Cattapilla Dreaming

What a week it’s been!

The Country Living Christmas Fair web site has launched  www.countrylivingfair.com/xmas  so photographs of Cattapilla Designs new winter Gorgeous Wool Bags, Gorgeous Wool Cushions  (a new line that I’m very excited about, see picture below) and new Vintage Print Cushions had to be taken, edited and uploaded onto the site to whet everyone’s appetite for Christmas goodies.   I shall be adding  these and more onto the web site in the next few weeks  and will let you all know when.  I know it’s officially still summer but we makers and designers have to plan way in advance! 

Then I was contacted by the area Health & Safety officer, wanting to inspect my kitchen, as I make marmalades, jams and chutneys for sale in local food shops.  So Monday night found me cleaning the cooker, scrubbing the floor and generally making my kitchen sparkle with cleanliness.  It must have worked as she remarked that the kitchen was ’spotless’!

  Then son, daughter-in-law and grandson came to stay, which was a joy.  Joe is now 6 months old, sitting up and wonderful fun.  Hercules, the naughtiest cat,  is also one of the most patient I have known.  He and Joe sat together on the sofa, both curious and fascinated with each other.  They have now returned to Birmingham and the house is very quiet.

 And to end the week England have won the Ashes!  Fantastic!  For those of you wondering what  the ‘Ashes’ are, I’ll just tell you they’re to do with cricket.

It’s high summer on Bere Island, the Regatta last weekend , the most visitors of the year and for two days it was fine but for one day it poured!  And since then it’s been typical Bere Island summer weather – damp.  Not actually raining but a soft, thin mizzle that looks harmless enough until you venture out and then it soaks you through and through.  The slugs and snails are merrily chomping through the lettuces, the sweet peas and roses are rotting and the ground is too wet to dig potatoes.  But every now and then a glimpse of brightness catches the eye and raises a smile.

The island marina is a ghostly place; empty becalmed yachts awaiting a breeeze to take them home.  All in all, a perfectly normal Bere Island summer!

But later, when others are suffering  frosts and sleet, the island will have days of cloudless blue skies and warm bright sunshine with the clear and crisp light that winter brings.  We’ll make up for it then!