Sunday, August 19, 2012


9 years ago when we moved to France my daughter gave me a collection of cuttings from her garden to plant here as well as packets of seeds she had collected herself.  These fuschia are still going strong in several corners, in fact they are taking over in some places, at least we have plenty of room for them.  This plant is opposite the dining room window so I can watch the activity outside as we eat.  Every day at breakfast time for a couple of weeks the blue tits came to feast on the bugs, first one arrived then called his friends and family to join in the fun!  The soft branches bent over almost to the ground with the weight of these acrobatic little birds.

8 comments:

  1. What a gorgeous page...sketching DOES make us pay more attention to nature, doesn't it, Valerie. That's one reason I started this blog, to encourage more of it!

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  2. I so enjoy your pages, Valerie! Lovely design and story here.

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  3. It's thanks to you Kate for AJW and Sketching in Nature, which I discovered a couple of years ago, that I have been inspired to concentrate on this subject and to share my work. I could never have imagined the worldwide community of sketchers until I got involved myself!
    Pam, I've loved your work for ages and have several of your images saved on my ipod for inspiration!

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    1. Isn't it wonderful, Valerie!? I would never have imagined it either...for all its problems, I LOVE the Internet!

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  4. This is a beautiful sketch Valerie. The colors are yummy. Are fuchia plants perennial where you live in France? As annuals here in Virginia, mine never get very big. And what a beautiful bird! Well done.

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    1. THank you.Paula,this fuchsia majellanica is a shrub and perennial. I cut almost to the ground every autumn and in spring new shoots come up from the base. I love the colours too as they sparkle in the green leaves.

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  5. I'll bet that is a sight to see...all those little jewels and then that beautifully colored bird! Wow. Our fuschias generally live out the summer in a pot or, more likely, a hanging basket. Sigh.

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  6. What a wonderful view from your window!

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