20...Cardoons, Chelsea and hectic weather

I came back to Dieppe on monday to find the temperature had plummeted here to -3. There was no wind however and in fact was one of those days where the countryside had fallen silent...no breeze, no birds singing, just a white silence. Smoke was coming up from the cottage chimneys in a completely vertical plume and the only sound on the cycle home was the noise of my tyres on the road.

The big news for me this week was hearing that I had been succesful in my application to show at Chelsea Flower show this year....I am so excited. It does focus the mind however as it is in May when I am already in several other venues during the Brighton Festival including my own Open House, so back in the studio I have been working like a demon.

Cardoon

This week I have been making large Cardoons. They are a variation on the Thistles I was making last week, although I think there is something regal about these.

I had a good biscuit kiln firing....which also gave me a toasty warm studio all day on thursday..delicious!

Also on thursday the gales blew in, although with these the temperature went up. By friday the shipping forecast was giving a severe storm force 9......

Ferry manouevering in a gale

...just in time for Jade my new work experience student to arrive. Quel temps!