This story began in the dining room of a country house near Antwerp. There, in 1566, the owner, Niclaes Jonghelinck, displayed his set of six, wonderfully detailed landscapes which, amongst other things also illustrated the ‘hard work of the peasants, the dignity of their labour and the central role of nature in their lives and…

This story started over thirty years ago. Jeff, the brother of one of Rohan’s oldest childhood friends - phoned us to ask a favour. We had a large house in London and he wanted to store some antique pottery with us. His story was complicated. He had just come over from Chile - he lives…

There is little that pleases my mind more than the discovery of something new. It could be a new idea, a new insight, a new solution, a new joke or, in keeping with more common traditions, something of beauty newly observed. And if, by chance, the discovery touches on my own endeavours or of those…

In France and England, and probably everywhere else, whichever china is used for everyday meals, tradition dictates that on special occasions the table is set with the household’s best set. Not only does such an arrangement tell guests that for them the meal is to be a special occasion with a menu to match, it…

This blog started as we travelled to Brittany accompanied by a soft, red-antlered reindeer (see illustration). We were going for our customary Easter holiday in Tréguennec and for this part of our journey we took a train from Paris. After we had installed ourselves, a man in his early sixties with long and untidy silvery…

Visiting Kew Gardens in the Spring makes for a wonderful treat with plants everywhere in blossom set off by perfectly maintained lawns and paths. Recently we have been twice. The first occasion was a delight with the flowers at their magnificent best and with a chance observation that gave us the pleasure of learning something…

A fortnight ago, Rohan and I had lunch with our grandson River and his Dad - River had just turned seven. He had celebrated his birthday proper at a party with his friends; now at lunch, as well as giving him his presents, he and I played chess (see first Illustration). This blog is about…

I see home-made jams as a most precious commodity and during the 15 years or so since we retired, making jams of all types has become an important part of our lives. We do it not only because we love the whole creative process - each year we produce over 150 jars - but also…

This blog was prompted by an incident a few weeks ago when body language played a most unexpected trick!  Jill* and I go to the same gym, and while I exercise most days she is more a Monday/Wednesday/Friday person. We first ‘met’ around ten years ago but it was not until five years later that…

As a general rule, anyone walking around London will somewhere see the work of a street artist as it adorns a house or a  wall. Importantly, whether the picture has been created with care or has been hurriedly scribbled, like the signatures (tags) found along railway tracks, it is part of a long tradition. Wall…