Snug as a cat on the bed
Happy paws
Claws tucked away
Sleeping all day
Moggie dreams
Of chasing butterflies
Twitch and race
Across the garden
Happy and comfortable.
Snug
Author: artbychristinemallabandbrown
I'm an artist based at the Spode factory site in Stoke on Trent. I paint, draw and create digital art. Contact me at mallabandbrown@aol.com
Freedom should be fair.
What does freedom mean to you?
Freedom should go hand in hand with equality. The right to speak out about problems in society, to try and eradicate things like torture and violence and wars. To reduce poverty and share resources and responsibilities more fairly. And also allow religious freedom as long as it doesn’t discriminate against others.
I know it’s impossible. Human behaviour makes selfishness and greed almost impossible to avoid. But we should try. Some rich people create foundations to make their wealth go to the poorest, the most needy. They show up the other wealthy millionaires and billionaires as people stifling equality and freedom.
Freedom is the ability to learn. To understand, to share knowledge. To show we are more than bluntly uncaring primates. Perhaps our anticedents with simpler lives may have been happier than modern humans can ever be. I am a naive idealistic person but I do care.
Cappuccino and a muffin.
I do like drawing in my little sketchbook. It’s getting full of pictures and poems and some short stories.
This morning a friend took me out so we had a cappuccino and a muffin. It was lovely to have a chat. I decided to draw what was on the table so here’s the result. I like crosshatching to add shape and shade to make it more 3 dimensional.
We were talking to the waitress and and she saw my sketches. She said that she used to be good at art and sometimes shows her children how to do things. I suggested she get a little sketchbook to start drawing in again, I hope she does.
Retirement!
What is your career plan?
Playing mahjong
I’ve worked long and hard
Given work some welly
Retirement would be fine
I mean resting and learning
New things.
I’m semi retired now
But I’m below retirement age
Which keeps moving on
I would have retired four years ago
Except they changed the rules…
Ah well at least I can.
Listening
Out listening to the Boatband at the Beehive in Honeywall, Stoke-on-Trent. Black and white sketch but the lighting was very dim.
Trying to do a self portrait
Not right yet, eyes too close together, my nose is too long. But it’s getting there slowly. I need to try and make the eyes slightly smaller too. I tend to paint self portraits straight on although I might try and do a three quarter profile one instead as it can be more dynamic. This took about an hour and a half. In acrylic on canvas.
VE celebrations
80 years ago, on the 8th of May 1945, Hitler was defeated in the second world war. But that was only in Europe, the war actually ended on 2nd September of the same year when Japan surrendered.
It’s significant that it is the 80th year as it is probably the last time that many veterans from the war will be able to celebrate it because if they were 21 (start of adulthood) when they joined up they would be 101 or older now.
Memories fade but this is a way to remember the joy of the ending of the conflict, although not for everyone. We should remember those that were injured or wounded, either in the military or civilian. Those that were made homeless or those that lost relatives and friends. I’m glad and sad in equal measure.
Communication or not?
I have a good friend who has become slightly obsessed with a subject. She is determined to get her point of view across but I fundamentally disagree with her. I said as much on a post today but she wasn’t impressed. I can’t get her to understand you shouldn’t tar everyone with the same brush. Not everyone is the same, not everyone of a certain type of person will act in a specific way.
She started to talk about someone and I pointed out that my examples were not that person and I wasn’t going to describe or identify them. I don’t think that’s the right thing to do in public.
So why talk about communication? Well it’s that thing about nuance. Unless you write exactly the right words it’s hard to get your point across. Typing and texting don’t show emotions so maybe physically talking to that person might get your message across better than in writing. At the moment I’m nervous to respond to her, I don’t want to lose her friendship.
An old prompt, I chose mathematics
What’s something most people don’t understand?
I’ve been wondering what to write for this prompt, and I realise that apart from basic addition (arithmetic) people struggle with calculations and formulas.
I was dropped down into the CSE group when I did maths at school. In the end that did me a favour. The exam was like a normal lesson and I got an o level pass.
I just about understood quadratic equations but never liked having to go through the stages of the calculations. I could follow logarithms, but never did calculus. My understanding of sine, co-sine and tangents left something to be desired.
But at least I understood numbers. There is something like dyslexia that some people have, it’s called dyscalculia. As people become aware of it, it might explain why they struggle.
Turkey in an air fryer?
I’m currently trying to cook a turkey thigh in my smallish airfryer. To roast it the instructions say cook at 190 degrees in the oven wrapped in foil for 45 minutes, then unwrap and cook for a further 45. So that’s an hour and a half.
I don’t have any foil but I put it on a grease proof paper liner and put the metal grill on top of it to stop it from burning. So far it’s been in for two lots of 20 minutes and I’ve just turned it over again and put it on for a further 20 minutes. after that I will see if the juices are running clear.If not ill put it on for a further 20 ish… .. It smells nice, but it is a big lump! I hope this works as I might try a small chicken next..
Mallaband-Brown 