Purple mountain #bandofsketchers prompt was mountain, I drew this in Artrage app then adjusted it in photodirector. I must get back to real drawing soon.
Mountains
Garden guide
What job would you do for free?
I’d volunteer for a job as a garden guide if I was looking for something to do. There are several beautiful gardens in this area. Rode Hall, Trentham Gardens, the Dorothy Clive garden, Biddulph Grange garden or further afield I would love to work at the Eden Project in Cornwall. I don’t actually know enough botany but I would try hard to find out their Latin and English names, it would be embarrassing to confuse my Aqualegia with Calendula or Gerbers. I would enjoy the exercise and chatting with people who enjoy nature including the birds insects and mammals that thrive in beautifully tended gardens.
If there is no such job I would just go and do it anyway. Each season has its beauty. One inspiring book is a very old story called the Secret Garden. I can’t remember the author though.
For Esther Chiltons’ prompt “Lost”
I lost him in December.
Since then my heart has been empty.
Now I’m alone, the universe seems cold.
Like Pandoras box, but with hope gone?
I have to carry on,
But it won’t be the same,
I’ve lost him, lost his name.
Lost my heart and soul.
Gone.
Gymnastics
What Olympic sports do you enjoy watching the most?
Watching gymnastics over the years reminds me of Olga Korbut and Nadia Comaneci with their virtually perfect performances at the Olympics. Oh how I wished I could twist and turn my body like them! My abilities were more along the lines of running and cycling. But I always to watched them on TV and I have continued to follow the gymnastics ever since.
It’s not just the female gymnasts, the men are brilliant too. The competitions are different, with apparatus based on the physiques of the male and female body. Balance, poise, strength and flexibility all are important to these athletes.
Looking forward to Paris 2024.
Guitar for sale?
It’s probably not the right place to post this, but if you are local to me (Staffordshire /Cheshire) you might be interested?
Hi folks, I’m trying to sell hubbys guitar. A friend had a look at it for me. It’s an Oakman basic beginners acoustic guitar. New would be about £70, but second hand, I would be happy to sell it for £40. I’m never going to learn to play it, might make a good gift for someone who wants to learn. Comes with carrying bag and strap and a plectrum.
Now sold.
She’s pinched my chair
You only have to turn your back round here and a cat snaffles your space! I’m letting her stay, I’ll sit on the other chair x
Tap
Catching up with #bandofsketchers prompts. This one was tube. I suppose a tap is a sort of tube? I decided to imagine a tap filling a glass for this prompt. Another Artrage app drawing, instead of looking at a photo I’m stretching my imagination, trying o think where reflections would be.
Yellow
Yellow vase, imagined drawing in Artrage app. My mom used to collect vases made out of Uranium glass. It’s called that because it uses Uranium to colour the glass. It can glow in he dark I think? It’s usually a cloudy greenish yellow. #bandofsketchers prompt was yellow.
Tree sketch
Twenty years ago I sketched these trees. I think they were probably oaks, a little old and tattered. I’d love to go back and see if they are still there, if only I could remember where they were!
I used to do far more pencil sketching. Maybe I should get a soft 6B pencil and start drawing again.
Yes
How have you adapted to the changes brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic?
Yes, I followed the rules, wore a mask, have the vaccines. Used hand sanitiser and kept at a social distance. I have had a mild case of covid and am fine. But I worry that not everyone has followed the recommenations. I got it this year, which means it’s still circulating in the population.
Another worry is that Measles is on the rise again. There is vaccine hesitance that has been passed on to other diseases meaning that there could be another epidemic or pandemic. Measles is a nasty disease and can cause dangerous health issues including death.
Vaccination or inoculations were introduced by Edward Jenner I think? He used cowpox to prevent people getting the more dangerous Smallpox. I think he saw a farm girl or farm hand who had had cowpox and was apparently immune to smallpox. I might be wrong though. Check it out. Science is not always good but I don’t think we would be well off without it.
Mallaband-Brown 