We were travelling north and we suddenly felt like celebrating, so stopped off in Bakewell, had a slap up breakfast in a cafe, resisted buying their Bakewell Tarts but sat sipping tea and covering our two paper serviettes with doodles of dancing eggs and cutlery.

It’s risky to leave any piece of paper close-by as it beckons the creative hand and teases out the inventive threads of ink to dance the way of the mind.

Often a ‘doodle’ will do the trick when communicating ideas and concepts and I believe that ‘drawing’ is as much an International Language as English. It could be a more International Language if everyone could draw or simply doodle out their thoughts to each other.

If you see ‘drawing’ as a skill that should be taught as a language, I would love to hear from you. Say “hi” offline or online.

If you know of a centre to empower children with this international skill, send the details to me and I will put up a link to their work.

Waves ~~~~~~~~~ <+))))))))>< ~~~ Grant

Alongside the top terrace, beneath the newly planted White Wisteria, we’ve formed a railing from three sections of an old manger which cost us just one (UK) pound in a local farm auction – and we love it.

If you are over this way on a Wednesday and have never experienced the buzz of a local auction, let us know and we’ll introduce you.

Trying to find instant maturity to blend-in around here, often delays the finish of features but we can afford the luxury of delay on our own project house. Most internal and external features at the HoBB ‘grow’ as we find the next piece they need regardless of the ‘wait’.

This method of incremental architecture allows us to enjoy the art of construction in many ways. Visiting friends contribute their thoughts and actions to HoBB features in the same way that Cairns in Scotland are often built, one rock at a time, and by returning to a feature with freshened eyes it remains alive.

Some see the many features at the HoBB as ‘unfinished’, but they are ‘in progress’ and grow as steadily as our young trees. Gardeners, and farmers, are forever seeing the changes they cultivate and I have been both farmer and gardener in my time.

Many modern makers of finished ‘product’ remain proudly attached to their finished works and in this ‘build and move on’ climate, too few remain in touch with their former ‘babies’ long enough to experience their growing pains. When I design a garden I enjoy seeing it grow more than designing it.

If you are right at the start of a garden re-think and want to bat ideas around you are welcome to say hi when over this way. Drop me a line.