Pinchetel

Posted on March 14, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged #100daywalkingchallenge, day 42, Exercise, Hill, Honeywall, Hubby, Penkhull, pinchetel, Stoke-on trent, Time, Tired, Walking, Weather, wet and windyLeave a comment

Three miles walked today round the village in a city of Penkhull. Part of Stoke on Trent. To reach the village centre we decided to walk up a hill called Honeywall, past the Beehive public house and this sign erected in 2011 by the Penkhull Residents Association. Instead of continuing straight up the hill we walked down an interesting side road and then right an up to the Church of St Thomas which stands on the village green. As we walked past a flower bed we spotted these bottles decorated as bottle ovens with a top hatted figure standing next to them. Then we walked down and around Thistley Hough and finally by circuitous routes home to make sure the walk was long enough. I’ve only walked about 22 miles this week, a bit down on last week, but the weather has been wet and windy, and my hubby doesn’t want to walk to far, but I feel fitter (and tired). Day 42!

Pears poached in port..

Posted on March 14, 2021March 20, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Cooking, Food, gas mark five, Ingredients, Life, Oven, pastry, Pears, poached pear, Port, shop bought pastry, simmered, TastyLeave a comment

Cooked this tonight…

Ingredients :

3 small or 2 large pears

Shop bought pastry, ready rolled

1/4 bottle of port

Double cream

1 egg yolk

Method:

Core the pears as necessary, slice into small pieces.

Simmer the pears in a pan with the port until the pears have softened and the port has reduced and almost dried up.

Place the pastry on baking parchment or grease proof paper on a baking tray.

Cut the pastry into four squares, place the diced pears in the centre of each square and then fold the pastry up around them. Brush with egg yolk to glaze.

Put in a medium to hot oven (I used gas mark 6) for twenty or twenty five minutes or until they are golden brown. I found mine had a bit of a soggy bottom.

Serve when cooled with a dollop of whipped cream.

Serves four (unless you are feeling greedy!).

#mypaotw

Posted on March 14, 2021 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged #mypaotw, #skyportraitartistoftheweek, Art, Drawing, Face, five minutes, Fun, Life, Oti Mubusi, Portrait, Programme, Sketching, TVLeave a comment

I’ve been meaning to catch this series but of course the last programme was the one I finally caught! Anyway I just drew Oti Mubusi from the TV screen so I think I spent about five minutes on it (not including ad breaks and changes of the people on the screen). I think I caught her likeness…

Ah well there is always next year!

Going to bed

Posted on March 13, 2021March 13, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged #100daywalkingchallenge, #ssf21, arm, enough, Feet, knees, recuperation, Rest, Sleep, Tired, WalkingLeave a comment

Before midnight!

It must be a blue moon, or an eclipse, but going to bed before midnight? Unheard of in this house! I think I’ve tired myself out. I have a book I want to read snuggled under my pillow. I’m not interested in the film my hubby is watching, something with Bruce Willis being brutal. I attended an on line singing festival for six hours today, then went shopping (walked there and back), then finally an evening walk. My arm, knees and feet hurt. Enough. Goodnight.

Flying

Posted on March 13, 2021 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Art, black bird, Colours, Crow, Drawing, Life, monoprinting, Sketch, Sketching, soft pastelsLeave a comment

Soft pastels on grease proof paper. I was trying to use this for monoprinting but the pastels were too soft and dry. I will try and find ptooer oil pastels. In the meantime I added the flying bird over the top of the other colours. Although it’s quite simple I like it…

Just back from an evening walk…

Posted on March 13, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged #100daywalkingchallenge, Chilly, Clouds, Cold, Dark, Feet, knees, Poem, Poetry, Tired, Walking, wearyLeave a comment

Cold, dark, windy

Not wet yet

Clouds cross the sky

Blot the stars

Sunset brings chill air

Creeping across the land,

Grass flattens against its cheek.

One step then another

Striding? More a cold shuffle

Tired feet and knees

But I keep going.

My walk is short for you.

But it’s enough for me….

Stoke Sings Spirituals

Posted on March 13, 2021 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged #ssf21, Art, gospel singing, Life, Music, Portrait, Singing, Sketch, spirituals, Staffordshire, Stoke Sings Festival 2021, Stoke-on trent, WorkshopLeave a comment

Dr Kathy Bullock ran the afternoon workshop for the Stoke Sings Festival 2021, #ssf21. She was brilliant, giving a history of the slave trade and the way people were transported from Africa across the world as slaves. Dragged from their homes and imprisoned in cells until ships came and took them away. She explained the inhuman ways they were held and treated. Their transportation in ships where they were often thrown overboard if they were sick or had died during the passage. Beaten and tortured. And from this came the spiritual songs people sang as they worked, and later the Gospel songs as they worshipped. The history of African America is so sad and their treatment was and is despicable. They deserve the freedom that some people just have through the luck of birth.

The workshop was wonderful, Dr Bullock’s singing is great. It was so informative and thought provoking.

Stoke Sings 2021, workshops.

Posted on March 13, 2021 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged #ssf21, Choir, Fun, gathering, Singing, Staffordshire, Stoke Sings Festival 2021, Stoke-on trent, virtual mass choir, workshop leaders, Workshops, ZoomLeave a comment

Today is Stoke Sings Festival 2021. Over a hundred singers have got together virtually on Zoom and are singing together (muted sadly, it’s not possible to sync the sound). #ssf21 is the hashtag and I’ve posted a couple of drawings here of the workshop leaders as they taught us…

Down the river trent

Posted on March 12, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged #100daywalkingchallenge, four and a half miles, Life, Litter, Rain, River, River Trent, Tired, Walking, wet and windy, willowsLeave a comment

Our four and a half mile walk today. Along the river Trent and back along side streets. The river had fallen trees across it. There was litter and willow trees springing to life. Not exactly the romantic scene I imagined.

The Trent starts nearby and wends it way north and east till it reaches the North sea at Hull. I wonder how long it takes a molicule of water to travel along its whole length… One of the things you ponder as you walk along!

Tonights portrait group

Posted on March 12, 2021March 20, 2021 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Art, Drawing, Faces, Fun, Pictures, portrait group, portrait sessions, Portraits, Sketching, soft pastelsLeave a comment

Quick sketches with ink, soft pastels and ink splatter… I liked the poses people did. Its good that people enjoy sitting as well as drawing. On one I tried using ink splatter, I don’t know why? Experiment!

Mallaband-Brown

Author: artbychristinemallabandbrown