Randy Hale has just sent us this wonderful watercolour of the mill seen from the walled garden, with the vine verandah and its green umbrellas in the foreground. He calls the painting Contemplating Aperitivi, and I think it celebrates one of the distinctive features of a Watermill creative course. For it is here, as the shadows lengthen, we meet for evening aperitivi, and convivial conversation at the end of our creative day.
As we sip our cocktails and enjoy amuses bouches fresh from the kitchen (and perhaps a little night music under the rose pergola) the chat flourishes: old friendships are revived, and new ones forged.
So, we, too, are contemplating aperitivi, as we prepare for our new Watermill creative season. If you have booked a slot already, we are looking forward to welcoming you here. If you haven’t, there are still a few places left on our painting, creative writing, knitting and Italian language weeks. If you can’t make it this year, we will raise a glass to absent friends. Salute!