These ancient mulberry trees in the Watermill car park have just been given a ‘short back and sides’ by local tree surgeons. It may look a bit brutal, but it’s been so skilfully done that soon they will be sprouting mightily again. No one is quite sure how old they are. We joke with our […]
Soaking up the sunshine and fresh air
Can’t you just see the smile on these guys’ faces as they soak up some sun and fresh Posara air after we brought them into the courtyard following a winter of protective seclusion? These are some of our citrus trees — oranges, lemons and kumquats –which will be enhancing the Watermill,, along with all the […]
Waving the flag for our Watermill creative courses
I photographed this fine fellow, a flag iris, taking in the sun in the Watermill’s walled garden. How elegant he looks, how beautifully designed. Another symbol of spring, of course, and also an excuse to keep you up-to-date on availability on this year’s inspiring and convivial Watermill creative courses. Bookings are buoyant (should we say […]
A single devastating picture is worth a thousand words
All war is terrible, and we are daily horrified by the pictures coming from Ukraine. It is difficult to know what to do, and that feeling of helplessness and our concern at the suffering of the Ukrainian people is with us every day The horrors of war were again brought home to us by a […]
And they say romance is dead!
Romance is alive and well and living in (well, snoozing in) Venice. You can snooze in the Watermill walled garden or in your comfortable air-conditioned rooms during one of our renowned creative courses but you are likely to be a little more active! Nonetheless you will have plenty relaxing time to enjoy la dolce vita […]
Still time to grab your place on a fulfilling Watermill creative course
I am delighted to be able to tell you that people are now sending in their balances, keen to confirm that they are coming to join us on one of our renowned creative courses at the Watermill. We are pretty full up through the season, with people who have already reserved a place by paying […]
Excitement over an automatic toaster, a one-eyed Duke (and other stories)
Find out why we are getting excited about an automatic toaster in the April Watermill newsletter. Meet a one-eyed Duke, a Venetian shady lady, and enjoy lots of other intriguing stories. Just click here.
A picture of a dress (and Eleanora di Toledo)
Dateline: Italy, Florence, the Uffizi Gallery, Room 65; A Thursday in the middle of March, around 9:15 in the morning. Attending a Private Audience with Eleanora di Toledo. Yes, it really is a Private Audience: none of the other visitors to the gallery have yet penetrated as far as Room 65, so Lois and I […]
A Sunday morning riverside walk at the Watermill
Lois and I have just been for our Sunday morning constitutional along the riverside during our weekend visit ensure that all is progressing satisfactorily ready for the opening of our creative courses next month. All is coming along well. We have installed new powerful Wi-Fi to ensure fast international communications for our guests; a man […]
‘One-stop Uffizi’ 3: Piero and the one-eyed duke
We were talking recently with friends about the importance of not letting the ‘back story’ get in the way of looking at pictures. You know what I mean: becoming bogged down in facts and figures, like who painted the picture and when, the historical context, the implications of the subject matter and, as far as […]