Muggy weather. Gardening. Works of art.

 Today has been dull but rather stuffy, as if we need a good thunderstorm to clear the air. I took my waterproof with me as insurance when I walked to the Italian greengrocers in Uppermill. On my return I attacked the ferms and pampas grass which have been trying to take over our small front garden. I also removed the poor drowned roses which never managed to fully open after they were caught in the heavy rain showers, which have mostly fallen overnight. The roses were doing really well in the fine sunny weather but the soggy weather put an end to that. And the current warm but cloudy stuff isn’t helping. I can’t say the garden looks perfect but it looks considerably tidier than it did before I started. 

There were masses of funny little bugs which five-year-old Grandson Number Two assures me are baby ladybirds. Judging by the fact that I saw some odd-looking ladybirds on my dustbins yesterday, he may be right. Since he discovered how to manipulate YouTube Kids on his tablet, he knows all sorts of odd facts! I am hoping he will progress to books as well! 

We have been watching a series of films about Impressionism by Waldemar Januszczak, an art critic with his own particular, idiosyncratic  way of presenting material. Very informative but not dull and plodding, rather as if he is having fun not taking himself too seriously. One of the pieces he gave particular attention to was "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” by the pointillist Georges Seurat. Parisians out and about on a Sunday afternoon. The city of Benoit, in Wisconsin, USA, has made a project of creating their own version of the famous painting to celebrate the revitalising of their waterfront. Organised and coordinated by a local,photographer, volunteers followed instructions and stood in prescribed places, crating what the photographer called “magical impressionism”. Great stuff! 

Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!