Stained Glass - the finished article

As I write this, the rain is hammering down outside and the thunder is crashing. Last weekend was a bit wet as well, so it gave me the chance to finish the stained glass window. I cut and fitted the final pieces, soldered all the joints, turned it over and soldered the back (though which is front and which is back, who knows?)

The next stage was unphotographable (at least, I wasn't prepared to risk my camera). All the leads had to be cemented by forcing the cement into the gap between lead and glass, then covering it with 'whiting' (powdered chalk) to soak up the excess and begin the drying process. The chalk has then to be vigorously brushed off, darkening the lead and polishing the glass. Over the next 48 hours, as the cement sets, the excess that oozes out has to be scraped away with a fid until, eventually, the whole thing is clean and rigid.

There are 2 ways of seeing this glass; the picture above, using ambient light, looks straight through the glass, giving a bright, sharp image, but the picture below, taken with flash, picks up the textures in both glass and lead. I don't know which is better - both reveal something different.

Meanwhile, the garden continues to burgeon, giving me lots of ideas for future glasswork. These are Allium sphaerocephalon seen through the railings at the front of the house. Unlike other alliums, they don't have untidy foliage and the colour against the white stucco is gorgeous. they last quite a long time as well.

This is the potted olive tree (or the tip end of one of its branches) that we bought at Cottesbrooke this time last year. I wonder if the olives will develop, but perhaps our summer isn't long or hot enough.


Finally, one of our better hanging baskets. Verbena does very well, lasts and provides lots of colour - must remember that next year.