Winter Wayzgoose at Hay on Wye

Hay on Wye sits right on the border between England and Wales. It is an attractive old town nestling in the foothills of the Brecon Beacon mountain range. Its many book shops have helped make it the biggest secondhand book centre in the world - a dream destination for the bibliophile. 

Every book you could possibly want can be bought -  the unusual, the rare, and the collectable. Books of maps both new and antique, and exquisitely illustrated children's books. This small town boasts no fewer than 36 different bookshops.  

There are even cafes tucked away in several of the bookshops serving delicious homemade food.

 There are specialised food stores, 

and eclectic shops selling artefacts unique to Hay. 

 the story of books

"The Story of Books" is a fairly recent initiative opened to create a dynamic working museum that celebrates the ongoing tale of books in Hay on Wye. Through collaboration with experts and enthusiasts in the world of books, they make experiences where stories are told and books are made.
Last Saturday they hosted a Wayzgoose Printers Fair where private presses showed how they make their hand printed and hand bound books. 

Wayzgoose was traditionally an entertainment by a master printer for his workmen each year on St. Batholomew Day. It marked the traditional end of summer and the start of the season of working by candlelight. Later, the word came to refer to an annual outing and dinner for the staff of a printing works or the printers on a newspaper. Although traditionally held in August it has no fixed date these days.
In the late afternoon a launch was held of our youngest son's latest book showing his linocut prints at The Story of Books. This was done by the private press that printed it on handmade paper using a traditional press. 

Afterwards we were invited to join a candlelit Wayzgoose Supper held in the upper storey of the building where we were treated to a delicious variety of vegetable curries and glasses of wine. 

Happy Christmas

The cases are packed

The gifts are wrapped

The cards have all been posted and

a holly wreath decks the front door.

My sincere hope to you all is that you enjoy

a wonderful Christmas,

wherever you may be.

Thank you for your warm friendship,

 and the thoughtful exchanges we have shared over the past year

linocut Robin courtesy youngest son

Garden Journey continues........

The climb up from the Chinese garden in Biddulph leads to a representation of a ruined medieval building

into a Victorian oddity known as a Stumpery 

As the name implies a Stumpery is literally made from tree stumps. The pieces are arranged artistically and plants, typically ferns, mosses and lichens are encouraged to grow around or on the wood. Stumperies were a popular feature in C19th gardens, and may have been the result of the Romantic Movement which emphasised the beauty of nature but most likely they were the consequence of a growing interest in ferns

At the end of the Stumpery there are two choices - go through the archway and under the Watch Tower which leads back down into the lower garden or climb up through the Stumpery to a higher level in the garden 

The outlook from the  Watch Tower gives an interesting view along the 'Dahlia Walk'

At this higher level Bateman built his 'Egyptian Garden' complete with topiary pyramid clipped from Yew

The corridor running beneath the pyramid has two exits - this one leading to the Arboretum and Pinetum

the other exit is from this so called 'Cheshire Cottage' which eventually leads back down to the lower garden

The original Grange that Bateman bought in 1840 was burnt down in 1896 but by that time he had moved away to live in London

There is much more to see in this garden than I have shown - a Cherry Orchard, a Wellingtonia Avenue, Bowling Green, Rose, Verbena and Araucaria Parterres along with the Pinetum and Arboretum

Biddulph is a garden that provides all year round interest,

but now like departing swallows we too are travelling South for a few days

Linocut by youngest son, one of his greetings cards published by Green Pebble 

A journey and a small gift

illustration by Jessie Willcox Smith via wikipedia

Like Alice and the White Rabbit I am about to disappear, not down a hole but

over mountains, rivers, forests, and sea

via wikipedia

via wikipedia

Anyone commenting on this post will be entered into Random Org. 

H will click the generate button after Easter. You will be given a number that tallies with your comment i.e first comment No. 1 etc.

My gift is a large canvass tote bag - useful for shopping, crafts/art materials, an extra bag for holidays etc.

Closing date for comments is midnight GMT Easter Sunday the 31st March 2013 so you have plenty of time. 

As I mentioned I am disappearing until after Easter so no more comments or posts from me until then. 

You could be forgiven for thinking that the bag looks rather plain and unexciting. However, when unfolded it features one of the latest linocuts done by youngest son.

"Owl hunting by the light of the moon"

 image courtesy my son
Good Luck

Christmas Day 2012

We have opened our presents, feasted, and listened to the Queen.

Lovely daughter-in-law made crackers, and handmade gift wrapping for some of the presents. My cracker present was this linen shopping bag showing one of youngest son's linocuts which I am delighted to have.

A beautiful sky at the end of a lovely day. Hope you have all enjoyed a wonderful time.

Youngest son - Printmaker

Although youngest son is a Teacher of Special Needs pupils he is also a Printmaker. 

He has a studio at the bottom of his garden where he diligently works away making lino cuts and printing them off in limited editions during his spare time.

Recently he had a private view in a gallery along with three other printmakers.

Studio 

Each print takes several linocuts to achieve the different layers of colour, all of which have to be meticulously cut out in a negative format. 

Every layer of colour takes time and care and has to hang on a line to dry.

Kerry Coastline

Gannets on "The Skelligs"

Obviously his linocuts feature extensively on our walls including these two views from southern Ireland. They are going to be included in a book called Irish Landscapes, he still has two more to do.

A collage of some linocut illustrations that were used to illustrate an Aesop's Fable of The Miller, His Son, and Their Ass. The book had 16 illustrations plus one each on the front and back cover. It was printed on handmade paper in a limited edition by a private press a short while ago.