Cycling

Posted on January 29, 2025 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged bloganuary, bloganuary-2024-29, Cycling, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-1832, Hubby, isle of Man, Mark Cavendish, Memories, Tour de FranceLeave a comment

What are your favorite sports to watch and play?

I love cycling, it’s been a while since I did any, but I still love it on TV. The tour de France, the tour of Britain, the Vuelta, I try and catch all of them when I can.

I think Mark Cavendish was a brilliant sprinter. He won more stages than any other cyclist in the history of the tour. I think it was 35 over 15 years. He’s from the isle of Man and represented it well.

I like the female tours aswell but they aren’t as well publicised and I’m not sure who the best racers are.

I remember riding down hills and trying to keep up with my hubby who was very fast. He even came third in a big race once against tricyclists. He was the real cyclist, but I’m glad he got me into the sport.

Lurgy

Posted on January 29, 2025 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Aching, Cough, enough, Ill, lurgy, Pain, Poem, Poetry, sneezing, Sore throat, Tired2 Comments

Lurgy, ill, sore throat

3 weeks 4 weeks more

The knives are out

My body aches

I’m sad and tired.

Give me a rest

Give me some time

To recover from it

Let me breathe

Stop this pain.

Really low pressure

Posted on January 28, 2025 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Barometer, Cold, Low pressure, much rain, passing storms, Photo, Rain, storm Herminia, Weather2 Comments

I decided to tap my barometer last night because I haven’t set it in a while. Tapping it allows the (black) pointer to move. It was on change, but it flew down to much rain last night. It’s been raining all morning and the pressure has not risen again. I think this is because another named storm is passing over the UK again, the second in recent days. It’s called Herminia. There is a third heading our way tomorrow. What fun (not).

Carrot cake with pouring cream.

Posted on January 27, 2025 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged afternoon tea, Cafe, Cake, carrot cake, Food, pouring cream, Sister, Treat, Trentham Gardens3 Comments

Last week I went to Trentham Gardens in Stoke-on-Trent. This cake was a bit blurry but nice. The cream calmed the sweetness of the carrot cake down. We had intended to have sandwiches and salad. But when we got to the cafe it was a bit too late to get anything savoury.

It was nice to get out of the house and go for afternoon tea with my sister a few days ago. I’ve been ill for a few weeks now, I’m OK one day, then I’m shattered the next, so I really enjoyed the trip out.

Carrot cake seems to have become a British classic along with fruit scones and banana bread. Others include black forest gateau and Victoria sponge. All of them are real treats.

Does he know?

Posted on January 26, 2025 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Confused, Crazy, Fear, four more years, how?, Life, mad ideas, Poem, Poetry, president, Questions, Sad, trembleLeave a comment

What way is he going?

Where he will end up?

On Mars or in the English channel

In Canada or the Gulf of America….

Has he got the knowledge

To lower the price of one egg?

Or is he looking for the Golden goose.

He plays with words and obfuscates.

But does he know what that means?

In the meantime the world trembles

In fear, shock and disbelief!

How did they chose him….

The ballot was real

Are they crazy

We all

Wait.

For four more years….

Getting down…

Posted on January 26, 2025 Posted in Cat, UncategorizedTagged Black and white cat, Cat, missed it!, Pet, Pet portrait, photogenic, pose, Tail, Tuxedo cat1 Comment

When I attempt to take a photo of my cat, nine times out of ten they move (like this picture). They are sweet cats and I’d call them photogenic, but that doesn’t mean I can get a clear image of them. They don’t like to pose!

Case in point, my cat was staring out of the window and I thought I would grab an image but no, he decided he wanted to be with me and jumped down. All I got was half his body and his quirky tail! Missed him again!

Carpet

Posted on January 26, 2025January 26, 2025 Posted in Fine Art, Memories, UncategorizedTagged 1993, carpets, cellar, Fine Art, front room, Life, Memory, Old House, Painting, TimeLeave a comment

Section of a painting I did about 1993. It’s interesting to look at how I painted the pattern on the carpet. It was actually a large rug on a terracotta and black tiled floor. This was in our old rented house which was quite delapidated. The cellar underneath this room was very wet and the mortar was rotting. It was held up by an acroprop and you could see the floor was bowing downward so we didn’t use the room much and I used it as a studio. When you changed a light bulb you needed to take insulation tape with you. The wire was cloth covered and would fall off when you changed the bulb. There’s a lot I could say about that old house, but that’s it for now. It is funny how a painting can evoke so many memories.

Canal builders

Posted on January 25, 2025January 26, 2025 Posted in Fine Art, Memories, UncategorizedTagged Burslem, Emulsion, fine art James Brindley, josiah Wedgwood, Leopard Hotel, Mural, PaintingLeave a comment

One of my murals from the Leopard Hotel in Burslem. Stoke-on-Trent. Sadly lost in a fire. Brindley, Wedgwood, and two other people involved are depicted meeting at the Leopard to plan the work. It’s been several years since I painted it and I can’t remember the other names so if anyone knows please tell me. This was emulsion paint directly onto lining paper on the wall.

I’ve just been told the other two were Erasmus Darwin and Thomas Bentley. Thanks to my friend Greg Stephens for the info.

Tents moment

Posted on January 25, 2025 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Anglesey, Car, Fish and chips, Food, frame tent, Holiday, Memory, red wharf Bay, Tea, tent, Wales5 Comments

I put a five man frame tent up once with my hubby. We’d borrowed it because ours was worn out. It was only when we had finished putting it up that we realised the curtains were on the outside! It took another hour to redo it. The thing was huge with complicated bedrooms to hang from the internal frame. It had taken an effort to get in the boot of the car it was so heavy.

We were on holiday for a week at Red wharf Bay in Anglesey, hubby also managed to back the car over my best saucepan, which was annoying because we only had a couple of small pots to cook in until we could buy a replacement. I think we went to the local pub down by the bay and had delicious fish and chips and a pint of beer for tea. (So there was an upside after a frustrating afternoon).

Finally in progress

Posted on January 25, 2025 Posted in Fine Art, Memories, UncategorizedTagged another painting, Art, Ceramic, Fine Art, Flowers, Pottery, Teapot, Work in progress2 Comments

I started this at art group last November and I hadn’t touched it till today’s art group. That’s about 2 months. I feel guilty that it’s taking so long but with illness and one thing and another it’s taken me this long to get going again. It’s a work in progress and I want to try and get a better feeling of three dimensions to the teapot.

I working the pattern out as I go along and I need to take into account the lighting aswell. It’s been four hours and I didn’t want to stop, but the session only lasts till 2.30pm

Mallaband-Brown

Author: artbychristinemallabandbrown