Cats in the Kitchen, Flora in the Garden

Earlier this week I popped into my nearest libray to return some books and search for some more. There is something about going to the library, the anticipation of wondering what treasures you will find, books you have been looking for, but do not want to buy yet, unlooked for books that seem to catch your eye and say 'look at me, I am just what you need', I have found some great books that way. Sometimes I have the feeling that if I go to the library that day I will definitely come across a book I have wanted, it is on the shelf, as though it is waiting for me, that has happened to me frequently. I digress, I really went to find some new gardening books to browse through. Now I have the shape of my garden right and most of the planting, what I need to concentrate on is blooms throughout the year, a sort of smooth run of colour, so there are always areas of interest, I am very aware that at the moment my garden is really at its best from May to October, yes I do have some spring bulbs etc, but I really want things to happen all year round, something to delight in every month. This is why I am browsing the gardening books I borrowed, to see how I can make the garden an all year delight. In case anyone is wondering the above illustration is a painting by Matisse, one of my favourite artists.



My mother gave me some old linen, table cloths, etc that a great aunt of mine once embroidered. I was washing them yesterday, when one of the pieces unrolled and a pile of embroidery threads fell out, the runner had never been finished and the blue transfer was still intact at the other end. I have now decided to finish this runner myself and have been looking at a 'how to' book on embroidery. Now I have done tapestry work and cross stitch and bargello but never embroidery. What has held me back is the fact that I am left handed and I find it hard to follow the photos when the needle is held in the right hand, strangely enought, I crochet righthandedly but can not sew that way. I am determined to try to finish this cloth, as to me it is an heirloom, and I am really going to try embroidery and take it slowly and not get frustrated if I do not get a lot done quickly or it is hard to do the stitches.

A Couple of updates, I am still reading 'The Historian' by Elizabeth Kostova, a 600 page read, it moves at quite a leisurely pace for a page turner and there are some lovely descriptions, of places where the action happens, almost like a travelogue, I am enjoying it though. Also hope to have my scanner working again in a couple days, as it was getting an overhaul as part of my computer fixing, when that is working and my film is returned, will post photos of the garden from the last two weeks.