If you were to come and stay in Dorset, one of the books you’d find in a big stack on the end of the bed in the guest bedroom is one of my favourite of the King Penguins (which we used to sell in the shop, and I think it may be time to start again). Wild Flowers of the Chalk has perhaps one of the most evocative titles I can think of, don’t you agree? 
It has been a wonderful year for the wild flowers of the chalk. The weeks and weeks of unsettled summer and rain, grey clouds, drenched afternoons, has been rather amazing for the green hills and I have never seen so many wild flowers and butterflies as the moment. 
Delicate harebells and wild scabious are particularly profuse this year.
From the distance the chalk hills are glowing blue with them.
We have had weekends of extraordinary clouds and skies.
Happy dogs:
but the dark grey skies of August 2023 are never far away. 
In London this week, I grabbed a rare day of sunshine for photography at our building at Chelsea Barracks – I was there, with my camera, at dawn… 
Kim Wilkie’s wonderful veg garden that supplies the restaurant in our building! 
The brick vaults and domes….all built of solid, load-bearing brick – 
The end oculus is open to the sky! 
The garrison chapel, opposite. 
And I was back again at dusk…
Just in time to capture this moment when the clouds parted, and the spire of St Barnabas glowed perfectly in the evening sunshine. A good moment! I was glad the sun came through the clouds just then. 
The restaurant was buzzing, lovely to see. 
And I was actually having supper there (conveniently enough) with our clients and friends, Lucy and Steve, and Will and Tamara from the office. A very happy evening! 
We’ve had a lovely weekend with some other clients, over from New Zealand – Vinny and Tessa, and beautiful baby Lucia…. (and mad Enid)… And our friends Spenny and Austin are now on their way! 
A quick walk in between guests this afternoon – wild flowers and butterflies still glowing. 
Next week, I’m off to Italy for Valentina’s birthday… Charlie is here for the Melplash Show – and the sunshine is coming – we think? I am hoping!
Have a lovely last two weeks of August – back to “new notebooks”, and some very exciting news for Pentreath & Hall, soon.
