Tis the third week of the festival and a tiredness envelopes the weekend. Travelling back and forth from Brighton to France is not the problem, it’s the going to bed in english time and waking up in french time that causes it and I find myself downstairs at 6.30 am wondering if it’s too early to start vacuuming the house ready for opening…it is of course if I want to stay on good terms with the neighbours. It has been a good year though. The house has been busy, sales and feedback have been good and it’s lovely catching up with all the people I may only see once a year.
This year for the first time since I have been living mainly in France, I have been able to succesfully seed a whole range of vegetables and flowers and this is because I have a long term Workawayer living at the house who has been able to help me look after them. Normally they get planted up then left to their own devices while I am back in Brighton at my Open House. Then, depending on the weather they often get dried out or drowned. So this year we are hoping for a bumper harvest of veg…especially if we ever get any sun.
The blossom continues to be fantastic this year…everything that can blossom has..in spades and even our ancient quince tree,
has put on a magnificent show, and if the fruit all sets and grows I shall be up to my armpits in Membrillo and Contignac come autumn.
My white Wisteria, which I think is a couple of weeks late this year is just about to come into full bloom too,
so the garden is a lacey froth of white and pink at the moment. Just gorgeous.
Last weekend was the start of another exhibition I am in at the Montcrieff Bray gallery near Petworth.
This is a lovely gallery in an equally lovely setting. A good excuse to go out for a ride and a cream tea.
This week back in France, I was asked to give a talk about my work to a group of teenagers from a local school…..in French (obvs I suppose). I hate saying OMG but…..OMG how terrifying! After 30 0dd years going back and forth to France my french is still not as it should be….far from it (I need a Bablefish). So, I looked up the key words and tried to stay calm.
The talks were being given at La Linerie down the road which is having a month long exhibition of site specific peices (see previous blog) and the coach load of students were divided up into 6 groups…which meant that by the time I was babbling to the last group….I was almost word perfect. I ought to do this sort of thing more often I suppose…but I’m not volunteering!
So, one more weekend of the Brighton Festival Open Houses. Our house has a great show of colourful and eclectic work this year, and a welcome from us all when you arrive. Do come and see us.
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