Summer Stuff
Finding beauty in nature, in art, and in friendship
It’s been such a beautiful summer, and thankfully, it’s not over yet.
After a couple of miserable rainy summers, warmth and sunshine have been so welcome.
With the sun my energy levels have improved, so I’ve been swimming and spending more time outdoors, gardening, and getting around to odd jobs in the house, which means there’s actually been less for creative activities. This isn’t bothering me too much because these things tend to be cyclical, and I know it won’t be long before I’m getting the art materials out again. However, it does mean that weeks have gone by without me opening the Substack editor, and now I’m confused about what I should say.
I could write about how much the time spent just looking at flowers in my unruly back garden means to me.
Or, I could write about the days out visiting galleries and museums.
I could explain how much I enjoy seeing exhibitions with my artist friend Megan. We chat and look at art and I always get home feeling refreshed and inspired.
Or, should I tell you about a great day I had at Summerlee industrial heritage museum, with Robb? It’s crammed full of loads of fascinating heavy industrial machinery and other artefacts. Since I live in an old coal miner’s cottage, I particularly loved their reconstructed miner’s rows which were each furnished in the style of a different decade from the 19th and 20th centuries. I loved the sunny yellow walls in the 1960s living room. It was like a home from home.
Or, I could write about the day I walked over the Forth Road Bridge in the mid day sun with my sister, on what was probably the hottest day of the year. Well worth it for the views and the ice cream cone when we reached South Queensferry.
Or, I could tell you all about evening walk along the Promenade at Portobello, when the sunset was so breathtaking it stopped me in my tracks. Of course, as always, the photo pales into comparison with the real thing.
Or, all about the many hours cutting diamonds from paper and fabric, and the many more hours stitching them together, and how frustrating and rewarding this is in equal measure.
I could show you a busy little corner of my studio, where all kinds of useful things are kept. These could theoretically come in handy and be made into other stuff any minute now.
Or, I could write about how lovely it was to meet up with my long time blog buddy Klay for the first time in real life, after being friends online since 2007.
Or I could show you the amazing handmade ceramic gifts she brought me and I could leave you a link to her shop.
Or, I could tell you about the tour Robb and I went on of a fantastic local historic house owned by the National Trust For Scotland. Newhailes House was quite a revelation. I never expected it to have so many original features, fantastic furniture, decoration, and paintings. Visits are by guided tour only, but the guide had a great wealth of knowledge and we never felt rushed through at any point. The tour took about an hour and a half in total, and then there was the courtyard cafe, gift shop and a great little 2nd hand bookshop in the grounds to visit.
But, I think I’ll just leave this round up as it is, go outside, breathe in the air, smell the flowers and water the garden while it’s still light.
The world on the screen is ever more disturbing so taking time to unplug and seek out beauty in nature, art, and friendship is such good medicine.
I always feel refreshed and inspired too! Great post!! More of all of this!!!
I’d love to follow along in Julia’s summer itinerary of small trips, friends and art!