Jane Aston, painter.

Yesterday a trip to Moulin Engilbert and I found a piece of this fabric in the little charity shop, new to me. I also found a sun hat a flannelette pillow case in a small pink flower pattern and a small pen knife.
I  found a drawer with an old handle being chucked out onto the street. The handle I didn't spot until I put it in the car and the drawer only had 3 sides. I asked the owner who was clearing out an old workshop and he said take what you want. I also found a wine box and another artist friend who was rifling through for 'his friend', he said a sculptor. My artist friend Claude is preparing an old shop to begin as a creative space for working and displaying art work. It opens May 1st so I shall go and see. Maybe join the associative for 30 euros per year. I could do with working with other people for a change.

Finally I have Wallflowers, these seeds I bought in the UK.

I have spotted wallflowers in Tuscany tumbling down walls. This is how I'd like them to behave, we'll see.

Tulips in an old oil drum. 

My shady side of the house is now woodland inspired by what grows here in the wild.

The purple Clematis is an Alpina. It seems to be happy with shade and it's flowered much better this year after a mild winter.

This is out side my door white quartz and bits of old found pottery.

I travelled to England to see my family. Here I am in Lille Flanders waiting to get a train to Dijon. This was coming home, I travelled alone and by this point I had a twinge of a headache. I left Worcester bus station at 8.10 am then crossed London to St Pancras where I waited till my train for a little while and then I was off fairly painless journey and I sent home all the heavy stuff in a box this time. It saved me buying a bag. The parcel arrived with some magazines I have on subscription and jars of food, big bottles of shampoo from Lush and just bits and bobs including some books. In all I sent back home nearly 18 kilos of stuff that I dropped off at a shop in Worcester. I'm going to do this again. Less than 20 quid by UPS.

My sister in Herefordshire lambing. 

Pershore Horticulture College has these days where the plants are £4. All kinds of interesting plants in tunnels. We bought this Clematis and some Pulsitilla.

My Sister has a new workshop


She is a saddler Sally Saddler I am so impressed by her skills. She has been collecting her tools from Ebay. 360° Singer sewing machines and all sorts.

I'm rather pleased with the colour of my half door, newly painted. The winters being quite harsh normally very tough on the woodwork. I just found  a place selling discontinued paint and it's surprisingly good paint too. I just came back from buying another 3 pots.

Auricula from seed. Thank you Dolly!

Found on a drawer yesterday I couldn't believe my luck I love this moustache style. It's upside down.

I found this enamel jug in an old tip in the woods. The bottom is rusted through but it's fine in the garden. I just found another watering can to use as a planter. No bottom but a lovely shape.

I was never really a fan of lace but here in France, lace seems to hold new meanings. Less the suburbs more the hills. Perhaps I am in danger of over doing it a bit.

It has been baking and bright in the afternoon in my painting room. I have had to put these lacy table cloths up to filter out some of the light.

We have a new lamb on the farm. 3 days old, a female. The sheep are all in the orchard at the minute chomping through the undergrowth under fruit trees. All 5 sheep are very happy.