Tuesday 23 July 2013

Catching up on a rainy afternoon...



Hello everyone!
First of all my apologies for once again shrinking away into ‘lurkdom’ mode over the last few weeks!  Behind the PP scenes Tony and I have been working hard on a very special, but very large order… more information on that will be coming soon…!

In the meantime I thought I would post a quick ‘catch up'... Last month Mr Bea and I were lucky enough to travel to beautiful Egypt, for a wonderful (and much needed) holiday!  Our hotel overlooked the Red Sea and offered us just the kind of relaxation that we needed at the end of a very long spring season of shows… I was also lucky enough to celebrate my birthday whilst there with a romantic dinner for two on the beach after a day spent snorkling on the reef , heaven!  I even found ‘Nemo’ whilst there, but thankfully none of his shark friends were with him!
Since (somewhat reluctantly) returning to the UK, like so many of you we have been enjoying the wonderful summer weather ... although not wanting to sound typically 'British' it has really been a bit on the hot side for me! Those of you who know me, know that I love the sunshine and when on holiday the weather can get as hot as it likes; for example in Egypt last month the temperature constantly hit 42 degrees + each day and that was just the kind of temperature I like LOL! BUT when I am trying to work, heat is certainly not my friend!

As a result of the ‘heat wave’ Mr Bea and I have struggled to keep up to date with our PP work.  The heat in the workshop has been so bad of late that paint has been drying on the brush and don't even get me started on the effects of it on my poor air dry clay!
With our cutting room facing south, Mr Bea has practically had to become nocturnal, as the heat of the day limits the amount of cutting he can do and with
Autumn Miniatura quietly waiting just over the horizon, lovely hot summer weather has not been helpful for his stress levels...

So with our productivity sorely deflated, the other week we decided to down tools and run away... well not literally, but we did impulsively throw our little two man tent, bikes and camping gear into the back of our van and headed off for a few days in the countryside… It was bliss!

We stayed at a National Trust estate called 'Clumber Park' 
where there are miles of cycle tracks, a beautiful walled garden and stunning scenery! Mr Bea and I did several long bike rides, had a romantic picnic and I even managed to get some sketching done too of one of the estate buildings… We also visited The 'Walled Garden' there, which was stunning and I took lots of photographs that I think miniature gardeners would enjoy, so I have uploaded a selection of them to the Miniature Beehive Forum for members to enjoy!

Finally, after all the heat and sunshine, today the ‘patron saint of air dry clay’ must have intervened and the heavens have at last opened!  Literally as I type, mother nature is doing a stoic job of watering my garden; I just hope she doesn't forget the hanging baskets on the workshop and remembers to give my fruiting courgette plants a little bit extra LOL…

Whatever you are up to today and whatever the weather where you are, happy mini-ing!
Bea Broadwood







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