Nearly a Dorset Resident

I write this sitting in the conservatory at Ansty, listening to the small sounds of the night and watching a spider which lives in a crevice by the wall, one leg protruding.

We haven't quite moved in yet, and have to return to Bucks tomorrow to complete the packing, but the last couple of days have been a peaceful interlude before the removal van arrives on Monday. And I have enjoyed the casualness of camping in our new house with very basic equipment. It may not be the same once I have all the niceties of normal life, I will welcome the arrival of our bed and the dining room chairs, but have quite enjoyed not having a television.

The studio is more or less complete, the sink is fitted along with much of the original kitchen from the bungalow. All my work is here, all the paints and canvas to make new images and lots of ideas which are rolling round in my head.

Of course, most of my thoughts are to do with the landscape, harvest is reaching it's peak and the fields are interlaced with tracks, stands of uncut corn, neatly shaved areas and hayricks. And there are birds, I've seen buzzards aplenty, house martins whisk to and fro over the garden and pheasants make stately progress across the horse field below. On the lawn we have regular visits from pied wagtails. The skies are so big, great billowing cloudscapes lit from below.

I'm very interested in the river at Blandford, it's sluggish at this time of year, full of reeds and waterlilies, buzzing with small swarms of insects and heavy with reflections. The ducks gather by the weir, under the new blue footbridge, they dabble and quarrel and do what ducks do.

I want to start by making some new canvases. I have quite a few stretcher bars and some very nice fine grained canvas. I have to make them while the weather is still good enough to work outside, as the rabbit skin size that I use to coat them smells of unwashed socks. I haven't used the new hob as yet so it's first job may well be to melt the size.

We went to the coffee morning today and met a few of our soon-to-be neighbours, the talk is of village fetes and cream teas, the tap dance class and badminton sessions and we certainly won't miss the village pantomime. We were welcomed and I had a good look at the building with a view to organising art classes. There is a small hall with a washable floor and light folding tables which will be very suitable, so I hope to get something organised for the autumn.