A Year of Daily Drawing

My favourite  spreads  from  each month  of a year of daily drawing  starting in January  with the #30daysketchbookchallenge. Plants recorded  from the garden; textile experiments , pieces of cloth and cakes were regular  subjects  and I've used a variety of techniques from drawing with pen; watercolours; collage;  stitch and photos of larger drawings and paintings.  My drawing has definately improved over the year , that's not to say that  everything was a wonderful piece of art , far from it, but each day was a fresh start.  

 I used Seawhite Eco A6  sketchbooks which contain 150g recycled cartridge paper , thick enough to withstand a light watercolour wash. I've  bought 12 more  to do the same next year

The last drawing of 2019 , looking forward to a new year, new decade and a new challenge, startting with the prompts of #30daysketchbook20

Wren Racket and Rosemary Beetle Crushing

 Wrens are among my favourite birds - they're  feisty and  you'd never believe such a loud variety of sound could  come from such a  small bird. And I love their apt  latin name 'Troglodytes troglodytes'  hiding as they do among the ivy ! Mum made this hand quilted wren piece which I treasure - being called Jennie, they had significance for her ( I suppose it should be magpies for Mags  but I don't feel the same affinity....) 

With the lovely weather, on Sunday we had all meals  outside (including breakfast ), enjoying  the greens of our garden and the borrowed vista of trees in the small park  beyond. 

A couple of years ago I was  amused by a  group of 4 fledglings literally bouncing up and down on a tree branch in next doors garden  using it like a trampoline, so I was delighted yesterday to catch glimpses of some   fledglings at the bottom of our garden and their harassed parents trying to keep them in order.  The combined sound I can only describe as a racket it was so loud!

 This evening there  was a lot of activity nearer the house  among the scrambling rose that's done so well now the bay tree has gone ( and just look how that fig is taking off!). Sparrows had nested there earlier in the year so it's obviously a des res! We ate indoors with the door open and they almost drowned out the sound of the television.

 The  pink cistus I brought  as a cutting from my previous garden is doing very well, as is the fuchsia which was already in the garden when we moved in. Most of  our gardening involves hacking things down - I had a good go at the Kerria thicket which has allowed the Macleaya to grow unimpeded and I finally got round to planting  the 'Black Lace' elder I bought at Hampton Court Flower Show in the space I cleared.

 Not everything is welcome in the garden however.  Beautiful as these Rosemary Beetles are with their shiny red and green stripes, I'm following the advice of the RHS and picking them  off and stamping on them  before they cause too much damage.

Garden Guests

With the  hot weather over the last few weeks, we've enjoyed eating out in the garden as much as possible, especially now we've bought a larger table. The garden is more and more jungle-like, the fig  has really taken off  now  the bay has been removed. Today we had  brunch with homemade potato cakes, bucks fizz and freshly roasted coffee ( green beans from Papua New Guinea roasted in a popcorn maker!)

I've been a bit puzzled why the Acanthus (bears breeches) has been doing so poorly, no flowers and full of holes. Early one morning I found out why - snailfest!! There were 10 snails on the plant, all quite different, all munching away!  They hadn't touched plants nearby like the strawberries and hellebores but obviously found these leaves delicious!

Other  visitors to our garden  are much more welcome! The oregano  flowered spectacularly this year and is attracting many types of insects: various bumble and honey bees, hover flies including this large hornet mimic. 

Even butterflies and moths. My herb bed is an endless source of pleasure - lovely to look at, marvellous smells , delicious ingredients and beloved of wildlife.