Babysitting.

We were in Bournemouth again for a few days to look after our grandson. He is changing so rapidly, thank goodness for FaceTime so that at least we are able to be in digital contact on a regular basis. It means that he is very familiar with my voice and face so that I get a good welcome when I appear in person. ("Where's Nana?" he wanted to know after I'd left this time.)
He is a busy little boy, eager to help and to be involved and since his parents are restoring an old house and a neglected garden there is no shortage of jobs to attend to!

Its good to take a break from manual labour every now and then and just sit down quietly to look at a book

or peel a bit of paper off the crayons!

In his bedroom there are a number of toys that are over forty years old, well loved items from his parents own childhoods.

It is lovely to see these toys in use again; a Dick Bruna jigsaw, balancing birds, stacking shapes and architectural building blocks bought while on a wet and windy winter holiday in Malta. (Not a holiday that I would wish to repeat!)

The light-up globe is/was his daddy's.

I don't want our grandson to grow up TOO quickly

I love him just as he is.

Bath Society of Artists

Last night was the private view of the annual BSA open exhibition. Himself and several friends had work on display and we joined the general crush and went along to take a look.

This year for the first time submissions had been made online rather than with the actual artwork. As a consequence there were far more applications than usual, hence a greater crush at the private view!

On occasions like this I'm just as interested in the people as I am in the art. I'll come back another time when it isn't too crowded and have a proper look at the work on display. It's a very varied show and I'm always impressed by how well it is hung. I know from experience that it is much trickier to hang a mixed rather than a solo exhibition.

Where to look next!

Stewart Geddes, whose solo show we had seen earlier in the week, was the invited artist this year. His paintings looked very vibrant set against the dark wall.

An onlooker in matching stripes!

I liked Poppy James' 'Shard' painting. It reminds me of O'Keefe's early paintings of Manhattan at night.

All sorts of outfits - this hat sported a huge pheasant feather.

And look at this fabulous brooch, a row of pearl peas!

Then it was into town for supper with friends.

Andelli Art

We were in Crete and missed Stewart Geddes' private view so we went this week to catch his exhibition before it closed. Stewart is the current president of the Royal West of England Academy and earlier this year he curated an exhibition of Albert Irvin and abstract expressionism which has obviously greatly influenced his own most recent paintings, here on display at the Andelli.

Interesting that the paintings that I most liked had all been sold.

What a delightful gallery the Andelli is, set in the Somerset hills above the small city of Wells. It's run by Ellie Jones within her own home. I love to see artwork and collectables within a domestic setting and the space created by Ellie and her family really is a joy.

I had a very happy mooch around, oohing and aahing at such a wide variety of objects; rows of jaw bones with teeth, toy hospital sets, African masks, suitcases, artists' palettes - you name it!

 

Lovely things to see in every room.

Thank you, Ellie for being so hospitable.

Ah, I'm glad its not just my family who relish the pleasure of STUFF!

Crete

Some real warmth to our bones, just what the doctor ordered! An offer that we couldn't refuse had come up on the computer, a week of all-inclusive in Crete for a very low price. (The doctor would not approve of the mounds of food we ate!) The weather can be chancy so early in the year.

But we were lucky, even on cloudy days the temperature was delightful and it was comfortable to be just lounging about

or exercising on the grass. (Me, not him!)

A huge advantage in being on holiday so early in the season is that it is quiet. It doesn't trouble us that  many shops and bars have yet to open. It is a pleasure to be able to explore the local streets at a leisurely pace without any hustle and bustle.

The old boys of the village were already settled into their positions in the café reviewing the day.

Himself took a look and wondered if he should join them. (He's eligible by age, only his lack of Greek stopped him.)

There is quite a bit of picturesque crumbling.

and a cement mixer as a decorative addition to an arrangement of plants!

I liked the formal structure of this garden

with its controlled decorative features.

I would have loved to see what the house was like inside. 

We took the path up beyond the village to look at the cemetery.

A carpet of wild flowers.

The snow-capped tops of the hills could hardly be seen against the pale sky.

I like the way that photos and objects are used on the graves, something that isn't seen in British culture.

Then we wandered back down the hill, having almost worked up an appetite/excuse for a hearty lunch!