A corner

You could have had another gloomy photo - this time of the lights of Rothesay sparkling over the dark water, taken from the Ardyne farm road. You could have had a blip of my dinner - a colourful concoction of soft Udon noodles, stir-fried veg and prawns - but I'd eaten it before I remembered to take a photo. So instead you have a corner of my sitting room, the temporary home of an icon that I've blipped before, now awaiting restoration and, if possible, a better place in the church than the rather vulnerable position it had been put in. It fairly demonstrates the difference between the familiar icon-writing style we've become accustomed to and the more naturalistic effect of the very early icon of Christ that I copied at my icon painting course (so it's not just my lack of ability - there really is a huge difference).

Also in the corner is one of the wonderful ceramic poppies from the display at the Tower of London a few years ago, on its iron stand; it's held upright by a glass vase full of stones picked off the beach on Iona. In front of the Mary icon is a ceramic coaster from Crete with the Prince of the Lilies on it, and tucked in behind the Christ icon is a small replica of an ancient Roman pot with a face on it - both of these presents brought back by my parents from their holidays. The purple vase was a Ruby wedding present from an old friend.

I think they all look rather well together - and I love the way the light strikes the gold of the borrowed icon. It may be a long loan ...