frost, fish, Film Farm

Tuesday 7th saw me on my travels once more, this time to lecture near Aylesbury. As noted the snow on my side of Kent had melted away, but come Sevenoaks it was all snowy again which finally gave way to the most beautiful hoar frost I think I've ever seen. Thence across to Bristol area for the night and the following day a drive down to Truro for another lecture - again fabulous frost sparkling in the low sunlight - the sheep were snapped during this trip (reminds me of a dreadful painting my grandfather had above his fireplace, always struck me as odd, the miserable looking half frozen sheep marooned above a blazing log fire!). Stayed the night with a lovely lady in St Agnes, an old tin mining village.Thursday a Reyntiens research day, first to see the five amazing Piper/Reyntiens windows in St Andrew's, Plymouth (the fish are a detail from the Trinity window in the south transept). And on to Devizes to see the spirited Piper/Reyntiens panel in the Museum of Wiltshire Archaeological Society, from which the pots are a detail. Night at a B&B north of Oxford and then the following morning a drive to Film Farm arriving in time for luncheon of scallops wrapped in pancetta (a FF Favourite).Charles' friend Alan had been delighting himself night fishing off the east coast beaches (must be barking!) and presented the director with a cauldron full of whiting (see photo). Luckily Charles undertook the fiddly filleting process whilst I faffed around putting together tomatoes, spinach, carrots, celery, chilli pepper, grated cheddar, some prawns and smoked fish and mash to make a Jamie Oliver style fish pie. Followed by fish soup and Gruyere toasts the following day, and gallons and gallons of fish stock for the freezer.

And then it was back to editing work until Tuesday when I drove back to Kent. Wednesday went to Christie's to witness the auction of Brangwyn's Cider Press and Brass Shop, both woefully undersold to my mind, especially considering the prices some rather worthless pieces attracted. Hey ho, c'est la vie. Cheered myself up no end by then not only 'doing' the Glasgow Boys at the RA (wonderful except for the labelling, one room was decorated in gold and the writing was impossible to read) but also Gauguin at Tate Modern (he was one of my earliest artistic passions so interesting to note that I still found the work fascinating and compelling some 45 or so years later - my love of art started at a very precocious age you understand!)

Now to contemplate Christmas - and do some organising! Have a good one - we'll be back in the New Year.