A change they say is as good as a holiday ................

The middle of the week and lots to do. I have a temp assignment this week, afternoons only but it will cut into my creative time.

I have made a small change to my blog. For those of you who take the time to leave comments I have had to change the settings to monitor these. My apologies for the inconvenience but I continually receive strange comments in Chinese which lead to a site with half dressed ladies!

The weather is still so hot and dry 'tho I am sure the farmers are glad of this as it is harvesting time. All the canola fields have been cut and there appears to be only the wheat to harvest, seems such a long time ago but it was only last year that I was experiencing this busy time in France. It is feast week in our village, a sort of  harvest festival with a produce competition and other happenings. Hopefully the harvesting will see the end of the bothersome little thrips that have invaded the house, garden and computer monitor! Also known as thunder flies, quite why I am not sure as they certainly do not herald rain storms, but dreadful little things which attach themselves to the washing, the cats and humans.

On Saturday I stopped by the Farmer's market in Huntingdon just after lunch and discovered that the left over flowers are sold at an extremely reduced price. Staggered back to the car with a bucket of flowers which cost just £3. Three large bunches of yellow tulips, some five bunches of fragrant stock, several bunches of purple tulips and a large bunch of pink and red carnations. We now have a house full of fresh flowers, quite wonderful.

We appear to have acquired a large hedgehog in the garden. He only comes out in the evening and snuffles his way around, Max (the dog) has tried to investigate and been a little rough but the prickles keep him away!

We bought some special food for the squirrel and having repaired the food box, it is now attached  to the fence near the bird feeders. The food smells wonderful and consists of a variety of nuts and dried fruit. The birds have been raiding it as we have found half eaten nuts on the ground but the squirrel seems to have discovered his own restaurant in a safe place away from the dog.

This weekend as Megan is not working, we have planned a trip to London leaving home at the crack of dawn so that we can get to Portobello Road early before the crowd of tourists arrive. Have other things planned for the day in London and hope to take some pics. Sadly we have missed the amazing exhibition of Italian Renaissance Drawings at the British Museum, had so hoped to be able to view this but it ended on the 25th July.

In my busy somewhat hectic life I try to find time to read other blogs, as there are so many wonderful things that women share. Something which caught my attention recently was the difficulties the writer experienced with those ambitious people who always seem to try to do better than you. As an artist I well know the how it feels to be creatively exhausted always trying to be one step ahead with new ideas. I have now learned to be myself, certainly not perfect but happy to muddle along life's journey as and where it takes me. There is just not enough time to do everything and perhaps those in the endless pursuit of perfection in every craft should be  admired for their stamina.With which I have to end as work beckons.................

Be yourself, everyone else is taken!