FLOODS!
We are OPEN for business!
I am writing this blog on Valentine's Day! On yet another windy wet stormy day.
We should be trading in Taunton this weekend, but yet again due to the weather it has been cancelled, this makes life very frustraiting as we are just itching to get out and about trading again. And not just trading we haven't been able to touch the garden, as it is just one big muddy puddle. The thought of starting to sow this years veg crop, seems ridiculous at the moment, as the veg patch is in desperate need of a jolly good tidy up and I planned to expand it this year, but to go out there now (as I was this time last year) would be a disaster.
We have been experiencing all sorts here at T&M HQ, luckily no where near as bad as our not too distant neighbours on the Somerset levels however. We are high up on the hill near the Wellington Monument (one of the highest points in the UK) and we dont have any rivers near us. However the drive, which is long, does have a 10ft drop, so we are not quite at the top of the hill and it is surprising how much run off we get from the fields, our house is in a little dip, which means the water runs down and collects for a short time in our back garden before feeding its way down into the neighbours field. My Dad has made this possible by creating gullies in the gravel driveway, which although gets a bit hairy at times, does filter away quite quickly.
Luckily this year we haven't experienced the snow fall we did in January 2013, yet!
Winter 2013 compared to the little flurry we had yesterday!
So what have we been up to instead of trading, well we cant trade if we dont have any stock, so we are busy working away, making new stuff, I am restocking my jewellery, trying to get it up to a level where I can always be ahead of demand, which is a tricky estimation game, I have all the figures for what I sold last year, so I have a rough idea, but we will be attending more and larger events this year, so I dont want to get to the stage where I cant keep up!. I am also gearing up for the next annual event - Mother's Day (Sunday 30th March in case you need reminding!).
Mark is always painting, as soon as he completes one painting he is onto the next, sometimes having a few on the go at once (if one isn't working out he moves onto the next one and then comes back to it), when he has one that is going well he works solidly on it, from 8am often until 10pm, bearly stopping to eat, so I know when he is happy with his work as he becomes so absorbed. His latest finished painting is a biggie and it is very intricate so this one has taken him a couple of weeks to complete, but it was worth it. I have called it The Mandala Tree #12. Its the twelth in a series of trees, this one features a Mandala, which is something he doodles, often at events and incorporates Celtic designs, flowers and insects, the sky is done using inspiration from an American artist Chuck Close who uses the spots in his portraits.
It is looking likely that the only time I will get out to trade this month is tomorrow when I will be at Hemyock Village Hall from 10am - 12pm. Hopefully the weather will clear up enough for me to trade in Taunton next Saturday, but I am not holding my breath. I have to keep telling myself I dont normally trade this time of year anyway, its just because of the new Taunton market that I am going out at all!
So for now, to be on the safe side, rather than trying to catch me at one of the markets, although I would love to see you there, its is probably best to buy online.
Stay dry everyone, I firmly believe we will be in for a smashing summer soon.......
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