The Rain it Raineth Everyday, Norman Garstin, 1889

One of the paintings most strongly associated with Penzance is the striking "The Rain it Raineth Everyday" of Penzance Prom, by Norman Garstin painted in 1889. The original is in the wonderful Penlee House Gallery and Museum

The gallery stands in the gorgeous Penlee Park, in the centre of Penzance. I've always loved this painting, inspired as it is by the Impressionists, and the Japanese aesthetic. We always make a point of going to see it whenever we visit the gallery for events or exhibitions. I was delighted when I picked up a framed hardback print of it, of fairly decent size and quality, from the amenity tip (one of my favourite places to look for tools and useful stuff for the workshop) for 50p last year.

Yes, it's still raining. At this point, a subtle kind of cabin fever is slowly but surely gathering like a dark cloud in our place. We are getting out and about despite the downpours, but the freedoms of summer (beach life, park life) seem a distant dream, and we are redeveloping that weary winter posture, and reluctantly replacing flipflops with boots. The kids are restless, the washing is piling up, and the grass in the garden is topping a foot in some place

View from the allotment

We survived the weekend, just. The highlight (apart from the Wimbledon finals) was spending Sunday morning on a friend's allotment, during a brief break in the clouds. It was hard but someone had to do it. We have been given the responsibility of picking (and eating) all the soft fruit for them while they are away. "Oh go on then, we'll do it..." Nothing like a spot of neighbourliness to make you feel noble - and bloated. When the grind got too much, we retired to their garden bench with a flask . Sunday morning coffee never tasted so good!

One thing about bad weather, there's no longer an excuse to put off work! I managed to get down to drilling the seaglass we've been collecting on more clement days. My workshop is slowly returning to full production mode, and I am loving rediscovering the brilliance of silversmithing. I listed these in my

shop

today.

Seaglass and recycled glass sterling silver stack earrings

( seaglass found on St Ives Harbour beach)

Seaglass and silver spiral hoops

(seaglass found on Pentewan beach)

Mermaid's seaglass earrings

(Seaglass found on St Ives Harbour beach)