! As you probably know we have created a community of convivial like-minded people who have become Watermill patrons. There are lots of bonuses when you join. Patrons receive regular exclusive videos keeping them up to date on all our activities and on top tips from our renowned creative tutors, podcasts giving insights into Italian life, and, of course, delicious recipes from the Continue Reading
Good morning, Tuscany!
Here’s a bright watercolour by Watermill tutor Randy Hale, which captures the essence of many a Tuscan village as a man takes his dog for a walk through the ancient and quiet streets. We hope that Randy’s evocation of the spirit of Tuscany brightens your morning, too. You can come and see the real thing and paint similar scenes with Randy, if you join him for his inspiring week-long watercolour Continue Reading
Saying it with flowers…
The sun is shining, the garden is blooming, the river is running and all is right with the world! We have a couple of guests arriving from Holland this afternoon. And how better to welcome them than with flowers. Here is Lois with a ‘hello again’ bouquet. There will be flowers all the way for our 2021 creative season. Come and see for yourself. Click here to find out all about everything at Continue Reading
From a Scottish castle to an Italian Watermill garden
Lois’ latest Watermill garden flowerpot has quite a history. It started life in a Scottish castle in the wilds of Aberdeenshire and ended up in the walled garden of an ancient Italian Watermill in rural Tuscany. We enjoyed living in the small, but beautifully formed Castle of Park in the North of Scotland, but when we left, more than 10 years ago, we brought with us a mass of furniture, Continue Reading
Join your fellow American on a painting adventure in unspoiled Tuscany in Italy
. Now that restrictions on travel from the USA* to Italy have relaxed, it is time for you to throw off the coronavirus blues and spent a wonderful week painting in Tuscany with US artist Randy Hale. He is a charming man, a great artist and an experienced and sympathetic painting teacher. (*Hopefully, travel restrictions for the Brits will have been abolished, by then too.) Randy Hale, an Continue Reading
Nature’s amazing nectar recharging plant
In this day and age, when we tend to worry about almost everything, there’s been some concern about the range of the new generation of electric cars and the speed with which we will be able to charge them. I am not among those worriers: battery technology is advancing so quickly that I’m sure that in a very short space of time we will be able to drive hundreds of miles in one go, and to recharge Continue Reading
The flowering star of the Watermill walled garden
This albizia tree (a type of mimosa) is the undoubted up-and-coming flowering star of the Watermill walled garden at the moment. And, as you can see, there are plenty of more buds waiting to burst forth in the next few weeks. We would love you to join us and see its blossoming, too. There are more details of the remaining creative courses this year, which you can see on the Watermill Continue Reading
Yildiz relives memories of happy watermill days
Yildiz Diab, a lovely lady from Lebanon, who has been on a number of Watermill creative courses, recently sent me a collection of pictures she has taken over the years when she has enjoyed weeks with us. She says: “They brought back so many happy memories of my times with you.” Thank you so much for the time and trouble you took in looking these out and sending them to us, Yildiz. They Continue Reading
Cool as a mountain stream
Lois looks a little pensive as she enjoys cooling off in a ‘natural Jacuzzi’ in the River Rosaro that runs beside the mill. Probably because even in July, the waters, which come from the high Appennines some 12 miles away, can be a little chilly. Still, it is a wonderful way to cool down on a hot day. (But don’t forget you will always be Cool and Green in the Watermill itself: all our bedrooms Continue Reading
Extraordinary exclusive Watermill video stories for our Watermill patrons
Here's a little teaser (just click the arrow above)-- a short trailer for a longer, fun video that Lois has made exclusively for our wonderful Watermill patrons. It’s the July update of some of our recent stories from the Watermill, including the extraordinary tale of the return of ancient documents to a nearby castle, an extraordinary night-time picture of an enormous stag rubbing his antlers Continue Reading