New paintings and regular art updates.
Saw this bright and breezy tablecloth in a cafe today. I don’t know who designed it so apologies for using it. I really like sign writing and shaded letters so this appealed to me. It’s neat and tidy and eye poppingly colourful, with primary yellows and orangey reds. The dark and light blues add contrast, and the whites tie it all together. Is this surface pattern or graphics, or a mixture of both.
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My first drawing of 2020 on 2.1.2020. It’s red because we were at Etruria Artists in the warehouse by the canal. It was so cold we had the electric heaters on in the roof that glow cherry red. For those who know the person, I’ve got his nose too long. This is because he was moving.
The Etruria Artists are now meeting on a Thursday morning from 10am to 12noon unless we change it. Hopefully this will encourage more people to come along.
Sprouts to go with this evenings meal. I cut the bases off then cut a cross in the bottom of them. I don’t know if that’s what other people do but it seems to let them cook better. I put them on to boil with water from the kettle for about 15 to 20 minutes. I don’t like them over cooked.
I don’t have them very often. Usually just around Christmas and New Year. They are a seasonal vegetable, a winter crop. Some people think they have too strong a flavour and fry them with bacon. I don’t mind them at all. Definitely one of my five a day.
In this case a bi-valve. Shells are made up of calcium carbonate. They need a neutral water environment to grow and survive. But like so many problems we cause, we are damaging the oceans. The seas are slowly acidifying them. The oceans are now weakly acidic which is slowly affecting the growth of shells and corals. They cannot lay down the material they are made of as easily in the current environment. If things get worse we could lose many of these beautiful creatures (yes they are animal not plant life).
More to work on in the coming decade. If we don’t a large number of animals that eat shellfish may be affected. We really do have to think about it.
About 7.50 this morning. The cat was on the window ledge looking out over the garden. Standing sentinel. Approving the occupants of the green place outside. Birds fly or scurry across the land, feeding on wild bird seed. Other cats stalk through the plants and drink the pond water. None miss my cats gaze. He also seems to protect us. Standing guard against interlopers. I feel secure seeing him sitting statue like. Patient, watching over us.
Welcome to the dawn of a new decade.
Let’s try and be optimistic,
do something to improve the world
instead of destroying it.
Use less plastic stuff,
eat more organic food.
Drink clean water at last,
instead of tainted.
Free workers from slavery,
pay a decent wage.
Let the sky glow at dawn and dusk
not from forest fires.
House the homeless in decent shelters
along with refugees…
Care for one another
and the life of the world.
Reduce energy usage,
and combat Global warming.
Then we might survive,
to the Next Decade.
Fingers crossed.
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Sodium nitrate, sulphur and carbon. Mixed together make gun powder. That is the explosive mixture they put into fireworks. The ratios of the different elements determine the burning characteristics. Strontium makes red, sodium yellow, copper green, magnesium bright white, other elements make different colours. Cobalt? Possibly blue. The elements burn at different temperatures. Each element, when heated, excites electrons in its atoms. As they cool down again photons of light are given out (emitted). The colour depends on the energy the photons release. Bear with me it gets complicated! In the same way you can tell what elements are in the sun or other celestial objects by their emission lines. If you look at a spectrum (rainbow of colours), given out by the light of the sun there are gaps, these correspond to gases like Hydrogen and Helium.
I don’t know enough science to explain properly.
Anyway the fireworks have stopped so I might go to bed.
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Time, memories, fears, wonders? The year has passed, slowly and quickly. I can’t believe it’s almost over. Things have happened that I couldn’t forsee. People I loved have gone, friends I have lost. But also, friends I have made, on line and in real life.
Can you tell by this reflective mood that I haven’t had a drink yet for New years eve? I migh treat myself to an Irish coffee. But I don’t feel like drinking a lot.
Things to avoid in 2020…
Politics!
Hot sun,
Getting too tired.
Going to bed to late.
What about you?
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Note: in the UK black cats are lucky as opposed to how they are regarded in other countries.
Black cat,
golden eyes,
a familiar face.
Sleek and charming,
not alarming,
bringing luck,
to one and all.
Found in night,
hidden in shadow.
A mysterious feline,
flying through the air,
a lucky talisman,
for the New Year.
As New year approaches, I want to wish all the people who follow my blog, and who I have made friends with over the last couple of years, a Happy and Healthy New year for 2020. I know it doesn’t happen at the same time across the world and in some places its already late in the morning of January 1st. Others won’t be celebrating until hours later.
Wherever you are in or on the World, with all the terrible things that have happened, or are happening, may you find peace, and caring, and love. If your year was good in 2019, I hope that continues.
It doesn’t matter who, or what you are. I hope your life, and that of your families and friends is good in 2020.
Best wishes.
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