Camping hits the press

This weekend the Saturday Telegraph did an article on camping and featured Tom's Field!
So here is a link to some great pictures of people enjoying 'the simple pleasures' of camping at Tom's. I do like the iconic picture of the tree on the plateau, loved by many is this particular spot on the site.
Here, too, is a link to a description of the area that appeared in The Observer in 2007. I think it captures the magic of Purbeck.

Also a picture I took this week on the terrace where the herbs are flourishing! The old may tree has died so it is decorated with some solar lanterns and bunting. A great area to sit and enjoy a coffee from the new, and very whizzy, coffee machine.

Next week is carnival week in Swanage, this promises to be even more extra special this year.

Hotting up

Today was so hot, Purbeck to be seen at it's most glorious. I spent the morning on duty at the Purbeck Artist and Stallholders event in Worth Matravers. This will now run each day in the village hall which has been wonderfully decorated with bright pink bunting so not easy to miss!
The ducks were happy in the sparkling water.

As for the campsite we would put out a plea to people to try to come with one vehicle only to prevent it becoming more like a car park. Keep it simple!

Mid summer plus plus

It has been beautifully hot and therefore pretty busy on the site. Jerry Burden and his building team have been busily installing solar panels, This is a progression from the homemade system of hose pipes on the Nissen Hut roof.

The Artist and Stall Holders Event starts next Saturday at the village hall in Worth Matravers, this runs daily for 5 weeks and is an excellent place to stop by at for a coffee , tea or ice cream before or after a walk.

We look forward to all our summer visitors arriving in a couple of weeks and fingers crossed for good weather.

I have been fighting an infestation of blackfly on my runner beans by blasting them with a hose of water or soapy water not that they take much notice.

Catching up

Purbeck Art Week[s] is over, It is quite a long haul needing us to be sitting in on the exhibition for three weekends and two weeks, but we met a great many people and enjoyed it, thank you to all who came to see us, it started very drearily and damp. I visited some studios with a friend early on in Worth Matravers and this is how it looked!

The bluetit family have flown the nest. There were at least 6 and we all had some excellent views of them in the nest before they left and the staff switched the t.v. on to the football to some mixed reactions!!

The site is looking lovely and summery at present , the wild life patch is recovering from being nibbled by rabbits until we covered the poor plants with some netting for the time being

Spring Watch at Tom's Field!

Well the eggs have hatched and we can see, albeit rather hazily as often a twig covers the camera lens, the parent birds feeding tiny ,gaping mouths all quite thrilling!
No picture as impossible to capture this.

All is ready for Purbeck Art Weeks. Today Sue, Ali and I put the work up in the activity room and we look forward to opening on Saturday.

How time flies

Well into May. It has been an extremely busy time one way and another. On the site things are looking good, the blackthorn is in bloom at last and it seems the bird has laid eggs in the camera box!

Last week Colin and I planted lots of wild flower plug plants in the Hike Field, we gave up on the seed as nothing germinated. I think it was a mixture of the unusual cold and the dry clay soil that we had to do better preparation on. Hopefully we will succeed with these plants.

Late April

It has been a glorious time at the site, the weather is stunning although sometimes with chilly evenings.
The blossom on the blackthorn is now starting to bloom but so much later than usual.
Many baby rabbits hopping happily about[ the stoat has not been around yet!] The Live Bird Watch in the shop has been somewhat blurred as the bird has placed a large leafy thing over the camera eye!!
I am getting prepared for Purbeck Art Week, this stats at the end of May for 2 weeks. It is part of Dorset Art Weeks which is a great opportunity to see many artists in their working spaces and galleries throughout the county.