New obsession, birds

Apologies, I have not written a blog for a while, so here goes!

OK – My latest obsession is birds!

I have just moved my bedroom downstairs (I have a progressive illness). I try to go on my exercise bike and rowing machine most days. It is so boring but now I have a beautiful view of the garden. My son encouraged me to feed the birds and  make it more interesting. 

My husband is used to my mad spending (thank goodness), so it started with finding a good supplier of feeders and food. That is when I discovered the wonderful Garden Wildlife Direct. Buy in bulk because it is cheaper! I have a selection of huge sacks in the barn. Ian is well trained and fills and replenishes regularly.

Once the feeding was sorted, I needed to know who my new visitors were. I found some brilliant identification charts at  CJ Wildlife . To see them properly too I bought a lovely pair of very reasonably priced binoculars  (£25) from Uttings.

My equipment

I have been listening to the dawn chorus most mornings. I know a few bird songs but not many. I have been trying to learn them and there are a lot of really good websites. I have an excellent CD which came with a beautiful bird book by DK called ‘RSPB Complete Birds of Britain and Europe’, I was given for my birthday last year.

Shy little Robin

This Great Tit loves the fat balls!

Thirsty Woodpigeon

My favourite pair of Great Tits

Unless you can spot who is singing, I am finding it quite difficult to identify the correct bird. I am hopeless with phones but I am trying a new app called ‘BirdsongId’. I will let you know in a few weeks how it is going.

I have just joined the RSPB and cannot wait for their pack to arrive! I have learnt /am learning quite a bit of new information and I hope this helps if you decide to give it a go too: )

What an evening for Ataxia UK, thank you so much the Arter XX

Last night Paula and Rachael from The Arter in Stratford, very kindly hosted an evening for me to raise money for Ataxia UK. Unfortunately I and some members of my family have inherited SCA1, an incurable neurological rare disease.

Rachael, Paula and Rory from The Arter

Not wishing to sound like the Oscars, but I do have a few people to thank for making yesterday evening such a success. Firstly, and biggest hugs to Paula and Rachael for thinking up and working so hard to deliver such a wonderful idea. Everything worked so well, the invite was amazing and The Arter looked so beautiful! Sorry no pictures of the brilliant balloon decorating outside and great lung power. The mulled wine, mince pies, nougat etc were so yummy. Many thanks to all the very kind fellow artists and their generous donations to the raffle and those who came too! Many thanks to the gorgeous Rory, Paula's son, (I want one - he is SO lovely) for everything but especially his star role in the raffle. Ian for his great auctioning of my torso and the wonderful Steve Orchard for being the successful bidder (very sorry Rachael).

Yummy nibbles

Great helpers

Successful bidder

Lovely Steve Orchard

Rory my excellent helper and raffle

As you can see The Arter is looking wonderful and is crammed full of Christmas goodies, you cannot fail to find the perfect, unusual gift (and calendars). I think Mr Smith was even impressed by the quantity (and quality) of pressies we found last night. Too tempting and it is Christmas after all! Definitely still time to give them a visit if you can.

Lovely Arter - Thank you SO muchXXX

Many, many thanks again to everyone at The Arter. If  you would like to see more photos from the great evening please follow this link.

Christmas festivities!

Christmas has come early to Goose Farm. We have a very busy start to the month.

Kate and I are back at Worcester Cathedral (this time in the cloisters). On the 4th we are  decorating one of over 70 Christmas trees.

The Christmas Tree Festival is a free family event running throughout the Christmas break. You can visit the wonderful selection of trees 9am-5pm everyday, from 8th December to 4th January. 

5-7th December (11am-5pm) is our h.Art Christmas weekend. We would love to see you and please tell your friends to pop in too. There will be loads of Christmas culinary goodies to sample and lots of present and decorating ideas. Kate and her friend Alice also have a really beautiful surprise!

The lovely Arter in Stratford are very kindly hosting a shopping evening for me on Wednesday 10th December (from 4-8pm). There will be yummy mince pies and mulled wine too. They hope to raise money for Ataxia UK with a raffle and auction of one of my pieces. Everyone is very welcome to join us. Late night shopping at the Arter is a must for handmade gifts anyway (plus 10% discount!) but if they can help promote such a rare illness that is brilliant too, and very kind of them.

To Gheluvelt and back

A huge thank you to the boys Ian, Nigel and Neil for the great photos. They just visited the battlefield of Gheluvelt to commemorate the 100 years anniversary and the very brave Worcestershire Regiment.

Their story is sympathetically explained in Ian's blog. The whole trip was incredibly moving. I was particularly haunted by the pictures showing the trenches where so many died, so sadly. 

On their long journey home, they very kindly called into a cemetery in Contay, where a relative of mine is buried. I told his story in an earlier blog. Jonathan Tombs was born in Herefordshire and buried with 1,132 other soldiers. It is a beautiful location.

I was especially thrilled with the leaves that they brought back. I hope to make something from them. Many thanks and I am glad the trip went so well.  XXX

Cha Cha Challenge Yourself

I have just made a new video about the ballroom dancing which Ian and I do on most Saturday mornings. We have been going for about 4 years and have a private one hour lesson in a church hall in Worcester. Our very patient instructor is Debbie.

Unfortunately I have inherited a very rare, neurological disease SCA1 (Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1) and ballroom dancing really helps both physically and mentally. I first read about the benefits on Dr Tom's wonderful website. He is in the US and had to retire because he has ataxia. Ballroom dancing will help anyone but especially those who have a neurological disease because it allows you to move with the support of a partner in ways you wouldn't normally be able to. This helps you to exercise more muscles.

I am very lucky because I have a great husband who finds the time to come and learn with me each week. Although we will not win any prizes, we do have a lot of fun and can sort of Waltz, Rumba, Foxtrot, Quickstep, Tango and my favourite Cha-cha-cha.

Thank you so much for Kate finding the time to come and film us so brilliantly. If you would like to have a go there are lots of dance schools. If you are in Worcester, Debbie and her husband Steve McCormack both do private lessons and arrange group dances. You can reach them on 01905 458407.

I am so lucky having such a wonderful family to help and support me. Thank you all XXX

Such a good idea - Thank you

A couple of years ago, I made a beautiful Treasury on Etsy called 'Plant'.

It is a really lovely way of getting to know some very talented artists around the world. In the bottom row of images, you can see a gorgeous tree by CassandraZ. She is such a gifted lady, as you can see.

Anyway, she loves my ceramics and asked if I would like to do a trade! In the past I have  traded some of my ceramics for some beautiful hats for my daughter, but never someone so far away. I am thrilled because I am now the very proud owner of this tree.

My amazing Cherry tree

It took me ages to finally choose what my tree would look like, but it is perfect and I would not change a thing. It came safely all the way from CassandraZ's home in Illinois,  USA. If you would like one she has a wonderful Etsy shop,

My tree sculpture is 8.5' tall Cherry Blossom. It has 3,565 beads, 240 feet of wire on a slate base.

Well that was fun - h.Art 2014!

For the first time, Kate and I opened our art workshop to the public this September for h.Art. It was great fun and we met loads of lovely and very interesting new folk. We were also very lucky and had lots of very good friends and relatives pop in. Here are a few of the photos but there is an album if you follow this link.

Pink sign time

Kate and my work

Kate's lovely cards

Beautiful Annabel

Different cake every day!

Our first cyclists

Christmas card progressing

Will filming for h.Art

Having fun!

Thank you so much everyone who visited us! 

Kate made a great little video about getting ready

You are all very welcome to join us for our Christmas Open Weekend on the 5th, 6th and 7th December, 11am to 5pm.