under another sun

Hard to get out of bed this morning. First Matie, having been turfed from her hotel four-poster bed, came around and we set off to Southease where Kate had lived for a while. Hung about chatting in this beautiful little village, and nosing in the church and sitting on a bench by the village green hearing rooks chuckle and caw like a bevvy of cider drinkers in the trees, and watching the wind ripple a distant corn field. We encountered a slow worm that had recently dropped its tail on a path. Its defense was simply not to move until we were safely away. We walked around the quiet village, with its lovely old lichened buildings and crossed the little bridge over the river where the wind was surprisingly cold. After this mini-outing, we drove into Brighton for a roast lunch and a pint at the Signalman, before we had fond farewells with First Matie at the station. Lorraine and I then met Rosie in the Battle of Trafalgar, and sat in the back garden in the re-emerged sun. We crossed the ...

Lorraine and I went to Southease (where First Matie had lived for a spell) to look at some of the picturesque village's open gardens. It catalysed a yearning for an English Country Garden, maybe with chickens and lots of flowers. I never felt a desire for a row of onions before, but today I felt it powerfully. A row of onions that you had manfully planted into the soil yourself and then, months later, sink your teeth into later seems a noble thing. Enjoyed lurking in the village. Had a light snack there of a delicious flapjack, a cup of tea and a plastic cup of home made ginger beer. A lovely time drifting about between clouds of rose scent, and colourful bedding plants. The South Downs nearby providing a lovely backdrop. Then to Sarah and JD's for a civilised little garden party, with sushi, entire rounds of cheese, and impressive cakes to celebrate Sarah's birthday. She works in banking and is having a bloody time of it at work at the moment. I asked her what she thou...

An idyll of England Lorraine and I went off to Southease to visit First Matie today, and mooch about the village green where plants were being sold on stands. We all came away with some, and repaired to the Abergavenny Arms for a fast drink. Puffin vastly entertaining and mostly seems to be legs. People loving her in the village. It whines when Kate is out of sight. Home early. Lorraine home to have a girly posse, and me to pot two pelargoniums with gorgeous leaves and brood on the million things to be done next week. Below the scene on the green. Almost idyllically English. Puffin's nose. And a beautiful garden owned by a nice man called Adrian, who first Matie introduced me to.

The Moon is a Dandy Rather run over feeling this morning, and a sluggish start to the day. Lorraine and I off to the Abergavenny Arms in Rodwell to meet First Matie, where I had the world's slowest pint and a exceedingly good Sunday roast dinner. From there we zoomed to the gorgeous village of Southease a couple of minutes down the road, with its roofs yellow with lichen. Good to see Kate in her new environs, utterly looking the part, and seeming very much at home in a little fairytale cottage, with a view across the road to the beautiful round tower of Southease Church, and the graveyard dotted with snowdrops. We took a cup of tea with us and wandered into the church. Inside a block of stillness, with only the sound of woodpigeons and other birds in it. Light tinged by coloured glass here and there. Fond farewells to Katie, then Lorraine and I zoomed home. In the evening I took myself off to the nearby Evening Star for another bout of Dr Spacetoad. A crazy night with bursts of w...

Easeful gardens Booked my ticket to fly over to Guernsey next week for two days. I am going to attend and read at the Pens & Lens event organised by the newly formed Guernsey Arts Commission. Very much looking forward to this. Got a package of material through in the invite, which all looked rather spiffy, and included one of my poems too which was pretty pleasing. In the afternoon, Lorraine collected me to drive off to the village of Southease near Lewes. This is the point where Matty Kate and I started our walk last weekend, and home to Matt's family. The village was having an open gardens weekend. So as well as the open gardens, tea and home made cakes were served overlooking the village green and the 1,000 year old round-towered church. We spent a happy afternoon lurking in these beautiful country gardens. One in particular called Corner Cottage was a wonderful maze of tiny paths, and leafy tunnels of burgeoning and dense growths of aromatic roses and many other plants inc...