So, the last few weeks of the summer break turned out really lovely.  The kids were each other’s best friend. Stablisers came off a bike with GREAT EXCITEMENT and my poor nervous system took a beating watching the boy fly round corners on only two wheels.  There was a soul-food weekend away with my two best women and their families to celebrate 40th birthdays and to wish farewell to Sarah & her family who are moving to India in September.  We beached and ate and fizzed.  

August is abundant.  We have harvested tatties, broad beans, peas, courgettes, red onions, one runner bean and sweet peas galore from the allotment.  I even picked one of the Baby Aubergines. It was a little too soon (slightly green inside) but a proud moment nonetheless.  The nasturtiums are incorrigible (and covered in caterpillars.  Trix loves the caterpillars.  We have long chats with them.  One day she held one and it pooped on her hand and it was a life highlight of her 2.5 years).  August has an exuberance and fullness that can’t be squashed.

And then the new school year comes along to squash it.  Not going to lie, there was a lot of nerves in my tummy ahead of Piglet starting Primary One.  It is such a big transition! And it comes after six weeks of structureless freedom.  I don’t know why they have to do the big changes for the kids after the longest break. Sometimes it seems that society is structured around what suits the big people, rather than the littlest and tenderest.  And Piglet is one of the tenderest.  Uniform was tried on, a school bag was packed, a mum wore her heart on the outside of her body for everyone to see and prod.  A little hand in mine as we walked up to the school, holding on tight.  I’ll not go into details, but day one drop off was not good.  I spent the whole day fretting; catastrophising; planning out homeschooling.  I stared into our little pond and watching tiny frogs go about their day and tried to soothe my anxious mama heart.  Eventually, 3.15pm rolled around, and I braced myself for the pick up.  Turns out, the little hero had had an excellent day.  Jubilation!  We were all absolutely buzzing with the relief and the joy of it.  

It is now the end of August and we are settling into the rhythm of school life a little.  Trix tells her caterpillars that her brother is at school and he will be home soon. And home he comes, chucking multiple indecipherable drawings out of his bag and declaring he won all the races that day.  I feel like we are waiting for the shine to unshine, but for now, a good start.

The inevitable Enormous Crash Off’ve The Bike happened.  I am now suggesting very safe hobbies, like jam making and crochet and stamp collecting and quilling.  Very sore knees ruined our week, but they are healing and September is almost here and the world is golden again.

In the background of all this newness and excitement and caring and trying and loving, I’ve been slowly getting us ready to launch the 2025 edition of the Wildlife Calendar, Family Calendar and postcards.  I can now confidently say that the 2025 Calendars will launch on Tuesday 3rd September.  There’s always a really good launch price, so sign up for the newsletter if you want to be the first to hear.  Sign up for the newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/dxNkB1

(About the newsletter: it is a quarterly, or thereabouts, gorgeously seasonal update from the studio.  I share new drawings and products, blog posts, life thoughts, stockists, events.  http://eepurl.com/dxNkB1)

Sketchbook Pages:

 1. More experiements in making our own paint with things we found at the allotment.  Probably not a future career direction.

2. verge flower.  Keep meaning to learn the name of it.  Help a girl out?

3. Coldingham Bay weekend; snail shells from Lindean Loch; The Bike

4. Yellowhammer