Na'zza and the Fruit

Here's a short video slideshow made from some of the rapid sketches I'd done during 2016. The location is Birkenhead Park, and all but one of the sketches were done with an ordinary fine-line ink pen. I used a small pad which could easily be tucked inside a jacket pocket for convenience. When I describe the sketches as rapid, I mean it. Many of them were completed within a few seconds. I hope you all enjoy the video. You can find my other videos by using the menu above, or at my YouTube site.

As I type this, rain is pattering loudly against the window beside me. It's a sound I've always enjoyed; I find it strangely comforting and restful. Rain has its own musicality.

The rain will also help to water-in the loganberry and thornless blackcurrant canes I planted in large tubs yesterday. I also potted up two wall baskets with three tiny strawberry plants in each. As they grow, these will happily dangle down and provide a splash of greenery on a garden wall as well as offer a supply of home-grown fruit. Strawberries will grow well even on the smallest patio or veranda, and require very little care. I grew them in our old garden and the hardest part was harvesting the ripe fruit before our Westie ate the lot.

Richard invented a new dinner. He'd prepared the topping for pizzas before discovering we were out of pizza bases. I'm not fond of them anyway as the bases make my tongue feel like it's been licking carpet. What was he going to do? Make elaborate cheese on toast? Then his eye fell on a packet of na'an bread... A purist might cringe but actually it tasted delicious. I recommend it, despite the bread being floppy so you have to roll it like a pancake to eat it. We name this dish piz'an, or na'zza - take your pick.

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