New paintings and regular art updates.
List 30 things that make you happy.
Flowers
Sunshine
Icecream
Shade
Trees
Cats
Purrs
Music
Space
Symphonies
Radio
Television
Films
Documentaries
Food
Hugs
Painting
Gardening
Photography
Friends
Family
Honesty
Oceans
Mountains
Peaches
Home
Swimming
Art
Singing
Astronomy.
A memory of my cups and mugs a few years ago. Look at the bottom of them and you can often find out where they were manufactured. The image on the bottom is called the back stamp. There’s a lot of people in Stoke on Trent (also known as the Potteries), that check this out. They are called the turn over club? Sometimes you sneak a peak when your mug is full! A dangerous manoeuvre!
I came home from a nice afternoon singing with a choir to find the hedge behind my neighbours back garden has gone. It’s because one of the houses have been sold and they need access. It’s a shame because the house sparrows used to nest in there. I feel like I’m under threat in all directions! The hedge on the other side of the house has been cut right back which was when we were burgled. It’s all men chopping the plants down. Tidy and lifeless. They will put some gravel down! Meanwhile my garden will survive somehow!
Describe one habit that brings you joy.
For years I have filled the back yard with hanging baskets and flowers. This year I had to get help from my sister to hang the baskets as I can’t climb ladders. Then I got plants from a wellness group I visit every week. Some of the plants were going over so I got them for a small amount of money.
I love this habit, but it has its dangers. I use a hose to water the plants as I can’t lift my watering can up. But it’s a trip hazard! I have to be very careful not to fall, luckily I have a grab handle by the back door. But sometimes things get very precarious!
It’s big, about 4 x 5ft? Been on my wall since I painted it around 30 years ago. So I’ve been a crazy cat lady for several decades! I’m sure there are lots of us about. I’ve never been insulted by being a childless cat lady and I’m not starting now. Whatever you look after, be it child or relative or animal your life should be full of caring and supporting those objects of your love. To have hateful words used against you is pathetic.
Write about a random act of kindness you’ve done for someone.
Whether someone is a few pence, or a couple of pounds short when they are shopping I don’t mind offering to help out.
Why not? They might be short on funds, or just unable to pay because of a computer problem. Maybe they chose the same as normal but prices have increased because of inflation? Let’s face it, life is getting harder for everyone.
I think what goes around comes around and the world needs a little more generosity. You have to be aware of problems though, I think I have to be sensible, but that shouldn’t stop me or anyone else using a random act of kindness to help others.
In the Olympics tonight Andy Murray and his partner Dan Evans were up against an American duo in the Quarter finals of the men’s doubles tennis competition.
Having won through against adversity in the previous two matches (winning after 5 match points against them and 2 match points in the following game) Murray and Edwards came through a five, two deficit in the second set to win two games back. Sadly though, and despite an almost miraculous comeback they eventually lost.
Andy Murray has been playing for years. He won the men’s singles finals at Wimbledon three times and has also previously been Olympic champion too. I think he is 37. Recently he has had back surgery and has a prosthetic hip. He had physical problems to overcome over most of his career. Perhaps this is the right time for him to finish his tennis career. But he will be sorely missed.
What traditions have you not kept that your parents had?
We always had a traditional Christmas tree, decorated with glass baubles, lammetta to look like icicles (thin strips of shiny metal tassels) also dodgy Christmas tree lights which would regularly stop working. It was a treat to be allowed to decorate it with my mother’s help. I think we always managed a tree with nicely placed ornaments and would then add bits of cotton wool to represent snow.
Scroll forward a few years. Now I rarely have a tree because of my cats. They like playing with the baubles and breaking them. They have also knocked the whole tree over. I haven’t given up on the idea. I even think I could hang a tree from the ceiling just to keep the cats at bay!
Slimy algae
On the lock wall
Only revealed
As the water flows
Out of the lock
Through large wooden gates
Made to be moved
When you use a windlass
To raise the sluice gate.
A way of travelling
Up and down hill
In a boat or a barge
Through summer fields.
After a long wait we finally went on our choirs boat trip. It was arranged for the singing for lung health group I am part of. It had been postponed due to a mechanical problem, but today was gorgeous, hot, sunny. Ideal for a canal trip on the boat Beatrice which is used to give people with disabilities the chance to get out on the water.
It was a slow journey, a bit nerve wracking because there were steep steps to got into the barge then uneven paths to negotiate to get to our destination a pub called the black lion at consall forge. We sat under an awning and sang a few songs that we have practiced for months. We didn’t have an audience except for a few people sitting on benches at the front of the pub.
Then I carefully picked my way back down the steep path with someone helping me as I was feeling very unsteady and a bit breathless. We meandered our way back along the river Churnet, entering a lock to get back onto the canal and back to our dropping off point. I was tired but I’m glad I went.
Mallaband-Brown