Good things in unexpected places

Watching, or better still being involved in, 

the regenerative powers of nature is the finest therapy for sickness,

 of body or mind. 

Sydenham Garden is an original and inspiring initiative.

Richard Mabey - Author of "Nature Cure".

Crafts and gardening at the Sydenham Garden.

Havelock Walk Open Day,

an artist's community in a cobbled mews behind an unprepossessing 

row of shops. 

Audience participation in 'Left Behind',

performed by the Bold and Saucy theatre company.

All the livelong day

It started at 5 a.m,

with this sunrise,

and a trip to drop our son off at his friend's house,

to catch a plane to Turkey for a sailing holiday.

On a whim I drove on to my usual park

and found the gates open and

the gardens deserted.

I startled a heron on the lake,

and none of the wildfowl were in visitor receiving mode.

Back in our garden by 7 a.m,

I witnessed for the first time

ladybirds hatching from their chrysalises.

This grasshopper somehow found its way into our bedroom

where it contrasted rather fetchingly with the headboard.

To celebrate  the new Sydenham Arts festival,

 we started with lunch at The Blue Mountain cafe,

followed by a ceramics exhibition,

(this was a pavement find)

took a brief domestic interlude,

further refreshment (it was very hot by now)

and then a concert at the Dietrich Bonhoeffer church

performed by ensemble diX.

Bach choral variations for soprano and four wind instruments

and German red gooseberry tart to follow - a perfect combination.

An impromptu ping pong tournament,

then supper at The Dolphin with Annabel 

the Visual Arts co-ordinator for the festival,

her partner Barry,

and young friends.

A balalaika troupe played,

and there was dancing as

brightly flaming red lanterns scudded across the night sky.

Hot in the garden

Crops

not quite a glut yet,

but certainly an ample sufficiency.