You may remember that I started a new journal to record what’s happening during lockdown. The numbers of confirmed cases of Covid 19 became so depressing that I couldn’t find the heart to work into the pages of my book for a while. What can you say when the death toll doubles every few days? I live in a bubble – if I didn’t listen to the government’s daily briefing I could almost believe nothing bad was going on. I think I can’t ignore the outside world though – I need to make a record.

I’m recording the number of confirmed UK cases and the number of hospital deaths on one side and then illustrating the page with what solace nature is providing on the other. The contrast is stark and frankly unbelievable. So much beauty in the garden right now – maybe we are appreciating it all the more because of the lockdown.

We have this lovely repeat flowering magnolia. It’s at its best at the moment but will still have a few flowers into the autumn. Joyful!

I’ve attempted to capture the delicacy of the petals with watercolour paint and a little oil pastel . The sun is very bright today, casting lots of shadows. I haven’t shown you the horrifying numbers but if the stay at home measure is working, as they tell us it is, we should start to see a reduction soon. Keep safe and well and take time to enjoy the things that keep us cheerful. I hope you have a garden or can at least see flowers and blossom from your window!

Keep safe and well.

Linda x