Airing my Unison Laundry

Had to go to Unison Pastels for some greens and darks today.
Well, understand that when I say 'had to'... it wasn't life threatening or anything. But I do 'need' some red/greens for my new piece.
Honest!
It was a glorious drive - we combined it with dropping off my sister at the airport, then on to Northumberland.
The May blossom is really thick and heavy ... more noticable somehow than in previous years. And the sheep sheltering under trees for shade. Panting in their woolly coats 'cos of the heat...  bless them.
Cow parsley head high in the ancient hedgerows, unmoving as the laundry on the washing on the line at Unison outside the making shed studio. (Main pic)
A blackcap sang us his speedy serenade, and a woodpecker drilled for attention... fine accompaniment for leisurely pastel picking... I mean - where else can you walk into with your reference image and say - 'I need these colours please?'
They sit you down in front of their trays of confectionary  pastels and leave you alone to play choose, the only instruction being to - 'take your time' .
You make a list and take it next door where the staff (never more than two) are quietly hand gluing labels onto recently dried stock.
Today the door was open and chickens clucked in the garden. Honest! If someone says to you - 'cottage industry' - think of Unison - and yet their products are in demand all over the world! I don't know how they do it. If there was a knighthood for products - Unison should have one.
So peaceful at Thorneyburn - home of Unison Pastels - quite simply - the best in the world... and they come out of that unprepossessing wooden shack about 25 feet by 15 feet. But what treasures await inside.
Hand mixed, hand rolled, hand labelled. Soft, delicious - they come to the paper so easily. Their colours rich and intense as jewels. I just enjoy standing gawping at the jars of pigment... they so remind me of the jars that lined sweetie shops I remember as a child.
I do confess that I have to fight the urge to lick the newly finished pastels. Not sure what that says about my predilections!
Really - if you have any artist friends/rellies that you need to treat - put Unison on your list.
More images in one of my flickr albums, link below...
https://www.flickr.com/photos/100168940@N04/albums/72157648434409924
And in the extra today - just round the corner from the packing/orders shed - a tyre swing with equine ambitions.