The Common in High Summer

I have been checking on the Common since I returned from the Far East These are just a few of the flowers. When I was there on Monday, I came across a lot of campanulas. Yesterday I found none, walking a different way. They have been cutting paths through the foliage which I rather like. You walk on a 6 foot wide track cut through the waist-high grass, bracken, everything. They don't collect the cuttings, just leave them. It is high summer here. The brambles will have a good crop this year. I am told the plum crop is enormous this year. Certainly my pears and apples are overdoing it.

Another flower on the Common.

And lastly the poor chestnuts with chestnut blight. I am sure this is much less bad than it was last year when they looked as though autumn had come in July.

I have Madi, my grand-daughter, staying with me for a few days. She is going to help me with a lot more throwing out. Also the valuer will be here today - at last. He is holding up probate on Michael's estate. It would be nice to get everything sorted out. Some of the family wants a few of his things and I will be able to get that dealt with.

On the textile front, I have finished weaving the log-cabin piece on the Voyager. It has been cut off, fringed, tidied up where needed and washed. When it is ironed, I will show a photo. The next thing on the weaving list is the cushions for the exhibition on Oct/Nov this year. I have seven to do on two different coloured warps. I will put on the five, weave them and then tie on the warp for the last two cushions. 

In preparation for Guild Day on Saturday which is 'Dyeing in the Churchyard' day, I need to make up some indigo.

My sister, Dorothy arrives on Sunday for six days. On Monday, we are going to Hey-on-Wye and, on Tuesday, we are off to the Festival of Quilts at the NEC to do some courses. No, I am not a quilter but I find FOQ run interesting courses on colour and dyeing. This year we are both going to Jette Clover's course on transferring images to cloth. Then there is one on Mola work and one on Indian applique. These two are short courses, less than a day whereas Jette Clover's class is two whole days! The house has piles of stuff in odd corners which are supplies to be taken to these courses. I have not finished yet. Let's get this valuer out of the way.