Life on the Lund

year end...

2011-12-22T12:30:00.001-08:00

December the 18th saw the Gallery close its doors at the end of another busy year. A few more days work behind the scenes now will hopefully make sure that all is sorted in the Gallery and all the books are in order and we can put our feet up on Christmas day - though there won't be much chance of that with a 3 year old boy running around!
Like last year we have chosen to be open 'by appointment only' for the first part of next year. Debbie has had yet another succesful year, both in Lund Gallery and elsewhere, and so needs to take some time out to spend some time out and about on the moors and to create her own work. So if you would like to come and visit the gallery, please do call at least a day in advance to make sure we'll be in....

Yorkshire Spa

2011-11-05T13:29:00.000-07:00

The Joy of Food is coming to an end.. it doesn't seem like yesterday since it opened - time has flown by. We've had a great response to the show - so many thanks to all the makers, and to Isa and Sarah for taking part. Next show opens in a couple of weeks - we've just finishing proofing the invitiations which will be sent out soon.

We reached new heights in decadance ; I have recently built an outdoor hot tub with views out across the fields:

A new lease of life for an old cast iron bath that has been sitting behind one of the barns. Needs a bit of trial and error though - if the fire gets a bit too lively it's a case of jumping out before scorching one's tender bits!

More good news - Debbie has been celebrating a succesful affordable art fair over the last few days... great to be taking her work out to a wider audience...

logs and turnips - and the Joy of Food

2011-08-22T12:23:00.000-07:00

Debbie has returned to a favourite haunt in the North Yorkshire coast - Runswick Bay - so I've taken the opportunity to catch up on stuff that has been bugging me for a while.... After years of looking out of the kitchen window at our logs thrown up against the side of a barn and covered with woobnly tin, I scavenged together a load of left over 4 by 2 and fenceposts, and built a proper log store. (I use 'proper' in the loosest sense of the word.)

Having cleared out the weeds from the veg plot, I went searching for things that you can plant at this time of year (my veg planting does not get planeed in advance!) - so this winter we'll be eating mainly turnips and spinach. More spinach - it always seems to be time to plant spinach.

And on the topic of food - the gallery is getting a major make-over in time for the next show - the Joy of Food - opening September the 25th. It's going to be a major event in this year's calendar, with a special 'foody' preview...

Open again...

2011-06-23T11:49:00.001-07:00

We re-opened the doors of Lund Gallery on June 10th after 6 months of the Gallery being 'dormant'. The date coincided with the North Yorkshire Open Studios event of 2011, which resulted in a cascade of visitors coming to see Debbie's work... it was great to see the place alive with people once more! Debbie also managed to track down Sarah Carrington for some new work - now living in Ireland having moved on from Edinburgh. It's taken some time to get in touch, but it's been well worth the wait... several new pieces now hanging in the gallery.

Debbie has recently bought in some vintage Ercol armchairs which are now sharing the space with the pictures and ceramics... they look great! had them re-upholstered and cleaned up. Great to see such classic design in the space.. and a little bit toooo comfy - at risk of being found napping on a Sunday afternoon!

Feb to May Opening

2011-05-31T12:16:00.000-07:00

Saturday night saw the opening of Debbie's show of new work at the Gallery at Ryedale Folk museum - it was also Debbie's birthday AND there was a Folk Festival in Hutton-le-Hole - fantastic!

Our son Finn came along for the evening, which made it very much a family afair... though he quickly tired of the main event preferring instead to wander down to the stream that runs through the middle of the village. His first game of 'Pooh Sticks' under the bridge.

During the evening three middle aged men who should have known better started having a tinker with the old tractor outside the museum, and ended up knocking it off it supporting blocks. They ran away and hid like primary school lads who had pulled a prank... and I even think I saw one blushing (!) but they skulked back and 'fessed up with an offer to reseat the green machine. Hutton-le-Hole was most certainly the place to be last Saturday...

February to May 2011 - Solo show...

2011-05-14T12:25:00.000-07:00

Debbie has a solo show at The Gallery - Ryedale Folk Museum opening on the 28th of May... In addition to over 70 smaller works she has been working on several larger pieces in mixed media. With so much ink, paint pastel and water on the move, the best place to work is often on the floor...

Exhibiting in Swaledale - East Windy Hall

2011-04-21T12:11:00.000-07:00

Debbie has just returned from beautiful Swaledale after delivering some new paintings and drawings to East Windy Hall Gallery. The work is showing in their Easter Exhibition from the 23rd April to the 8th May. So if you fancy a great day out in the dales, take a trip to Reeth, head north towards Arkengarthdale, and after a mile or so stop off at one of Englands most wonderfully located galleries - East Windy Hall.

A week in Runswick Bay

2011-03-27T12:17:00.000-07:00

A week in beautiful holiday cottage in Runswick Bay on the North Yorkshire Coast - sublime. Uninterupted panaromic views out across the bay in glorious sunshine.

First Earlies

2011-02-19T06:09:00.000-08:00

There's a different smell around the farm at the moment - I find that Debbie has bought a blow torch and is experimenting with scorching her paintings. The results are amazing! but, since it's all done outside, it's a case of trying to dodge the snow showers...

With best intentions I have a box of first earlies chitting in windowsill half way up the stairs. I have a bag of main crop waiting to be laid out in a second box. Life is so busy at the moment I think I'll be putting most of our raised beds down to one or other type of potato with maybe the odd onion and parsnip - minimal attention required... Good job the three of us are spud fans!

I'm home for the weekend between trips abroad with work. Time to refill the boiler, bring in some logs, wash some shirts, and spend some precious time with family. But most important of all - strut my stuff at Coxwold Village hall at a very dear friend's 40th birthday bash - 70's style. Over the past few weeks I've been growing a goaty beard which today has been trimmed down to a classic porn star / drug dealer / hipster droopy moustache (I don't think it will remain on my face for mare than a day!)

I think our son is stirring after his midday nap - so better be off...

Snow snow snow

2010-12-04T12:08:00.000-08:00

Just like everyone else in the North East of England, we have had our fair shair of snow over the past week or so - however, from the news coverage it looks as though we've missed the main falls and only have about 30cm on the ground. But, as we live here, we have no problem getting to work! So we're still open to all who venture out to see us.

Very glad we took delivery of 5 tons of woodchip a few days ago - with temperatures dipping down to minus 10 C the boiler has been earning its keep. And it's been a perfect chance to throw some large logs in that we collected in 2009 from some of the branches down around the farm. The boiler seems to work better when it's firing on all cylinders, really seems to burn the wood down to very little ash...

Following a very busy month - courses from Celia Smith and Peter Wray, and opening TWO shows - Debbie's own show in the main gallery and a show featuring Hilary Angle and Barbara Wood in the Tractor Barn - we now have only a few weeks left before closing the doors for Christmas. It's been great to have the gallery bursting with people and creativity, but it will also be pleasant at the end of the month to take a deep breath and enjoy a few days to ourselves!

Steve's week off..

2010-10-22T07:14:00.000-07:00

I've taken a week off work and had a 'staycation' in the truest sense of the word - stayed at home. And it's been great - once I managed to get my head into the 'holiday' groove... Playing with chainsaws and fallen trees, piles of wood, mowers, cars, bikes... anything to be outside in the fresh air (occasionally tinged with exhaust fumes and wood smoke) - and playing with our son.

Wednesday was a special day - Debbie and I packed up our rucksacks and headed for the hills -our first real walk on the moors together since the boy came along. A day in glorious sunshine up above Hawnby, with the ever present Bilsdale mast towering above us.

Debbie took sketch book and pencil along for the day - it will be interesting to see if any of the walk ends up in future drawings... On the topic of Debbie's drawings, we spent a morning with the framer last week in the very pleasurable task of discussing how to frame Debbie's newest body of work due to be exhibited in November in Lund Gallery. There are some interesting 3D blocks and multiple image works - can't wait to see how they will look when framed up...

Autumn on the Lund

2010-10-04T02:46:00.000-07:00

The past few weekends have been wonderfully busy ; the opening of our 5th anniversary show, followed by a woodblock printing course from Jo McChesney and a stone carving course from Dominic Hopkinson. The creative buzz that comes with hosting courses makes the whole Lund come alive...

The sculpture yard has been bursting with colour - could not believe how the borders have flourished...

... and the White Horse of Kilburn has been repainted in the last few weeks, and it seems to jump off the hillside on a sunny day...

Steve has been trying to work out what veg to plant over the winter - this year we will mostly be eating spinach and spring onions.. I know it's a cliched picture, but I could not resist a snap of the fork in the vegetable plot that I saw the other day... They say that much of the pleasure of food is in the anticipation - well we'll be anticipating these for several months!

Almost Five!

2010-08-28T06:14:00.001-07:00

Lund Gallery is rapidly approaching its fifth anniversay! In may ways it seems 'just like yesterday', but then again there are times when it feels like more than five years - there's a lot of hard work behind the scenes!

In these last five years we have built up a considerable mailing list to which we send out invitations to our featured exhibitions and events, and it has grown to quite a size - a little bit too large in fact. So in order to save some trees we have decided to make sure the list is up to date. So, if you are currently on our mailing list and would like to continue receiving information from the gallery in the future, please let us know by e-mail, 'snail- mail, or in person when you next visit the gallery.

Peter Humpherson's Pots

2010-08-14T04:46:00.000-07:00

A short blog entry just to say how much we like Peter Humpherson's pots.

He has a selection in our current show, including some new forms on wooden bases one of which required a little last minute work before display...

On yer bike...

2010-08-04T12:26:00.000-07:00

I took some time away from the chocolate factory and loaded up my bike with a tent and loaded the bike onto a train up to Berwick upon Teed (what a fantastic thing to be able to do - take a bike on a train for free!). The following days were then spent ambling back through the Cheviots and the Pennines roughly following Sustrans route 68. Revisiting many of the places I have not been on a bike for over 20 years - absolutley fantastic. One of the highlights was an old railway up Tynedale to Alston; I think Sustrans deserve a warm pat on the back for having opened up some fantastic cycleways.

I would also like to take the opportunity to praise Anna Whitehouse, an up-and-coming ceramicist from Harrogate who has helped us out in the Gallery over recent weeks - including photographing much of the current work in the Gallery and setting us up with some 'business pages' on Facebook : thanks Anna...

Summer at the Lund

2010-07-03T11:50:00.001-07:00

The Summer show has opened at Lund Gallery, and the gallery has come alive...

In June, Debbie held a drawing course, Dominic a stone sculpture course, and Celia Smith a wire sculpture course - accompanying the opening of her show. The courses took place throughout the Lund - in the barns, fields, gallery, courtyard and Tractor Barn - a real buzz...

We finished the courtyard in time for exhbiting works by Chris Lewis, Nigel Edmondson and Sarah Walton:

And on top of all this, Debbie has been putting a body of work together for a show coming up in Harrogate next week. A busy time for all...

Summer show...

2010-06-14T12:20:00.000-07:00

Chris Lewis delivered some amazing woodfired ceramics to us a couple of days ago, and it's been like Christmas unpacking the work. We now have a selection of huge pieces sitting outside in our courtyard waiting to be arranged - something we have been waiting for for years...

Following the film showings last weekend, it's all change for the Tractor Barn - out with the chairs and carpets and paintings, in with the easels and mounting some simple shelving to hold drawing boards - all in preparation for Debbie's first drawing class. Dominic will be holding a stone carving weekend at the same time, so there will be a real buzz about the place over the weekend...

Then I'll be taking a week off work to repaint the gallery - ensuring the walls are crisp and clean as a backdrop for Celia Smiths long awaited return to the Gallery with her wire sculptures... the Lund Gallery Summer Show..

Dawn to Dusk - Peter Hicks

2010-06-06T06:36:00.001-07:00

Lund Gallery hosted it's first film preview on friday evening - and it was a privalge for us to be able to do so. Film-maker Nick Turner spent 5 weeks with an artist who both Debbie and I have a strong admiration and respect for, Peter Hicks, recording Peter taking inspiration from the changing light in the landscape of the North York Moors. Nick then distilled this down to around an hour of footage, complete with dialogue from Peter, that held the undivided attention of two sell out audiences over the weekend. It was wonderful for us to be able to host such an inspirational film for people who are as much in admiration of Peter's work as we are...

During the Friday show I had gated the sheep into the back field to free the front field up for parking. But, sheep being sheep, they managed to find a way through (- the grass is always greener.... ) So I spent a fair part of Saturday patching up the hole in time for the second film showing. As with everything else in life, it's the unexpected 'extras' that keep you busy, no matter how well planned things are in advance...

It might seem like something small

2010-05-14T11:41:00.000-07:00

... but it's very big for us

Part of our 'grand plan' has always been to be able to throw the doors of the tractor barn open during the summer months, to let the fresh air and sunshine in, and the people out... There is a (potentially) beautiful south facing enclosed courtyard that is waiting to be filled with sculpture and guests. Unfortunatley this has had to wait while we have saved our pennies to put some steps in. And the time has come! As you can see from the photo, a very hand man (Steve from Hawthorne Landscapes) is building a fine set of steps. It might seem like a small thing, but it will hopefully mark the beginning of a 'new space' for the gallery...

Goodbye to our space rocket

2010-04-25T04:52:00.000-07:00

We have lived with a feed silo outside our kitchen window for the last year, and I've grown very fond of it. I've had dreams of painting it stipes of red and white - to look like the space rocket from the frint of one of the first TinTin books. But, instead, we sold it off. A man came with a big lorry and took it away at the weekend. A fond farewell (- if one can be fond of a feed silo...)

Spring is here - so it must be 'end of year'

2010-03-22T13:45:00.000-07:00

As spring takes hold, activity on the farm is picking up. The muck collected over the winter has been spread on the fields and harrowed in to fertilise the grass for the next year. Daffodils are just about to burst forth, and the lambs will soon be in the fields. A magical time – and looking forward to sharing it with our son!

Random picture – a wonderful multicolour trailer parked up in a neighbours field. I’ve always been drawn in by the overpainted depth of colour…
I’m waiting on the lawnmower coming back from servicing. It’s a small ride-on, and I think I pushed it too hard last year, poor thing. It’s been in lawnmower hospital for a couple of weeks now; hope it’s let out soon, as it’s about time for the first cut.

Financial year coming to an end in the next few weeks – deep joy. Trying hard to chase up on the paperwork (remember remember - always get an invoice…). It has been a very ‘steep learning curve’ over the last few years, but with some explanations from some very patient accountants I think we are starting to get the hang of it.

Celia Smith’s wire sculpture course has already been booked up for this year. It’s a great feeling to be getting the ball rolling on the courses and putting the extra space at the gallery into a ‘creative’ use.

Tractor Barn coming to life

2010-03-06T05:14:00.000-08:00

When we expanded the gallery we converted the old barn where we kept the tractor into 'flexible space' with the aim of using it for meetings and workshops. During 2009 we were so busy (thanks son) that we weren't able to dedicate the time to get the ball rolling. This year, things are starting to take shape; it feels good to see the space filled with people.

Last week the Moors and Coast Tourism Partnership held a networking meeting, and we have our first 'corporate clients' renting the space in a few weeks. Debbie has arranged course and workshops throughout the year, many by makers who are showing at the gallery (if you would like a place on Celia Smith's wire sculpture course you'll need to hurry - only 2 places left...)

It's a good feeling to be linking up with other businesses in the area - with the catering being arranged by Fine Foods of Yorkshire - the award winning deli in Easingwold. The more excuses I have sample their fantastic food the better!

Art of chocolate

2010-02-22T05:02:00.000-08:00

Last week I headed out to Switzerland to visit an historic chocolate factory in the mountains north of Lake Geneva. A new centre dedicated to developing artisanal chocolates has opened in the top floor of the old factory and I am lucky to work with this team as part of my 'day job' as a chocolate scientist.

While there I had the chance to take part in a tasting session. What struck me most was not the flavours or textures (which were indeed sublime) but the amazing appearance of the pralines, truffles and chocolates. As part of my work I've made a few basic chocolates, but their creations showed a level of appreciation of form, combined with a mastery of the raw materials that goes beyond simply 'making chocolates'. Depsite being artistic creations, they were still designed to be eaten - and this touches on the long running form vs function debate. (I valiantly put such a debate to one side while sinking by teeth into yet another chocolate creation...)

Farewell to Spike...

2010-02-06T10:18:00.000-08:00

The Lund will have a very different personality in the future, as last week we said our final farewell to Spike – our collie/whippet cross. He was out faithful friend for 14 years, and visitors to the gallery have been welcomed by Spike since we first opened four years ago (more enthusiastically in the last few months as he gradually became hard-of-hearing…).

He had a wonderful life, moving from the wilderness of the North Pennines, to rural Bedford, and finally having free range of Lund Farm into his old age. He will be greatly missed.

Northumberland Beach Holiday

2010-01-31T11:08:00.001-08:00

Just back from a wonderful weeks holiday in Northumberland; our first holiday with our son. The back door of the holiday cottage opens out onto a wide expanse of sand, with the waves crashing close to the back door when the tide is in. Most days were spent drifting from breakfast to coffee to lunch and on through the day while watching the tides drift in and out. It was a very welcome break. Debbie spent time with sketch book, pen and paint, with the view from the kitchen being a continuing source of inspiration.

While we were away, I tried the boiler out on pellets (rather than wood chip) with the hope it would burn for a whole week on one hopper. As we pulled in back at the Lund following our week away there was a thin stream of smoke from the chimney – a big relief. We’ve also taken a bulk delivery of freshly chipped pine, still trying to find the best fuel for the burner. A balance between price, moisture content, chip size, and whether it’s in bags, bulk bags or tipped. This was tipped, and I still can’t get my head around how the driver managed to get such a huge tractor and trailer into such a small space.

We open the doors to the gallery again on the 6th Feb. The timing feels right; we’ve had time to redecorate, bring in some new and exciting work, have a family break and a ‘breather’, and return refreshed and ready to head into 2010.

… and the cabbages seem to have made it through the winter. Amazing.

Snow and a New Lick of Paint

2010-01-04T13:47:00.000-08:00

Like many people across the country, we’ve been out with the camera capturing some images of the amazing snow and ice. This is our first Christmas living at the Lund, and it’s magical to have such a dramatic snowscape.

A lucky escape for Debbie… shortly after walking out of a shed next to our house, the shed roof collapsed with a suitably dramatic creaking, crashing, thud. The weight of snow was just too much for its old wooden frame – it was second hand when it arrived here many decades ago, so it's had a good life. Looking on the bright side, we’ll have a cracking view out of our front room when the carcass is hauled away…

We’ve taken the plunge with the roller and paintbrush over the last few days. Following four years of a white and grey ‘neutral’ gallery space, we’ve decided to warm things up with a bit of colour. White was the easy option when we opened, and of course it’s very traditional ‘gallery’ colour – but it feels great to be adding some warmer tones on some of the walls.

As for my veg - I am trying to be optimistic, but it will be a hardy cabbage that lives through this:

The snow might look nice, but as for many people it can also be an inconvenience. I was hoping to head on a roadtrip – picking up new work from the south coast, Bath, and Cumbria. But with the next wave of snow and ice heading in, it’ll be on hold for at least a couple of days.

With such a cold spell, I’ve been keeping fit by feeding the boiler with woodchip; it’s eating a full hopper every day. So I may be buying in some high energy density wood pellets for the next few weeks to make life a little easier.

End of Year

2009-12-15T12:34:00.001-08:00

Only four more days of the Sublime Landscapes exhibition to run. Mixed feelings; it's a wonderful show, and a joy to spend time surrounded by such enriching work and so will be a shame to take it down next week, but I'm also looking forward to some family time with the gallery closed for Christmas.

With Debbie painting, running the gallery and looking after Finn, and with me working, the moments we can spend together are few, but precious. The next few weeks will be spent reflecting on an busy year, 2009, and looking forward to 2010.

And an important part of this is news that warmed our hearts - a holiday cottage on the Northumberalnd coastline that we have stayed in several times before has been refurbished and after several years off the market, is now back open for business. We usually stay in January or February to enjoy the empty but usually sunlit beach. Debbie takes paint and brush, and many of her larger seascapes have been painted on the cottage's kitchen table looking out over the epic panorama... Fingers crossed our booking has been accepted for Jan...

We visited a new gallery in York on Sunday - The New School House near the Black Swan pub. It's great to see new galleries in the area (for some reason York seems to have few considering what a beautiful city it is and how many visitors it attracts each year). The New School House is carrying some of the finest ceramics we have seen in the area - and we wish them all the success for the future...

In Deep

2009-12-01T14:24:00.000-08:00

This is our first year living here at the Lund, and now, moving from Autumn through to the beginning of winter, we are learning some more new things...

Like the fact that, when it rains a lot after the leaves have just fallen from the trees, then the pond outlet gets blocked, it floods. Then the water starts to back up the inlets to the pond - which includes our sewage biodigester. So I spent much of last night, in the dark with a big stick trying to unblock the pond outflow. But it was worth the effort - when I finally found it and cleared it it was like a huge gurgling bath emptying for a couple of hours... fantastic noise!

And with the leaves falling, the colours change in the garden. The bark on the beach trees has finally turned bright white, showing up the contrast with the red dogwood...

But mainly, at the moment, it is just the gray and brown of rain and mud!

The Northern Art Show

2009-11-13T11:31:00.000-08:00

This week I have taken a few days off work with the aim of hanging the next show in good time, rather than working right up until the last minute as is far too easy to do. And this time it paid off. Our reward was the chance to take a family day out together - something we don't manage to do very often.

So, Debbie, Finn and I headed off to the Northern Art Show in Harrogate. Last year we took a stand for Lund Gallery. It was our first venture into the world of art fairs, and I think we did look a little 'fresh faced'. We took a lot of effort to set up with shelving, cabinets, ceramics and paintings all arranged like a mini Lund Gallery. But it looked like the 'norm' was to turn up with some paintings and just hang them on the partition walls, without too much extra fuss. Anyhow - the main thing was that we had a great time, and even managed to cover the costs (which not everyone managed to do...)

I am glad that the art show was back in Harrogate, and I hope it becomes a regular feature. The more successful art based events in Yorkshire, the better. If it runs again next year we will aim to be there - but this year with having a child, moving house and extending the gallery it was just too much to contemplate.

So now Debbie is framing up her work to hang in the show. As soon as it is up, I'll be up the ladders adjusting the lighting and replacing some bulbs.

And now I'll be heading out to feed the boiler... With the colder weather coming in it is eating more wood chip. It does take an effort to feed, but the smell of the smoke drifting around the barns behind the cottage is wonderful. And the thin pale line rising from the chimney is somehow comforting to see in the pale light just before dawn - 'The boiler is still running - phew'.

Sublime Landscapes

2009-10-31T14:26:00.001-07:00

Work from Jonathan Shearer and Michelle Knight turned up at the gallery a couple of days ago - very exciting! For this show we have taken the decision to put as much information and as many images as possible up on our website - so please do take a look...

Debbie's Blog so far...

2009-10-18T10:16:00.000-07:00

It’s wonderful to be starting to get a bit of time back in the studio after 9 months, although I am fully aware that Motherhood means an end to long luxurious periods spent pondering things before brush hits paper.

The attached picture of my studio is remarkably illustrative of my studio time up until recently – namely small hours snatched here and there, often at night or in that slightly woolly sleep deprived state that all new parents are familiar with. A couple of commissions have given me healthy deadlines to encourage my return sooner rather than later – the artists’ ability to procrastinate is another entirely different topic which deserves its own session..!

Recently a couple of lovely occurrences at the gallery served to remind me of what a wonderfully small world the creative one is.

Last week a couple of gallery regulars and past customers popped into the gallery with some friends who were breaking their journey south to Wales from Scotland having delivered some work to an exhibition. After some time I enquired as to the name of the lady with whom I had been chewing the fat to which she answered ,”oh you probably won’t have heard of me…”

Turns out this artist was Mary Loyd Jones. I think she was quite shocked to learn that my student sketchbooks contained post cards of Mary’s work which I had first seen hanging in an exhibition at Leeds City Art Gallery 15 or so years ago. Furthermore I also discovered that Mary is currently working on a project with painter Roger Cecil, another painter whose work I strongly identify with and admire.

The other occurrence was during the recent preview to Kate Wickam’s show. Kate had bravely made the journey up from East Sussex to be present at the preview. An hour or so into proceedings and a relatively elderly couple introduced themselves to Kate. Turns out that Kate had been a bridesmaid at this couples wedding when she was about 6 years old, over 40 years ago. The couple who are on our mailing list from an exhibition last year received the invite and deduced that this must be the same Kate Wickam who they knew had gone on to study ceramics. A lot of catching up ensued and resulted in the purchase of two lovely pieces of Kate’s work – a lovely end to the day…

Next week its hopefully off to Leeds with Finn to see the Hughie O’Donaghue show before it disappears.

Green at last

2009-10-07T14:12:00.000-07:00

Rain at last. Six weeks ago I finally managed to sow grass seed on the mud bath that had surrounded our house. Then we had one of the driest autumns in years and I thought I would lose the whole lot. So a good downpour has been welcome, and the grass seems to have doubled in volume in a day....

And also helped the cabbage finally perk up after being transplanted:

Though they have a long way to go compared to those in an allotment just down the road. While taking our son on a walk last Sunday, I passed this amazing show of colour over a fantastic allotment. Allotments often display a wonderful skill in making do with whatever is at hand, a quality I admire...

Shorter Days

2009-09-30T13:00:00.000-07:00

Today was the first day that I mounted lights on my bike to cycle to work since the beginning of summer. The days seem to be getting shorter so quickly (which indeed they do - as the rate of change of day length is quickest around the equinox). But the reward of setting of before dawn is to see the sun rising, and today was a cracker of a sunrise.

The weather forecast suggests that the first frosts can be expected soon. I have just planted out my cabbages and spring greens and sown some broad beans, so am hoping that they manage to get a hold before the weather turns to colder. If I am lucky, the frost will come just in time to wipe out the catapillars that I know are just startng to feed on the cabbage.

I have always been keen on growing my own veg. It'snot a financial thing, or even really a taste thing (though they do taste better - most of the time), I think it's mainly a 'feelgood' thing. Watching something grow from seed, nurturing its development, seeing it ripen and mature, then eating it: There is something complete and 'wholesome' about the whole cycle. This year has been a courgette bonanza, and Debbie and I have been experimenting with ways to cope with the deluge. Much courgette cake has been eaten, and the freezer if full of courgette curry (interesting - but probably not to be repeated...)

And after several years of missing the opportunity, this year I managed to catch the elderberries in time. After many hours of labour on Sunday I have six small jars of elderberry relish. Just need to try and leave them long enough to mature. (The first time I tried this recipe in 2003 I knocked over a 4 pint jug full of elderberries. I was surrounded by thousands of little black berries and could not move from the spot without crushing them underfoot - Debbie had to come and rescue me with a dustpan and brush...)

Our Fourth Birthday...

2009-09-26T14:02:00.000-07:00

Lund Gallery has recently celebrated its fourth birthday, and Debbie and I are starting to settle into our new life here at the Lund. In February, following several years of planning and building, we finally moved out to the gallery and now live in a small cottage on site with our nine month old son Finn. The time seemed right to keep a record of our Life at the Lund...

One of the most exciting recent events has been our first creative course to be run at the gallery. Dominic Hopkinson, a sculptor with over 20 years experience working in stone, hosted two weekends of 'Sculpture in Stone' in a cattle shed at the Lund.

Since opening the Gallery we have been keen to host creative events in the space here at the gallery, and so it was wonderful to see this finally kick off and listen to the tapping of metal into stone for hour after hour... I'm sure we'll try and lure Dominic back for some events next year.

Lund Gallery is currently featuring ceramics by Kate Wickham at Gallery. Kate came up from London to be present at the opening, which gave many people a chance to have a chat about her work and career... which was much appreciated.

The other big news is that, with the weather starting to cool off, I have re-lit the boiler. It's a 40kW woodchip and log boiler imported from Denmark, and it caused months of teething problems when we first sparked it up in January. So far this week, it seems to be burning well. Actually, the colder the weather the better the boiler runs; it has most problems when it is trying to 'tick-over'... tending to burn back up into the fuel hopper which causes the whole system to flood itself. Fingers crossed for the next few weeks!