A couple of days off…

Posted on April 4, 2026 Posted in Memories, Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Time, Blue, Memory, Sketch, Life, Phone, Sadness, Battery, Hubby, Grief, ArtRage app, time off2 Comments

A few days ago it would have been my hubby’s birthday. He is not here anymore and I felt too sad to blog here. Also my phone is playing up so I might struggle to post till I get a new battery, which means finding somewhere to do that. I don’t want a replacement for my phone (or hubby). I prefer to get things fixed if I can.

My hubby was not fixable, I can’t tell you how much I wish things had been different. I still feel lost without him. I think grief is not controllable, you have to go with its ways, sometimes succumbing to the pain…. Despite wanting to make it go away. I just want to remember him always, even if I do feel blue….

Spaghetti trees?

Posted on April 1, 2026 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged April Fools day, BBC, Dehydrated water, Funny, Magpie, Memory, Panorama, spaghetti treesLeave a comment

In 1957 there was a famous April Fools trick played on viewers of the Panorama TV show on the BBC.

“The BBC broadcast its famous “spaghetti tree” hoax on April 1, 1957, as a three-minute segment on the current affairs program Panorama. The spoof featured a Swiss family harvesting strands of pasta from trees, narrated by Richard Dimbleby, and successfully convinced many viewers that spaghetti grew on trees. “

It was one of the first April Fools tricks broadcast on TV. Another memorable one was “Dehydrated water”, it was on a Children’s TV show called Magpie in the 70’s I think.

They showed a funnel and I think the presenter added a white powder to it and water flowed out of the funnel? It’s a hazy memory from more than 50 years ago so apologies for not remembering properly….

Anyway happy April 1st!

Tulip

Posted on March 31, 2026 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Gardening, Life, Photo, Plant, Spring, Tulip, Petals, Front of house, open, friend. Red. Pink1 Comment

Such a pretty flower, even when it fully opens up…. Generally tulips are sold in bud and then gradually open up fully over a few days, although this happens more when they have been cut through their stems, are brought into a warm room, and displayed in a vase.

This is a photo taken by my friend. I’ve only got three pale pink tulips at the front of my house. I tried taking a photo, but my phone keeps switching itself off.. I think its battery is going… Anyway happy Spring to you all.

The clocks changed

Posted on March 29, 2026March 29, 2026 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Clocks, extra light, Insomnia, Poem, Poetry, Spring, Thinking, time change, Tired1 Comment

Ugh!

One less hours sleep

Clocks sprang forward

Insomnia splurged

Sleep deprived

It says 23:20

But it’s really 00:20

Am tired

Lost

Shattered

Achy

Huh! I remember

Extra light…

Cat fun

Posted on March 28, 2026March 28, 2026 Posted in Cat, Fine Art, Memories, UncategorizedTagged Abstract, Acrylic on canvas, Art, Cat, Colourful, Fine Art, Life, metallic paints, Painting2 Comments

I’m painting, mind freed, ping, I can’t stop! It’s always like this, winter stops me, a bit of light and I’m painting again. I think the beechband and is helping, I feel like I can enjoy this process. The Parkinsons is still plaguing me, but if I concentrate I can paint!

Not in…

Posted on March 28, 2026 Posted in Fine Art, Memories, UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on canvas, Art, Fine Art, I like it, Life, Open exhibition, Painting, Phoenix, unsuccessful4 Comments

It wasn’t to be. Yesterday I thought I’d been lucky, a friend had been called her entry for the open exhibition was not successful. I waited all day, no call, no email. Could it be?

Discussed with another artist, you’re a cert she said. No problem.

About 10 am, the call came, I waited a second to decide whether I was assuming yes or no? Joy or gloom?

Sorry, you were not successful this time. A pleasant woman’s voice.. Gloom, then a realisation. I had managed to do something that I hadn’t done for a while. I’d painted a piece of art.. I don’t care about the judges. I LIKE it!

Postbox

Posted on March 26, 2026 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Red, Memory, Life, stone wall, Queen, postbox, king, Pillar box, reign, yarnbombing, cylinder1 Comment

Most postboxes (pillar boxes) in the UK are red cylinders and some even have GR on them which stands for George Regina. These were made in the reign of George VI. Some are marked ER, the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.

Postboxes are made of cast iron. They are traditionally painted red, but recently have been painted gold in towns where sports people won gold medals at recent Olympics. I like this box that had been put into a stone wall.

Another thing that happens is the cylinder ones are being yarnbombed. Where people knit or crochet covers for the top of the box, including characters and buildings etc. These are very funny to see. There’s a page on Facebook about it.

Starburst

Posted on March 25, 2026 Posted in Fine Art, Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on canvas, Explosion, Fine Art, Life, Nova, Poem, Poetry, Space, starbutst, Supernova3 Comments

If I see a Nova

Will it burst in fire?

A pinprick of light

Blossoming like a Daisy?

Rare sighting

May light our sky

Adding an extra bright star

That will glow

Then fade

Shaded by dust and debris.

Perhaps we could see a Supernova.

More explosive

Dangerous

It’s impact unknown.

Esther’s limerick challenge… Ride

Posted on March 23, 2026March 23, 2026 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Esther Chiltons weekly prompt, Funny, Life, Limerick, original, Poem, Poetry, ride, WritingLeave a comment

Esther Chiltons weekly prompt for a limerick was the word ride. Many different ideas came to mind. Fairground rides, riding in a train. Car rides. Riding a bicycle or motorcycle.

I tried to come up with something a bit unusual..and funny…

I decided to ring “local ride”
And waited by the road side
Till a horse came along
Which was absolutely wrong!
A jockey? I’m not! Better hide!

More work

Posted on March 22, 2026 Posted in Fine Art, Memories, Sketching, UncategorizedTagged acrylic on copper, altering, Fine Art, Life, Memory, Mountain, Painting, Reflection, Sketching2 Comments

I decided to try and improve this painting because it was too reflective and the metallic copper sheet it was painted on was showing through too much. I seem to have worked reasonably well but it took effort to get the acrylic paint to stick onto the surface, but that was the problem on the original picture. Acrylic on a metallic surface.