Sunday 3rd May A hundred and fifteen years ago, the last person to live in Tyrone House packed up and left. Actually, that’s not quite true: the caretaker stayed there for another few years, and was carried out in his bed when Republicans set the house on fire. I’ve heard many stories about the unpopularity…
Sunday 3rd May Lockdown trends I have done: sourdough (can’t open the jar anymore because the lid is now glued on with starter); baking (my daughter does it all now); yoga (every day I do ten or twenty minutes and I hope this is one craze I won’t drop); zoom classes (fun!); made masks (they…
Saturday 2nd May Plants Sketching your houseplants of not as hard as it might seem. I am going to show you how I did mine. You start by looking for a plant you think would make a suitable contender. You want one with some broad leaves, or you’ll get frustrated when things get fiddly. Then…
Saturday 25th April Paddy cooks dinner. Tonight he is doing oven fried chicken. We are experiencing a tumultuous time at home, and it is lovely to be looked after by Paddy. He looks at us all tucking into the meal he has made. “It’s such a lovely feeling to know people are relying on you,”…
Friday 24th April Midday, coffee break No more Living In Lockdown blogs! I will go on posting sketches, because I love to sketch and there’s a wealth of gorgeous things to record and share with you, but there’s going to be a lot less chat. Instead I will offer one or two Zoom classes every…
Thursday 23rd April 4.00pm I haven’t given up on trying to capture dandelions in watercolour. The race is on, because light grey spheres of the fluffy clocks are beginning to encroach upon the beds of sunny yellow heads; I don’t have long. I’m still struggling, and I may have to change tack. A fortnight ago…
Wednesday 22nd April 12.30pm We all sit outside and have elevenses (time is meaningless these days). My husband Marcel and I and our son Paddy (18) have coffee, and Liv (15) has tea. Honor (20) hasn’t yet made an appearance. Coffee break is sacred in our house. The coffee has frothy milk in it, it…
Tuesday 22nd April 5.00pm This is Drumacoo Abbey, about a mile from my house. To get there you walk along a country road, past the glowering ruins of Tyrone House, the road twisting and turning like a river, with grassy fields on either side, each a cascade of dandelions and daisies. The colours are bright,…
Monday 20th April 8.00am I’m up earlier than everyone in my house. I am an early bird. My husband Marcel reckons when I say this I am paying myself a big compliment. But I love early morning these days (not that 8.00am is early). Birds are in full throat and I have the house to…
Sunday 19th April 5.00pm I do a live talk with Urban Sketchers on Instagram Live. Rob Sketcherman is a charming and loquacious host. We talk about what it’s like trying to keep inspired to sketch when you’re stuck at home…I tell Rob about finding the beauty in the everyday. I tell him that it’s been…