the running wave

Our journey from one side of Scotland, the east coast, through Perthshire to Oban, where we caught the Calmac ferry to Colonsay. The island suddenly appears on the horizon, after about an hour on the ferry. My anticipation builds from that moment onwards! Colonsay - my happy place.

I am on holiday on the Inner Hebridean island of Colonsay. It is my happy place. Thoughts of Colonsay rattle around in my head each and every day I am not here! I haven't got a vase to share this week but some lovely things I have found over the past few days, which are just as beautiful as a vase of flowers! I hope you agree! Here are some leaves of giant rhododendrons, growing in the outer gardens of Colonsay House. Some skeleton leaves of magnolia. The dried stem of a kelp seaweed. A couple of conkers (can never resist those!), and a branch heavily populated by a number of lichens. The air on Colonsay is so clean that lichens flourish here!

The intense colours in my vase this week come from nasturtiums, sweetpeas and a single glorious zinnia! Their beauty and love of life speak for themselves and need no further words from me! Enjoy!

I have just one flower in my vase this week. A simple, pretty, wild narrow-leaved Michaelmas daisy. The vase is actually a black pottery cup. I wish I could remember where we bought it and who made it, but it is a great favourite of mine. I even made it the subject of a piece of artwork several years ago. Clearly shaped by hand, it has the air of a Japanese piece about it.