A step in the right direction

I met three of the committee after lunch today, plus a blacksmith who makes sculptures from recycled materials...and Damascus steel Sgiain Dhubh!!

We are both "in" , provisionally for a year ..then hopefully carry on.

They like my prints..but really want my pots as well, so I have to sort what I have....

And the Oily One has had a nudge regarding the flue.....the person who will be welding it for him is away this week.. ironically in Scotland!

Cue more sorting in the study....

And they wanted a photograph of me, preferably working. 

There is only one, from a long long time ago.

I've always been the one behind the camera!!

But I don't look too different now.

Flars

 Even the forget-me-nots....I'm glad they took and seeded themselves ok.

Prints and pots sorted for tomorrow....and I started on sorting the study... didn't get very far.  What should I keep? All the working drawings, test rubbings, test prints....

We had some nice gentle rain overnight..I'll wait until we've had a bit more before covering the bare earth. It had stopped by lunchtime, so I had a walk around the village just as the football games on the rec at the centre of the village were finishing.

I've started sorting books ...cycling walking and cookery to start with. I've offered them in a few places and some are promised to their new homes. 

Supper over and it has gone dark outside...I must start getting up earlier so as not to waste daylight!!

Early bedtime now, to stay warm with a book and good music on the radio.

Fits and starts...

 The aim was for printing this morning....

I wanted to use a stamping pad, easier with small blocks....so everything was prepared...but then the stamp pad disappeared...I was sure that I'd seen it yesterday. 

I checked everywhere...three times...and even the other colours that I'd used in November were hiding....

That meant a quick dash into town on the bus.  

At least the Works had one black and one red..and I picked up a blue and a green ink pad as well. Not as big as the ones I already have... somewhere....but they came from a big box store at the edge of town....half a day spent on buses or go by car.

Back home for a late lunch, get the print things out and a couple done...then I had to be by the door to receive a delivery...

The parts for the stove have arrived!!

I needed some fresh air after all that...

Now all the beds are weeded apart from the fruit bushes beds.

And I lifted some leeks...there are still more after these

And saw the first ladybird of the year

Tomorrow I must finish putting together work to take with me on Sunday.

If I can find it I'll include the exhibition catalogue of the print exhibition in Santander (I think it was there) that I had three prints in.  I can find two of the prints....

I ought to organise and tidy everything...but...

Getting on with it

 A very cold night but a pleasant warm day once it got on with it....but still cold in shade.

Workshop sorting and making a start on the garden today 

Coffee first, in a mug from Peter Gregory ( opopots) in Waikouaiti

The rhubarb is sure that spring is here 

Stove in vaguely the right place. The things above it will be going soon, and the sheet on the right is over a metal ware rack which needs welding back together.

I found the other wheel!!

The green manure had died over the winter, so nothing to dig in..I must find a hardier sort for next winter. The soil is loose and fairly dry, so the weeds came out easily. The garlic is coming along nicely at the far end.

You can see the polytunnel beds the other side..and to the right is a shorter bed waiting to be weeded too. That one still has some leeks still standing.

I have a large bush..or maybe it is a small tree...a severe haircut this afternoon. It is still big enough to disrupt the "wind tunnel" effect between my house and next door...but now Nan over the road can sit in her front room and almost see my garden and the front of the workshop.

I have threatened to add a flagpole and run up a flag when I'm in there !!

Paddy over the road died early yesterday morning..he had been taken to a care home a week ago, and ironically had been moved to the same unit where Pirate died. It is a lovely spot to spend your last days, with the sound of birds, the water flowing in the river and the breeze in the trees....

I'm meeting with the chairman of the art and craft group on Sunday, plus one other committee member.... here's hoping!

Still cold....but getting there

 Yet another cold morning after a freezing night!! 

It was warm enough by lunchtime, and I gave the car a run to Ayr..it is running nicely! Shopping and feeding the car done, I did some research at builders' merchants...I have a decent price for heatproof boards. 

I've been doing some research as to how to site and install the stove, ie how far from everything in the workshop...you have to trawl through a lot of words to find what you need. You'd think that it would be simple!!

I need to think if there is anything else I need , to bring the bill up to £100, then I get free delivery...saving £20.. possibly paint for the outside of the kiln shed ...

What I do need to do is to talk to my friendly wood stove man to get the details right and buy some fitting "bits and bobs"...

Gradually getting back into gear... remembering that I'd put opened jars of jam and pickles in a cupboard that stays cool even in hot weather (I turned off the fridge while away)...of course after I'd opened fresh ones ....

The garden is looking a bit sad. The greenhouse growing side is clear..

But the things on the bench need a different home. No rush yet as it is too cold to start anything.

The green manure looks like it didn't survive the winter temperatures...it looks a little warmer tomorrow so some weeding and covering ground could be on tomorrow's list.

All these jobs....lining up to be done...and it feels that you need to find the first one, then things fall into place, like a row of dominoes!!

So many different jobs calling for attention and I can't concentrate on too many at once!!

How not to treat your neighbours

 Or Anyone 

It is free to read...no paywall at The Grauniad!

Cold and lists

It is 11am now and I've just ventured out to measure the kiln shed and workshop for the heatproof board that goes on the wall behind a flue.

Yesterday's list..

All crossed off! 

Parts ordered for the workshop stove, much rubbish cleared from the workshop and greenhouse, and car sorted.

The latter cost more than I had hoped..and I could have saved much haf I gone down to see the Oily One and had him do it...

But this is backing a trustworthy business in the village. 

And now the car has four new all weather boots, the front brakes have new discs and pads so that all the brakes are now up to standard. The service has been done....so hopefully the car will be fine until the MoT test at the beginning of May, after a couple of long trips.  I think they will be in April... hopefully!!

The nights here are well below freezing point....it seems a waste of daylight not to be out walking or cycling in the mornings. 

I don't need to find an icy patch...or be struggling to be warm...

This was the sunset sky last night...

Beautiful...but even this looks cold!!

And it is the Equinox tomorrow, coming up to the celebration of the Spring goddess Eostre...I wonder if I'll see her beast, the hare?