Visited with a friend  in Yorkshire last week – great company, lovely cottage, sublime garden, wonderful weather. And great food – what paradise was this?

Did a number of touristy things, such as touring the country roads, admiring the moors and visiting historic houses and gardens. The little girl had fun dressing up in the period clothes that the National Trust  so thoughtfully provided.  And she was suitably scared at The Forbidden Corner, a folly-filled part of  Tupgill Park Estate near Leyburn. So a good time was had by all. Generated a lot of ideas about how to engage kids with my art projects, too.

Had fun making a photo series of the garden at West Cottage. My friend has gardened there for at least 25 years – she has the artist’s feel for color, texture and placement, and it shows. She sent me on my way with lots of cuttings and baby plants, such a treat! I  love to propagate stuff and hope to make the plants be as effective in my garden as they are in hers. But first off, my babies will need to survive the tender care of the  house-sitters, for I will be on holiday the coming weeks. And the garden-sitters don’t have green thumbs. Note: start a plant-sitters agency?