My field this July - with orchids, ragged robin and buttercups, later I have swathes of montbretia and purple loosestrife. It is time for me to be looking ahead, dot the i's and cross the t's on various bookings that will take me away from home. Yes - I am venturing out into the world again in 2019. It has been a wonderful year here in Ireland, a lot less traveling and a chance to settle. I had time to notice which flowers bloomed when, find more fascinating local places to visit . . and make plans . . . I moved here 2 years ago today - on my 60th birthday. What an amazing 2 years it has been, I have made friends and settled down. Ireland feels like home now, it has taken this long. There is so much more to learn to learn about this beautiful place, I will be learning about it for the rest of my life. The teaching here has gone well and bookings have started for next year. I love inviting students into my home for the Look, Draw, Print, Stitch weekend workshop

 Layers of colour and gorgeousness.  Things have been a bit more down that up recently - a few big changes have occurred and I am regrouping. So it was a joy to hear about Lou Brown and her prize winning sketch books. I get the odd email now and then saying how helpful my books are and that I am an inspiration. It is always gratifying. But when my friend Jill told me about the work that Cheadle School had been doing based on my design exercise The Journey that can be found in my second book Experimental Textiles and some plastic samples from exercises in my first book Hot Textiles I was really excited. Louise Brown on the right. Louise Brown won the Manchester School of Art / Cass Art Teacher Sketchbook Prize on Friday 8th June.  Lou is Head of Design & Technology at Cheadle Hulme High School.  She teaches A level Textiles and the two sketchbooks she entered show her lesson samples as part of the course in year 12.  The judges were particularly intere

6.30 am. Sometimes it's worth getting up early . . . This photo says it all. Sunshine and showers . .  Well I think we had all had some decent weather over the bank holiday weekend. Here on Loop Head we had the annual Oyster and Trad Music Festival. There are some fabulous photos and videos on the Carrigaholt Facebook page - do have a look. www.facebook.com/CarrigaholtCoClare  Fabulous music outside The Long Dock. There was also music at the lighthouse this weekend. It has been great fun. The warmer weather is encouraging all our wild flowers to show their lovely heads. The Sea Thrift is looking glorious and the Gorse is starting to get to it's full technicolour yellow. In another coupe of months the hedge rows will be a riot of colour with Montbretia, Purple Loosestrife and the beautiful white, fluffy Meadow Sweet. The first arrivals in my field. I am learning which flowers are growing in my field. Clockwise they are - Lady