Easter Monday

Easter Monday - a bank holiday - but not a day of rest. I dropped A at his place of work an drove the camper to Homebase to pick up the things I needed to finish the roof over the chicken run. The van is running well after a lot more welding to hold its 30 year old frame together.

Back home and then finished the work on the roof. This has three purposes: to keep the chickens dry in a downpour, to act as a biosecurity measure with avian 'flu in the country (dove droppings threaten to land in the water/food from the plum tree above) and to stop the hens gorging themselves on the plums when they fall. Job done, followed by lunch - eggs from said hens.

After this, I loaded the van again and J and I set off for our allotment. Today we added some more trees - two apples and a quince - and planted peas, onions and potatoes. Its a busy time down there at the moment but its good to be out of the dark studio and in the open air.

Tonight, I am back inside, checking and trimming a new bookplate. Here it is:


This is the first bookplate that I have cut on boxwood. It has been worth the effort of changing, especially when cutting letters. These are nearly ready to send. After that, I have enough work to keep me busy through until the autumn.

Well, that was my Easter Monday - time for bed.

Turning Fifty!

I turned fifty a couple of weeks ago.

Luckily, significant birthdays do not bother me and I had a rather good time. We dined at a local restaurant in the evening and then held a small dinner party for close friends. I was lucky with my presents, especially the bookplate that J commissioned for me from Simon Brett. A is a promising photographer and I asked him for a portrait. I much prefer to be behind a camera but, since it was A, I was at my ease. Here is the result:


I am afraid thatI have not been very busy in the studio recently. I had a virus that took some time to shake off (must be my age) but I am engraving again, working on the GC bookplate and finishing drawings for several others. I also have some interesting projects on the horizon, including a book and a broadside. More of those later.

All the Best from Old Andy English!