I never thought it would be possible to have a favourite stone, but this one is mine. We encounter it every day when we go for a walk along the millstream and through the bamboo forest beside the river. The stone stands beside the path just above the boca, the archway which marks the beginning of the millstream proper, after the waters have been diverted from the river.
I like it because it does nothing but act as host to a variety of wildlife: moss, lichen, ivy and goodness knows what else. The lichen are particularly welcome because they show how clear the air is here.
Last weekend, Lois and I were at the Watermill, seeing how all the maintenance had been carefully carried: Karsten has done a wonderful job in renovating the frantoio doors and painting the rose pergola, while Flavio has planted some new roses and fresh lavender bushes beneath them.
It was a glorious weekend, cold and frosty in the morning, but sunny during the day and warm enough for us to enjoy lunches outside. The first signs of spring are everywhere, not least during our morning constitutional along the millstream and by the river. Here’s a view of sunshine and shadows.
The first heralds of spring are the primroses and I also particularly like the daisies in the grass of the riverside gardens, though no doubt Flavio will soon be decapitating them in his first grass cut of the season.
Now that we can begin to see the light at the end of the coronavirus tunnel, we are planning a grand reawakening of our creative courses, beginning in the middle of June (all being well), an exciting undertaking after more than a year of enforced shutdown. Below you will find our new programme for the 2021 season. Come and join us and celebrate freedom and creativity, and enjoy warm hospitality and convivial company. And come and see how my stone is getting along.
Our inspiring painting courses:
Here is the complete list of our painting tutors for next year. You can find out more about each of them by clicking on their Profile page link in their entries below.
Mike Willdridge
12 – 19 June 2021
Watercolours
To learn more about Mike and his course at the mill, please visit his 2021 Profile Page
Paul Talbot-Greaves
19 – 26 June 2021
Watercolours
To learn more about Paul and his course at the mill, please visit his 2021 Profile Page.
Rebecca de Mendonça
26 June – 3 July 2021
Pastels and Mixed media
To learn more about Rebecca and her course at the mill, please visit her 2021 Profile Page.
Vicki Norman
3 – 10 July 2021
Oils and watercolours (and other mediums)
To learn more about Vicki and her course at the mill, please visit her 2021 Profile Page.
Carl March
10 – 17 July 2021
Drawing and watercolours en plein air
To learn more about Carl and his course at the mill, please visit his 2021 Profile Page.
Randy Hale
21 – 28 August 2021
Watercolours
To learn more about Randy and his course at the mill, please visit his 2021 Profile Page.
Mike Willdridge
28 August – 4 September 2021 x places left
Watercolour and drawing (also gouache and acrylics)
To learn more about Mike and his course at the mill, please visit his 2021 Profile Page.
Mike Willdridge
4 – 11 September 2021
Watercolour and drawing (also gouache and acrylics)
To learn more about Mike and his course at the mill, please visit his 2021 Profile Page.
Milind Mulick
11 – 18 September 2021
Colourful watercolours
To learn more about Milind and his course at the mill, please visit his 2021 Profile Page.
Brienne M Brown
18 – 25 September 2021
Watercolours
To learn more about Brienne and her course at the mill, please visit her 2021 Profile Page.
Tim Wilmot
2 – 9 October 2021
Watercolours
To learn more about Tim and his course at the mill, please visit his 2021 Profile Page.
Ali Hargreaves
9 – 16 October 2021
Watercolours
To learn more about Ali and her course at the mill, please visit her 2021 Profile Page.
Grahame Booth
23 – 30 October 2021 x places left
Watercolours
To learn more about Grahame and his course at the mill, please visit his 2021 Profile Page.
Our enabling writing courses:
Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran
24 – 31 July 2021
Scriptwriting
To learn more about Laurence and Maurice and their course at the mill course at the mill, please visit their 2021 Tutor Profile Page.
Jo Parfitt
14 -21 August 2021
Writing your life stories
To learn more about Jo and her course at the mill, please visit her 2021 Tutor Profile page.
Our relaxing knitting weeks:
Knitting retreat
17-24 July 2021
Knitting and la Bella Vita To learn more about our knitting retreat, please click here
Louisa Harding
7 – 14 August 2021
Knitting and la Bella Vita
To learn more about Louisa and her week at the Watermill, please visit her 2021 Profile page.
Our enhancing language week:
Francesca La Sala
16-23 October 2021
A novel approach to learning Italian
To learn more about Francesca and her course at the mill, please visit our Language Programme Page
Time to cast off your coronavirus blues: come and join us for creativity, scenery, hospitality and conviviality. You can find more about everything by clicking here.