but then I remembered that I suck at keeping plants alive!🤣
Thank you so much, Holly! I've been trawling my memory to identify the 'treasures' I want to write about and fill the book with, and I'm really enjoying the process. I thought I'd try to make it a regular thing in order to motivate myself to keep 'arting'!
Everyone needs a pet plant (not a typo)! I struggle with plants, even to remember to plant stuff 'green side up' (barely joking), but I find that having a little flowery number on a windowsill is pretty doable - it's close enough to the kitchen tap for me to remember to water it, for one thing! (Just as long as I don't ever lose THIS one down the garden in a drought....)
I forgot I do have a couple of miniature orchids. I purchased them when they were blooming, and only time will tell if they’ll give me color again in my kitchen windowsill.
Ooooh, orchids are beautiful! Hope they flower again for you, Holly! 🪴