Little things - and some new words

A custard tart. Size: small (I wish it had been bigger). We watched The Great British Bake Off last night - even though it makes me strangely anxious - and as soon as I saw those egg custards I knew today would include a trip to the cake shop.

I enjoyed it with a cup of tea whilst Joe took an afternoon nap. He was being uncharacteristically trying this morning so I definitely earned it.

A new notebook. Picked up for a bargain price from a certain shop where labels cost less, or something like that. I must use it and not be scared to write on the clean, crisp pages...

Today's bakery visit was part of a rainy trip out for a few bits and pieces. It ended in a rather long chat in the hardware shop but we also went into the printing place. They sell stationery and office supplies and I needed some carbon paper (surprisingly difficult to procure these days). They had some. Hooray!

I also needed this line drawing of a sunflower seed head enlarging so I can have a go at making a linocut from it.

I do love gladioli but am very particular about the colours. I've been looking out for my exact favourite shade and this is it: deep, velvety red. The photos are a bit dull but I'm blaming the weather.

I couldn't resist this little gourd either. Jay doesn't like pumpkin or squash so there's just enough here for some soup for yours truly. It's one of those things you just have to make when autumn comes around.

In fact, looking at the deep oranges of gourds and the rich reds of the gladioli and pomegranates in the house reminds me of something I found on Tumblr:

OBSCURE COLOUR WORDS

albicant: whitish; becoming white
amaranthine: immortal; undying; deep purple-red colour
aubergine: eggplant; a dark purple colour
azure: light or sky blue; the heraldic colour blue
celadon: pale green; pale green glazed pottery
cerulean: sky-blue; dark blue; sea-green
chartreuse: yellow-green colour
cinnabar: red crystalline mercuric sulfide pigment; deep red or scarlet colour
citrine: dark greenish-yellow
eburnean: of or like ivory; ivory-coloured
erythraean: reddish colour
flavescent: yellowish or turning yellow
greige: of a grey-beige colour
haematic: blood coloured
heliotrope: purplish hue; purplish-flowered plant; ancient sundial; signalling mirror
hoary: pale silver-grey colour; grey with age
isabelline: greyish yellow
jacinthe: orange colour
kermes: brilliant red colour; a red dye derived from insects
lovat: grey-green; blue-green
madder: red dye made from brazil wood; a reddish or red-orange colour
mauve: light bluish purple
mazarine: rich blue or reddish-blue colour
russet: reddish brown
sable: black; dark; of a black colour in heraldry
saffron: orange-yellow
sarcoline: flesh-coloured
smaragdine: emerald green
tilleul: pale yellowish-green
titian: red-gold, reddish brown
vermilion: bright red
virid: green
viridian: chrome green
xanthic: yellow
zinnober: chrome green

I think the gladioli are definitely amaranthine (or cinnabar?); the gourd maybe jacinthe.

I love these words - so much more descriptive and evocative than the usual 'red', 'green' and so on.

Speaking of new words (and Tumblr finds), this one seems particularly apt today... not sure I'm a lover of rain exactly but there is something nice about being under cover during a downpour...