Books, books,
Glorious books
Never too many
For stirring the blood
So follow me
follow me
Up to the library
And there we
shall wallow
In glorious Books!
(after the song ‘Mud mud glorious mud’ by Flanders and Swann).
Never too many
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
Sunlight
Sunlight streaming through the window Shines on Christmas cards and books, ornaments my sewing kit. As the sun rises it also travels south in the sky in winter. Then in the afternoon it appears to move downwards and West. So because of the way the earth is tipped on its axis the position on the sky moves in arcs that tip further south in the winter and further north in summer. So the sun appears overhead eventually.
If the Earth was rotating on a vertical axis at 90° to the plane of the solar system, then day length would stay the same all over the world. 12 hours day and 12 hours night. There would be no seasons. There would probably be no poles as all parts of the earth would receive the same amount of heat from the sun.
Instead the tip of the axis means that the day length changes over the years. So at the solstices the earth has turned to have its poles either closest or furthest apart from the sun. It’s also complicated by the earth travelling in an elliptical orbit round the sun. In the summer in the North of the world the sun is actually slightly further away from the earth than in the winter.
Anyway enough of celestial mechanics. Don’t get me started on the moon! Happy Boxing day. X
Cats keep warm
On windowsills
On beds
In front of fires
Our three cats keep warm.
They snuggle
Curl and stretch
Heat seekers
Where the warmest places are
You will find them.
On the coldest nights
They each have their ‘spot’.
There comfy place.
To sleep and rest
And RELAX.
Favourite A Christmas Carol film
There are lots of film versions of A Christmas Carol by Charles Darwin. Of them there are several that I really enjoyed. One with Sir Patrick Stewart starring in it, and also Micheal Caine in Muppet Christmas Carol. But my favourite is Scrooge: A Christmas Carol, starring Alistair Sim.
Made in Black and White in 1951, it tells the story of the transformation of the miser, Scrooge, following his haunting by first, his deceased partner Jacob Martley, and then the three ghosts of Christmas past, present and future.
Over the course of the film Scrooge learns that his ideas of how people should live are cruel, uncharitable and miserly. He suddenly realises that he can change.
Alistair Sim’s portrayal of Scrooge is a revaluation. He goes from mean and grim to happy (and giggling). His face shows his emotions, you can see what he is thinking. It’s a wonderful piece of acting.
This afternoons sky
I was looking out the window at about 4.15pm and the sky was purple pink. I know the sun was setting, but I did think for a minute that it might snow. It’s been a cold Christmas day and we are due a storm from tomorrow night with possible gusts of wind of about 60 miles per hour. Its due to be even windier on the coast. I had thought of going for a boxing day walk but I don’t know if that will happen now
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Part painted panto hat
This was used as a prop in the local village hall pantomime a few years ago. The hat was a large teacup and saucer made out of wire and paper and glue. Once it was made I had the task of painting it with a classic spode pattern of Greek or roman figures. I might have some more photos somewhere, but this gives you an idea of what I was painting. It was held in place on the panto dames head with a big blue ribbon and bow. I miss rehearsals for the yearly panto. It was restored about ten years ago after several years absence. The largest ausiencevwe had was 180, and we do four performances over Thursday, Friday and two on a Saturday. I miss the stage fright and the fun. We used to do the performances in February to coincide with the school half term.
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Bauble paintings
One of my bauble paintings that I did a few years ago. I did quite a few of them and they were only two inches by three. I was trying to paint old fashioned glass baubles. You don’t get them much these days. Sometimes they had a curved hollow in them with a reflective surface so they glittered in the light of fairy lights. It was a memory from forty or fifty years ago. Old fashioned and nice…..
Acrylic on canvas, with ribbon on the back so they can be hung on a Christmas tree.
A nativity scene?
So, that’s two adults?
There is a donkey parking space.
Breakfast in the Nativity Restaurant.
Double bed, en-suite.
No smoking or vaping,
No visitors from afar allowed.
No ‘angelic hosts’ parties allowed.
Visur or Masterboard?
What do you mean ‘a child will be born’?
No we don’t do Frankincense or Myhrr facials.
Gold, well yes as an exception we will accept it.
You want how many towels, and hot water?
I’m sorry but your wife looks unwell.
We are not a maternity unit.
Sorry, we reserve the right to cancel your reservation.
The hospital is that way.
Merry Christmas.
2014 Angel
Before I got a drawing tablet for my computer I used to draw with a mouse. This drawing was put on Facebook in 2014, but I’m sure I had a wacom tablet by then. I actually think it’s around ten years older and that I saved this image on one of the numerous times my hard drive went down. The picture must have been drawn on a basic program, but I can’t remember which. I know it’s a mouse drawing because of the wobbly lines…… I still like it…
Merry Christmas one and all!
Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year to all my friends here on WordPress. Keep safe and wishing you a better 2021.
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