Badly drawn violinist

Posted on October 20, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Barn dance, Black and white, Dance, Drawing, Fun, Life, Penkhull, Penkhull mystery play, Penkhull Village Hall, Sketching, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, Urban Sketchers2 Comments

I did these sketches tonight because I’m part of urban sketchers. These were drawn at the Mystery play barn dance up at Penkhull village hall. The band laying were called the Shropshire Hero’s and the barn dance caller was Baz Parkes.

It was excellent fun although I was helping behind the bar for part of it. Just watching people dance was great. Some do well, others make mistakes. The worst thing that happened was someone accidentally stood on my foot. But that was because I was drawing, and I think I was a bit in the way, so I wasn’t looking and got stood on. I was more worried because the dancer almost fell over me!

The other problem with drawing dancers? You guessed it.. They don’t stand still!

Waiting for Spring.

Posted on October 19, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Autumn, Flowers, Garden, Gardening, Life, Spring, Sun, WarmthLeave a comment

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It’s Autumn and I’m already waiting for Spring! I need to work on the garden, cut shrubs back, plant tulip bulbs, plant snowdrops, then… Wait, wait, wait… Through the cold and rain, through the shirt dates and long nights.

I want to see the baby birds, the squirrel and its kits, the tadpoles in the pond (if we have frogs we must have tadpoles). I look forward to warmer, not too hot, days. Life returns.

In the winter here it usually does not get too cold. But it can be grey, wet and windy.

The clocks go back at the end of October, then the sun will go down an hour earlier, I hate sitting in the dark in the winter, trying to keep warm. Looking forward to the winter solstice when the sun starts coming back a little more every day.

☓

Panto

Posted on October 18, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Drama, Fun, Humour, Life, Panto, Pantomime, Penkhull, Play, Stoke-on trent, TheatreLeave a comment

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Have you heard of Panto? Or better known as Pantomime?

No? It’s something that goes on here in the UK around Christmas time.

Usually seen in a theatre it consists of brightly coloured sets, with brightly clothed people, messing about, telling an adventurous story while telling awful jokes and singing contemporary songs.

We do this in Penkhull, but for the at two years someone from the group has written the panto/pantomime, rather than buying in a script.

We started rehearsing last week. Lots of people who have done it before, greatful to get a couple of lines and be able to play act again. Most modern pantos seem to have commercial sponsorship, but in our case we just mention local shops. We don’t have advertisements in the panto, unless it’s jokey ones in the programme.

This time we are doing Aladdin. Set to open for four performances (too many for’s?) in February 2020, so the cast can take Christmas off!

Oh yes we can!

My cat

Posted on October 18, 2019 Posted in Cat, UncategorizedTagged Cat, Fun, Humour, Life, Micro poetry, Poem, Poetry, Tom catLeave a comment

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He’s big and bold,

Not nasty, but determined.

If he wants,

he will take your chair.

He will make fun of you,

Nip your nose

Play with your hair

Chase balloons.

Happy.

That’s what he is….

New glass pieces

Posted on October 18, 2019October 18, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Design, Dichroic, Fun, Glass, Glass art, Life, Trees2 Comments

These are new, about half the size of my original pieces. They are due to have holes drilled in them to allow smaller mounts.

These have bits of dichroic glass fused into them. I’m hoping they will be liked at the craft fair I’m doing soon.

Greif

Posted on October 18, 2019October 18, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Blog, Grief, Life, Memories, Sad, Tears, Thinking2 Comments

I just unlocked some grief, from long ago. It was hidden deep, the reason why I don’t buy many clothes and shoes for myself.

Why I feel guilt, and hurt, sad to be left behindy by my dad.

Father died and we had nothing but his bequest to buy clothes for his funeral. That set up the guilt, Mom needed the money more than us. But she insisted, we had to be smart. Look nice. To choose our own outfits. I think that has always stayed with me. Grief and guilt mixed into a behaviour. Still sad now all these years later.

Green Woman self portrait wip

Posted on October 18, 2019October 18, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on canvas, Art, Design, Green leaves, Green woman, Painting, Work in progressLeave a comment

Working on this now. I don’t do many self portraits, but since I did one of my hubby I decided to do my own. At the moment I’m just working out the leaves positions. I might try and add more shading and add some autumnal colours.

Choir practice

Posted on October 17, 2019October 17, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Blogging, Choir, Enjoyment, Fun, Learning, Melodion, Music, Song bookLeave a comment

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The choirs I’m inlearn mainly by repetition. We usually have the choir leader teaching us a line at a time. Some songs have simple repetitions, others have verses and choruses. We can sing in unison or are split into high, low and middle parts. We are kept in tune either with a melodion or a guitar. I actually find it harder to sing along with a guitar because it can be drowned out by our singing.

A new choir member asked how we can just start singing a song that we have never seen BEFORE. When that happens it’s usually because we have sung it in the past and it’s part of our old repertoire? Our song book is extensive and covers old and new songs and many languages including African songs, European and Indian.

I think joining a choir is one of the best things I have ever done.

Guardian angel

Posted on October 17, 2019October 17, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Angel, Caring, Guardian, Life, Poem, Poetry, SupportLeave a comment

She stands, arms folded.

What have you done now?

She asks.

Sorry, I didn’t mean to

You say.

I will save you,

This time, she says.

(she says that every time, really)

Looking down from on high,

Looking down on you.

Guardian,

Angel,

Caring

Mother…..

Moonlight

Posted on October 17, 2019October 17, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Creative writing, Horror, Howl, Imagination, Sci fi, Short story, Very short story, WerewolvesLeave a comment

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Full moon tonight she said…

Yes, he said, I know.

It’s fate, she said, it can’t be helped.

But what if?…. You’ll be OK I think, she said.

The moon is up according to the astronomical clock….

But I feel NOTHING?!

It’s cloudy, and it’s behind those buildings, she said.

Oh, hell, what can I do?

Wait, relax, it’ll be OK she replied.

Moments later the fur started to grow, body twisting, face elongating. A howl began..

Are you OK, he said?

Run! She growled…..

Mallaband-Brown

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