The Magical World of Mushrooms

It was my friend, Claire, who alerted me to the mushrooms and toadstools growing in a local wood.

And so I turned intrepid fungi photographer for an afternoon; diligently cataloguing the extraordinary variety of bulbous shapes scattered about the ground and clinging to tree trunks.

I’ve never before seen so many sorts in one place at one time. And so many of them!  It goes without saying that my absolute favourites were the red ones with white spots. Straight out of a storybook, they were.

This must surely be the capital of the local fairy kingdom….

P.S.  Today I'm taking part in Mosaic Monday, hosted by Mary at Little Red House.  Why not pop on over and take a look at some of the other lovely mosaics you'll find links to there?

The Story of the Studio

Sunset over the reservoir beside the studio

I wasn’t even looking for a studio.

I’d flown off to Squam, that magical place that always gifts me with something significant. (The first time I went there, I discovered my tribe. The second time, I came home and started this blog.) I’d spent the long journey home wondering just what Squam’s gift to me had been this time round. How exactly had it moved me on?

Driving back from the airport, I spotted a tiny building I’d never noticed before. With a sign outside saying it was available for rent. And I knew immediately that it would make an amazing studio. And I also knew - beyond a shadow of doubt - that it was meant for me.

I rang the agent and made an appointment to view….but I didn’t really need to see it. I knew it would be perfect and I knew that I would take it. And it was. And I did.

So here I am, little more than a week later, installed in my new space. Cleaning and dreaming. And utterly certain - beyond a shadow of doubt - of the gift Squam gave me this time.

The Luckiest Girl in the World

Yes, the luckiest girl in the world!  That's how I felt this afternoon when I collected the keys to my new studio.

Let me say that again: MY NEW STUDIO!!!

This is the space in which I'll teach my piano classes over the next few months and do all manner of other arty things.  Am I excited?  Er....just a little bit!  To say it's a long-standing dream come true is not only a cliche but a grand understatement.

This evening, I've kept staring at the photos I took of that empty space.  It feels like if I don't look at them every two minutes, the magical place might just vanish and prove to have been nothing more than a figment of this wild imagination.  As I flick through the pictures, I can see fingers of possibility hovering in the air in an almost tangible way.  What goodness, what excitement, what fun will be contained by those walls and swirl up to those rafters in the year ahead?

Okay, so I'll stop being fanciful and come back down to (that lovely, stone-flagged) earth.  And apologise for the graininess of the picture.  It was actually pretty gloomy in there today.  Seems most of the light bulbs don't work.  But we'll soon sort that.  This is, after all, only the beginning....

Birthday Blog

That’s right, we’re celebrating. Because tomorrow I’ll have been blogging for a year.

I set out with no clear idea of how this online journal would develop. But it’s gradually assumed its own identity and voice; and found its way in the big online world.

I’m a raging perfectionist; so, to counter that unfortunate tendency, I made two rules for myself at the beginning. The first was to keep to a schedule of posting three times a week. No waiting till inspiration strikes; no waiting till I have something deep or important to say; no waiting till I have a perfectly crafted piece of writing and a really decent photo to share. If it’s Tuesday, Thursday or Sunday a post has to appear. And I’m proud to say I’ve stuck to my self-imposed timetable. Haven’t missed once. It’s been a great discipline.

My second guideline - my mantra - has been to practise ‘imperfect blogging’. Which means having the courage to put something out there, even when I know I could do better given more time. Because time is something that’s at a premium for all of us. And sometimes, you just have to do the best you can with the little you have. Deliberately embracing imperfection has been hugely liberating.



I can’t end this post without saying an enormous thank you to you and to everyone who drops by to see what’s going on in this small corner of the blogosphere and in this lovely part of the world. I write and take pictures and, in return, I make friends all over the globe. It’s amazing!

So, please, keep the comments and e-mails coming. I love connecting with you and hearing from you. And there are going to be more opportunities to connect and engage in the months to come. As the Diary moves into its second year, there are big plans in the offing; so expect some exciting announcements over the next few weeks!

The Same View: September

It's that time of the month again!  Rolls around fast, doesn't it?

This time I bring you a misty September morning.  The heather - such as you can see - has turned russet; the grasses in the foreground soft ochre.

The fields are still a lush green; the leaves still thick on the trees.  But autumn has arrived and nature will soon be shedding the abundance she's carried all summer....just as the very air has drained itself of colour and clarity.

Nine months down now in our year-long series.  Nine pictures taken.  Here's the view thus far: