Welcome to our bimonthly newsletter!

Yesterday the weather was perfect, warm and sunny with high clouds and a soft breeze that drifted in from the sea. After lunch I gathered my paints and wandered down the lane that leads to the WildWoods where I chanced to meet Dr Fredrick Foxton, his wife Violet and their lovely little children out playing in the garden. Fredrick took the time to show me all the wonderful plants he uses in his medicine including foxgloves, yarrow, dandelion and feverfew. 

They agreed to let me paint them and I was busy working on a sketch when Poppy, their eldest daughter, ran over with a little posey of lavender that she had picked just for me. It was such a sweet gesture and the fragrance brought back so many happy memories of past summers with the promise of a beautiful summer that is now before us.

The foxes live in a delightful house on the side of the lane, if you look at my sketch you can see their front door in the old oak tree, Dr Foxtons surgery is just a little further along on the right side, just out of view.

I plan to keep exploring the island with my sketchbook, perhaps next time I will have some pictures of the sea to share, I hear The Obscura is parked down in Smugglers cove.

Welcome readers,

I am very excited to have my own little spot in the newsletter. When Jayne first made the suggestion you could have knocked me over with a feather, my own column in an international publication...I never dreamed I would see the day!

So without further ado, onto the news....

Vernon and Connie came to visit last week, they stopped by on a one of their walks and we all sat outside drinking tea and having a good old chat. They are thinking of renting a little house down by the bay this summer and I strongly suggested they go directly and through the village, avoiding the WildWoods at all costs...I do hope they take my advice or we might never see them again.

And speaking of WildWoods, I am sad to report that the camp fires are burning at night again..music and singing till all hours, oh heavens! Fun for some I'm sure, but this bird needs his beauty rest so I hesitate to move back into my rosebush as I think it might rather disturbing.

Robin and I are enjoying our stay at the big house where we been exploring the library together. There are so many interesting treasures in to be found. Robin's favorite discovery is a book of rare and fantastical beasts from the Elizabethan era, he likes to look at some of the pages but others scare him so badly that he jumps in fear...Which adds to the fun!

I have been looking into the history of the house and came upon some old photos one of which I have included here, I believe it was taken in the 1930's and from the far side of the pond.

I'll be poking my beak into all the nooks and crannies looking for new treasures to share with you next time, until then toodle pip and keep your beak held high!

~Quentin

I hope you enjoyed my first attempt at a newsletter, it was a little more involved than I imagined but I will do my best to make it a little better each time. As I said in the beginning please feel free to contact me, I would love to see YOUR art and hear your stories.

Until next time, take care and happy travels

Jayne