Rhiannon Giddens

Last night I went to see American singer, Rhiannon Giddens, at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh. In the early days of Rhiannon's singing career she was the girlfriend of our American lodger, when we lived in Edinburgh. She came and stayed with us for a month, during which time she charmed us, sang to us and played her fiddle! She is an extraordinarily beautiful woman, incredibly talented musician, playing the fiddle and banjo (and probably other instruments as well) and her voice will knock your socks off! She trained as an opera singer but has found her way so far as a folk singer. I would say that her current concert tour has elevated her profile as folk singer to performer extraordinaire! It was simply fabulous. Her co-performer, Francesco Turrisi, was equally phenomenal!

If you find they are in your locality, DO NOT fail to buy a ticket! Your life will be richer for having heard their performance! What more can I say.

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In a vase on Monday - colour

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!

Colonsay postcards - on arrival

The first thing I do, once we have unpacked our car, which has been groaning with all the stuff we need for a week's stay in the holiday cottage, is head for the outer gardens of Colonsay House. It is a place of wonder for me! I particularly love the leaves of the giant rhododendrons. There are many different varieties, all planted in the early 1930s. The outer gardens are generally overgrown, having had little tending over the decades. That makes them even more magical! The old woodmill falls apart a little more every year, but that's fine by me because I love corrugated iron and especially if it's rusted! And of course the bees. Colonsay's beekeeper, Andrew Abrahams, has one of his apiaries on the edge of the pine wood. So lovely - the hum of busy bees and the heady smell of the pines. We are here - finally! Delayed by four months by the wretched virus, but now I am on holiday! Hooray!

Found items IAVOM

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 running wave

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