Heart shaped fungi

Hello m' hearties,

As I sat here tonight, half watching Neighbours (my guilty pleasure), the ridiculous story line, involving questionable fungi, reminded me I had better do my weekly correspondence. It has been a long, exhausting week, full of work and homeschooling, so please forgive me if I simply bombard you with pictures and nonsense. I aim on having a proper blog reading catch up this weekend.

Last weekend I jinxed the weather by saying out loud I hoped the sun would stick around. It rained solid all weekend. There was nothing to be done, but sit indoors with the artificial lights on, and get the watercolour paints out for Round 2.

 Sketch done, paint mixed and ready to go! I am slowly discovering that preparation is the key.

More water, less paint, more tea, less biscuits...


The trick I am told is knowing when to stop. Quick, lock it away before I royally mess it up!

A second attempt at the Moth Orchid. "Loosey goosey, loosey goosey" as the old Taekwondo Seinsei  said -


By Wednesday, the rain had cleared and the sun came out. Time for a much needed welly walk, along the river towards Flushing.

Wild snowdrops -

Farmer's sky -


River houseboats -

 Can you identify the anchor shaped footprints?? (answer can be found at the end)

Now who lives in a hole like this?


The highlight of our expedition... a yuckle sighting !!!!!

This, we think, is Scarlet Elf Cup -

Proof that the fairies came out to play in February.

We followed the muddy paths and hearts back home, prised off our wellies, ran a hot bath and had mugs of hot chocolate.


Here's a quick peek at what's growing in the wee greenhouse -

 Lots of Achillea, Ammi Majus, Dill, Sweetpeas and Cornflowers -

No garden birds today! But in answer to the footprints question, yes you guessed right. The muddy footprints do belong to Kurt and Courtney, the two resident river swans. (Sorry, I didn't have my fancy zoom camera with me). Here they are, swanning around on the far side of the river -

That's all for today. I hope you are keeping well. 

Are you managing to get out in the garden?

Please say hello in the comments section, it really does brighten my day.


Lulu xXx


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Comments

  1. Elderberry-Rob5 February 2021 at 23:55

    Your paintings are delightful, lovely and watery - something I can't seem to master, how much paint to put in the water, or how much water to put in the paint, should the paper be damp, wet, dripping or dry lol ... it's hard to paint glass/water too so you met a challenge there. How beautiful the elf ear fungi thingys are - I never find anything colourful, only boring old beige ones. Your little greenhouse is full of life - I think these early months are the most fun for gardeners, all that hope and promise.

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    1. Lulu10 February 2021 at 07:43

      Thank you Betty! I have been working hard this week to put the water into watercolour ... erm, but not too much water...tricky indeed. The glass I am pretty chuffed with, but it may be a fluke as I don't know how to re-create it :0 My eldest sprog spotted the red fungi. With my short shortsightedness, I thought it was just some litter! I am getting 'itchy trowel' (official gardeners' affliction) and can't wait to start sowing in haste. Lulu xXx

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  2. The Small Fabric Of My Life6 February 2021 at 00:25

    Hi Lulu,
    How talented you are the paintings are beautiful. I can's draw a straight line. My daughter in law is an art teacher and is amazing.
    Your nature photos are so soothing for the soul.
    I hope the sun comes back for you soon.
    Lots of love,
    Jane x

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    1. Lulu10 February 2021 at 07:47

      Hello Jane, thank you! Straight lines are boring, so I wouldn't let that put you off. The sun did come out again and we managed to get a little dose of Vitamin D :)
      Hope you are keeping well,
      LuLu xXx

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  3. Catmac6 February 2021 at 06:29

    Love your painting - so delicate. I am like Jane, can't draw or paint though I love art. Total respect to you talented artists. Haven't had my nose out the door yesterday or today as the weather is diabolical. However, I am seated in front of the telly to watch the Six Nations' Rugby. Really poignant to watch the players singing their national anthems without a crowd to inspire them. Haven't been gardening for weeks though I have flowering bulbs indoors (still not my hyacinth-in-a-glass, though!). Maybe your daughter is more mature than me, but "Flushing" is another of those names guaranteed to make me snigger even if it is beautiful. How exciting to see your greenhouse babies growing. I'll start to think about sowing next week. I have some different Cosmos seeds as I think it is a beautiful and good value flower, some wild flowers and herbs. Nasturtiums, of course, which flowered right into December. Spring flowers, seeds, not long now!
    '''

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    1. Lulu10 February 2021 at 07:59

      Thank you Catmac! Hope you enjoyed the Rugby. It must be so strange for the players without the crowds. Now you mention it Flushing is a weird name!... not sure where it comes from. There's a hamlet called 'Cocks' over Perranporth way - never fails to raise a snigger when we drive past that sign! And of course there's Upper Dicker and Lower Dicker over in Sussex. Oh dear, I'll stop now!

      Cosmos is a great flower. I can't wait to start spring sowing. Lulu xXx

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  4. bahnwärterin6 February 2021 at 13:32

    bright red, heart shaped fungi - with "elf" in their name!
    how lovely!
    and awesome watercolors....... you really catched the characters of the flowers.
    your greenhouse is full of life! i guess the time for planting out is not far at yours? here we prepared the garden for a whole week of strong frost around -10°C by cutting some to long konifere branches and nestling them around little the azalea bushes i planted last year...... because the sheltering snow is all gone.
    thankfully the coal house is still well filled.
    stay safe and cosy and creative! xxxxx

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    Replies
    1. Lulu10 February 2021 at 08:06

      Thank you Beate! The glass of cut flowers was drawn from a photo taken in the summer. I was craving some sun! It will be nice to paint them from the real thing. The snow beast hit our East coast, and we got a very light sprinkling over in the South West yesterday. Oooh, minus 10 degrees! Good job for the azalea protection and having a well filled coal house. Keep warm and wonderful, Lulu xXx

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  5. Jess 6 February 2021 at 16:42

    Lulu, I hope you know you are a wonderful watercolour painter! Your art looks beautiful.

    I love that the swans are named after Kurt Cobain & Courtney Love! X



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    Replies
    1. Lulu10 February 2021 at 08:09

      Thank you Jess, that's really kind of you.
      I am sensing you may be a Nirvana and / or Hole fan too ?!
      Lulu xXx

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    2. Jess 12 February 2021 at 14:30

      Yes!!

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  6. Vix8 February 2021 at 04:20

    Hi Lulu! I'm adding my list to the can't draw or paint for toffee club but absolutely love art. You are a clever woman, those paintings are gorgeous.
    Loving the peek through the gate at the beautiful graveyard, what a place to wander.
    I've never seen anything quite like that fungi before, the colour is incredible.
    I had no idea Neighbours was still on TV! xxx

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    1. Lulu10 February 2021 at 08:23

      Thank you Vix ! I haven't painted for such a long, long time, but it feels like reacquainting with an old friend. Like you, I love wandering round graveyards and reading stories in the stones.

      Neighbours is still in full, high drama flow (weekdays, Channel 5, 17:30). Every other month they run a ridiculous 'crim', psychopath or sociopath story line. If you ever watched it in the 80s, you may remember Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis - "Don't it make you feel good?") or 'Plain Jane Super Brain', who are still currently in it. Lulu xXx

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  7. Allie jane9 February 2021 at 03:13

    Your paintings are awesome all I can do is draw manga really badly!! but at least I try!! i went to Meiji shrine yesterday as I needed some space , have you ever noticed even during lockdown sometimes you even need space. This is my go to place.
    It’s annoying in summer as it’s full of tourists worse in new year as the Japanese go and hope they get their wishes granted. So now is the perfect time. Even the park the park yoyogi is beautiful and is full of little seasonal gardens and a lake.
    Sometimes I go to Tokyo bay but it’s really out of the way.
    It’s funny you mentioned baby metal it’s a shame one of them left to I’ll health I don’t think they sound the same, so I don’t really listen to the now. I like wakalure more and vocaloid it’s quite clever what you can do with a sound program.
    Take care

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    Replies
    1. Lulu10 February 2021 at 08:44

      Hello Allie jane, great to hear from you! My eldest likes to draw Manga too! We are all also currently hooked on Studio Ghibli films (courtesy of Netflix) - When Marnie Was There (gorgeous!) , Kiki's Delivery Service, Ponyo etc. Oh, I didn't know one of the girls left Baby Metal. I will check out Wakalure. Glad you have the tourist free Meiji shrine for space, sounds lovely. I wonder when the blossoms come out for you? Lulu xXx

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    2. Allie jane10 February 2021 at 23:37

      Hi the blossoms will start to come out end of feb, start of March and remain for all or it seems all of March. It’s a wonderful festival but again this year will be very muted by the pandemic lots of local festivals have been cancelled already which has saddened me. But what can you do.

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    3. Lulu14 February 2021 at 03:26

      One day, in a distant, future year, I hope to see the cherry blossoms in Japan.
      Enjoy Allie jane xXx

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  8. Mike Perry10 February 2021 at 07:49

    Have just snapped a photo of those Scarlet Elf Cups, they must be in season!
    Loved your paintings and as for your guilty pleasure, my wife likes Neighbours too, though would never admit it!
    A delightful post, all good wishes.

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    1. Lulu10 February 2021 at 08:50

      Ah great Mike, they must be! It is the first time I have ever seen Scarlet Elf Cup. I am always on the look out for a traditional fairy-like toadstool, with red top and white spots. I haven't seen one of those for years.

      Haha, I love that your wife is a secret Neighbours fan! I hope she finds the story lines as funny as I do. Lulu xXx

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  9. Cherie11 February 2021 at 09:21

    Your paintings are really very pretty Lulu. I don't have a painterly bone in my body although several of my friends are able to create the most beautiful pictures. Tony and I admired the piece of wood with a wooden heart cut out of it. I want one for the garden but will cut a piece of coloured glass to fit in.

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    1. Lulu14 February 2021 at 03:29

      Thank you Cherie! Imagine a whole fence, sporadically cut out with hearts or simply holes with coloured marbles pushed in, wouldn't that look great with the light filtering through! Lulu xXx

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  10. Kezzie12 February 2021 at 15:57

    Goodness, your paintings are excellent! I am super impressed with those! You are so clever!
    That definitely looks like Scarlet Elf cap to me- lucky you!
    We ADORE Neighbours and watch it every evening without fail as we eat dinner. Which particular ridiculous storyline are you referring to? The ridiculous Hendrix gambling one? Amy and Shane? The mushrooms? (very appropriate to this post!)
    Lovely to see what was going on in the green house!

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    1. Lulu14 February 2021 at 03:43

      Thank you Kezzie, very kind of you.

      Yay, a fellow Neighbours fan!! Hendrix's dad has only be away for about a month and already he's got involved with hardened crims, gambling and gunfare. I think Neighbours surpassed itself last year with the hilarious Island 'End Game' episodes ;) Lulu xXx

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