Sunday, 1 March 2026

Gallery time...

Pinch and a punch.....


...hello March!
We have just whizzed through February!

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Wednesday Weekly


Finally!! The weather has changed.
We have had some blue sky and sunshine and.....it's was warm enough on Tuesday, to sit outside in the garden and eat my lunch!


The starlings will be leaving soon, although they are still flying over in their masses.


I finished my third book of the year and am about to start Hostage.


Had a lovely visitor come to stay on Thursday. Shame it was on a work day. Eric is a friend from uni days. He's exhibiting in Bath at an Art Fair and as he'd had to travel all the way from Kendal, up in the Lakes, he stayed over. Not made for midnight bedtimes though, too much talking!!


First Magnolia flowering.
These small little happenings bring me so much joy. 
Means the warmer, brighter days are not too far away.


I've been back in the gallery since Wednesday hosting the new exhibition

'Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea 
90 years of Jazz and Surrealism'

Both Jazz and Surrealism aren't really my cup of tea, but those who have visited the exhibition do seem to be enjoying it.


Friday night was the talk and Private View, so it's been a busy week.


I've another 3 weeks in the gallery. 
It's really annoying we're getting the good weather on a work day, particularly when it was so wet during my weeks off. It is nice however, to see the school campus looking so beautiful.

I'm having a lazy day at home today (Sunday) Sam is at work and Jeff refereed a football game this morning, so I had the house to myself. Sadly, I have a funeral to go to tomorrow and have a list of errands I need to do, before it's back in the gallery on Wednesday. I have a feeling March is going to be gone in a flash too!!

Sunday, 22 February 2026

Half Term

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Wednesday Weekly


Half term week!
A week at home doing very little!
Jeff had a few jobs to do out in the garden and I.....


....when dry, got out for a walk.
With everywhere being sooooo wet, I went for a walk around the school grounds.


Made the most of the fact there were no kids around and took a few photos.
The grounds are so lovely and boasts a sculpture trail too.


Tuesday was Shrove Tuesday, pancake day!!


And we woke to a beautiful morning.



I took myself off for a walk down along one of the many Ryne's. It was so bright out, and with the cold wind, my eyes were watering like crazy. I took this shot of a sun halo, without realising it was actually there with the naked eye. I'm so cross I didn't capture the full halo! Had my eyes not been watering so much, I may have not missed the opportunity!!


There is so much water and flooding.


All the starlings were camped out on a local farm.


The cow sheds were full of them


The paths on the way back were so muddy, certainly limits were you can walk!!


Jeff spent part of the week doing a little mini makeover of the porch.
It was such a mess....


...so for the time being, we thought we'd improve things.


We bought these cheap shoe racks from Argos....


....cleared out any rubbish, added a new shelf for over-wintering geraniums and space for spring seedlings, added a new mat and it looks so much better!


I also went out delivering leaflets for our next exhibition in the gallery.


It's felt a very long winter. It's been wet, it's been grey and gloomy, so as always the house has had a permanent rotation of fresh flowers to brighten up proceedings.


The grounds up at school are looking lovely, so full of colour and cheer.


I'm not a huge 'purple' fan, but at this time of year...


...any colour is welcome!!


The yellow bunting is up and we celebrate any 'actual sunshine'.


Have spent the past couple of days researching our October trip to Bari/Puglia, in southern Italy. 
Found this lovely spot, just hope we can manifest the sunshine there in October.


The sky this week has predominantly been grey. 
I took this photo yesterday as the sky was darkened further, by a huge shadow of starlings flying overhead. They really are mesmerizing to watch.

So Sam returns later this evening. He's been up n Bristol all week with Poppy. 
The boys have a five and a half week term ahead of them and I start a four week stint in the gallery. I can guarantee the weather will be lovely Wednesday through to Saturday, when I'm stuck inside all day!!! It is always the way x

Sunday, 15 February 2026

A brief glimpse of the sun!! (Start of half term)

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Wednesday Weekly


Another week dominated by rain but my second book of the year read!!
Next up, the Wake-Up Call.
The weather has been so miserable, I've actually spent a bit of time reading. I would normally feel guilty reading in the day, usually only read in the daytime, outside in the summer or on holiday, so this is a new thing for me. I am determined to read more this year. I'm off to a good start!


On Tuesday we were forecast more rain, so it was a pleasant sight to see a glimpse on the sun and a morning of dry weather. So I took myself off, over to ham Wall.


It's the best place to go at the moment as there are proper paths.


Plenty of fungi spots....


.....snowdrops....


...and always a friendly robin.


On Wednesday I met a friend for coffee and then on Thursday, 
I saw my fourth film of the year....


.....H is for Hawk.
A beautifully shot film about grief. 


I spent my Thursday evening up at school listening to a fabulous talk by the film director and photographer Sam Taylor-Johnson. Really interesting, talking about her photography, and directing films such as, 50 Shades of Grey and Back to Black, the Amy Winehouse film and her career in general. There was a  Q&A afterwards and lots of the students were getting selfies with her and her husband, the  actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson. We are so lucky to have this opportunities in our small Somerset town, all because of Millfield School.


Friday was another rare sunny day, well, the morning was sunny. I had to do a food shop etc but got Sam's bed stripped, washed and out on the line. He headed over to Bristol straight after work, for the half term week, a much needed break away from work!


Jeff broke up at midday. We have no real plans for half term week. We never go away, as it's so expensive and feels rushed with only a week off. Jeff just needs this week just to rest and re-charge.


Saturday was Valentines Day.


And a sun filled day!
When gifted such a glorious morning, you have to make the most of it it.
Jeff wanted to do something to his car and potter in the garden.


So I went out for a walk!


Enjoying the blue skies and sunshine....


...and my first schlepp up the Tor of the year!


I stupidly tried to walk back a different way and encountered mud at every turn and an extremely boggy field to navigate back to the car!! It will take months and a good dollop of dry weather to make the majority of my walks accessible again. This is when I miss having membership to the Newt, purely for the good tracks and pathways to walk. Regardless, you have to make the effort to get out when it's dry and there is so much to celebrate ......


...snowdrops...


...hellebores...


....wild daffodils...


....catkins...


....primroses...


...songbirds!


As it was Valentines Day, I took a photo of the heart, weaved into the fence at the bottom of the Tor. When I got home, I found a photo I'd taken when it was first created. It's a shame all the colour has gone, it's like a shadow remains!


Today, Sunday, and we are back to rain! 
A grey, damp, miserable day.
As I said earlier, we have no plans for the week ahead. We have a few things to do at home. I want to try and plan out our October trip to Puglia and I need to book somewhere to stay in Verona for a few days in December. I may even start to look at out 2027 summer trip, get an idea of the islands and prices of accommodation. We tend to have an idea of where we want to go at least a year ahead, so you can begin to get a sense of a place and how much it will cost. What else is there to do whilst it rains?